Balearic bliss

SUN, SEA AND SOULFUL ESCAPES

- Words by Keith Bain

For history buffs, food lovers, beachcombers or fun-seekers, Spain's Balearic Islands hold the promise of adventure and unrivalled good times

Off the east coast of Spain, the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea take their name from Latin and Greek words describing the islands' inhabitants. They were known as 'the slingers', a reference to their battle weapon of choice: leather slings used to pelt the enemy with stones.

Fast-forward a couple of thousand years and the hardest thing being thrown on the islands are the parties in Ibiza. Beyond banging Balearic beats, it's difficult nowadays to even imagine these paradisiacal islands as a source of battle-ready stone-tossers.

Now, each one of the archipelago's four main islands - apart from Ibiza, there's Formentera, Mallorca and Menorca - seems to beckon with the promise of idyllic charm... whether it's glistening azure waters lapping sandy coves, rugged landscapes culminating in craggy cliffs or sleepy ancient stone villages with cobblestone streets.

BEYOND IBIZA'S UNINHIBITED PARTYING

In the 1970s, the 'wild child' island began cementing its reputation as Europe's party capital, evolving into a heaving mass of clubs. Things have slowed down a little, but Ibiza is so much more than a gigantic dance floor.