What budget for activities and outings Balearic Islands?
Unfortunately, no cultural pass exists, either for the Balearic Islands as a whole or for each individual island. Generally speaking, institutes, cultural centers and museums are inexpensive (under €10).
The Balearic Islands are the ideal location for a wide range of water sports, including kayaking, sailing, paddle surfing, kitesurfing and scuba diving. Each of the islands abounds in little-exploited sites. For those wishing to discover the Balearic Islands in a different, quieter way, it's worth pointing out that these sports can be enjoyed in summer as well as winter, ideally from September-October, after the last wave of tourist departures. The archipelago's incredible climate and natural setting are ideal for golf all year round, attracting thousands of golf enthusiasts from all over the world. Also worth considering are hiking trips, particularly in the Tramuntana mountain range (Mallorca), whether on foot, by bike or even on horseback.
For disabled travellers visiting Menorca, we recommend contacting the Menorca para Todos (Menorca for All) association. This organization offers a wide range of sporting and cultural excursions adapted to people with reduced mobility. Further information at www.menorcaparatodos.org.
In the Balearic Islands, you can find shoes, leather, pearls, handicrafts and local industry at relatively attractive prices. Some of Spain's best-known brands, such as Camper and Mascaró, are still worth buying, as their factories or headquarters are located in the Balearic Islands. When it comes to handicrafts, the offer is highly diversified. Watch out for prices and quality! There are more stores in Mallorca than anywhere else. Small craft and hippy markets are set up in the most popular tourist spots, often in village squares. When it comes to gastronomy, the Balearics are full of delights: wines, olive oils and dried fish, Maó cheese and Xoriguer gin from Menorca, ensaïmadas and sobrassada from Mallorca, hierbas from Ibiza... Ibiza and Formentera are also renowned for their clothing creations derived from the highly Mediterranean Adlib style, offering outfits and accessories that are both simple and elegant.
A beer costs between €2 and €3 in Spanish bars, while the price of cocktails, depending on the venue, varies from €6 to €15. At nightclubs, where admission can cost from €20 to €60, drinks tend to cost around €10 for a beer and €15 (or more) for a cubata (a simple mix of alcohol and juice, such as rum and coke, gin and tonic, etc.). The price of admission to most of the island's nightclubs can be daunting, but there are a few strategies for finding cheaper or even free ones! The port of Ibiza is full of opportunities. Just go there and you'll be mobbed by street vendors offering reduced rates. Some bars advertise this fact: they offer up to 50% discount on the sole condition of having a drink in their establishment. Free tickets are of course interesting, but they're only valid early in the evening, and the drink isn't included! You'll find them in certain stores displaying the evening's signs in their windows; but also on certain large beaches (Platja d'en Bossa, Ses Salines...), where discotheques parade groups of gogos advertising the evening with pockets full of free tickets to hand out.
What budget to eat Balearic Islands?
You can eat very well for very little money in the Balearics. Local produce is good and restaurants are plentiful. By opting for a few tapas to share or a lunchtime menu, you can get by for around 15 euros. However, good restaurants are also plentiful and the bill can easily rise. Nevertheless, there are a few restaurants in town serving a dish of the day for around €15. Give preference to local products and dishes: frit mallorquí (made with meat or fish, peppers and potatoes fried in olive oil) and Majorca's famous ensaimada (a sweet spiral pastry eaten at breakfast time), caldereta de llagosta (a kind of bouillabaisse cooked in a small pot with lobster) and Mahón cheese on Menorca, burrida de ratjada (boiled skate with crushed almond coulis), sofrit pagès (a dish made with lamb, chicken, sobrassada and potatoes) on Ibiza and Formentera.
Prices for gourmet breaks and alcoholic beverages are generally lower than in France (with the exception of discotheques and similar establishments). Balearic pastries are highly recommendable (especially the delicious ensaïmadas ), as are liquores de hierbas, the most famous of which is Ibiza's famous hierbas ibicencas.
What is the budget for accommodation Balearic Islands?
For those seeking tranquillity, many agrotourism (rural tourism) establishments have opened their doors. These are usually old fincas (traditional houses) converted into small, usually luxury hotels. Often located in the hinterland, these houses offer 6 to 10 rooms and all the comforts of a 4- or 5-star hotel. The charm is there, but you have to pay the price. For the island of Mallorca, the Reis de Mallorca agency (www.reisdemallorca.com) lists characterful addresses scattered around the island. Typically Mallorcan properties in privileged locations.
Camping. Camping in the wild is forbidden, and official campsites are few and far between. There's no need to bring your caravan, as boat passage is prohibitively expensive. For motorhomes, the islands are most inviting from October to May. Outside this off-peak season, the Balearics are far too busy for the guardia civil to tolerate stops outside the campsite. In any case, you'll have a hard time getting around and parking.
Travel budget Balearic Islands and cost of living
To give you a rough idea of the budget you'll need to allow for, count on €60 to €90 for a double room in the "good and cheap" category, €90 to €150 in the "comfort or charm" category and from €150 for the luxury category. Generally speaking, you'll need to pay a certain price to enjoy a quiet stay away from the hordes of tourists, as it's the big hotel chains that charge the most attractive prices, unfortunately in concrete resorts with no charm (such as Magaluf on Mallorca and Sant Antoni on Ibiza, for example). For meals, expect to pay at least €15, around €30 in a standard restaurant and from €50 in a more chic establishment.
