Why go
Read this before choosing an island or interpreting names on maps. Mallorca and Menorca belong to one historic island group, while Ibiza and Formentera belong to another. Catalan and Spanish are co-official languages, and local Catalan names such as Eivissa for Ibiza and Illes Balears for the archipelago often appear beside familiar English names.
The full story
The Balearic Islands lie off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Mallorca is the largest island and contains Palma, the regional capital. Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera are the other principal islands; Cabrera, Dragonera and S'Espalmador are among the smaller islands and islets. Ibiza's international club scene is only one part of this varied group. The islands also share layers of food, language and history that make their place names worth reading closely. The name itself has more than one ancient explanation. Greek and Roman authors associated the Balearic people with their skill at using slings, yet the ancient geographer Strabo proposed a Phoenician origin. Greek writers also used the name Gymnesiae for an island group. These competing explanations are better understood as traces of how Mediterranean outsiders described the islands than as a settled translation. Today the Catalan name is Illes Balears and the Spanish name is Islas Baleares. Catalan and Spanish are both co-official across the autonomous community.