Balearic Islands – finding a property

Anyone thinking of buying a home for holidays, for investment or for retirement would do well to look at the Balearic Islands. The history and the name of these Mediterranean gems date back to ancient times when local mercenaries, known as Balears, were employed in various wars because of their skills with a slingshot and stones.

The residents of each of the three main islands, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are fiercely proud of their homes and I remember once making the mistake of describing Ibiza as part of Cataluña, the region ruled over by Barcelona, in front of an elderly Ibicencan man.

His reply was a grimace, a lecture about geography, history, politics, culture, wine, fishing and agriculture and, I suspect, my parentage, although my Spanish wasn’t good enough at that point to understand what he actually said. The local dialects were banned during Franco’s years in power and residents were forced to speak Castillian Spanish.

However, once this law was repealed, the languages burst into full flower once again and with them, so did the future of the islands. Ibiza became a clubber’s paradise; Mallorca, which had been known as a package tourist’s paradise received government aid to completely refurbish its infrastructure, and Menorca, which had always remained slightly apart from the tourist explosion, gradually moved into building low rise developments aimed at foreign residents.

Foreigners who come to the Balearic Islands are a multi-cultural group, with people drawn from every corner of the world. Britons, Germans, French, Dutch, Americans, Australians, Canadians, mainland Spanish and the locals all rub shoulders happily on each of the islands both as tourists and residents.

Marine views

Each of the three islands has its own character in every sense of the word. Ibiza looks like a Cubist painter’s dream with small white farmhouses with room after room stacked up on top of each other, its tree-clad hills and its rich red earth; Mallorca with its majestic mountain range rearing up to Valldemosa and its links with Chopin, its central plain and coastal resorts; Menorca and its historic links with Britain, Nelson, ginger beer, cricket and its prehistoric monuments.

And then, of course, there’s Formentera, just a boat ride away. Flat, small and gentle, Ibiza’s delicate little sister is not for the seeker after overdoses of noise and nightlife. But Formentera, whose length you can cycle in just half an hour, is ideal for those wanting a beach, an umbrella and a quieter way of life.

Are the Balearic Islands a good choice for buying an overseas property?

There’s so much choice, but where should you look for a home? The first question is: What do I want? The fact is that the Balearic Islands provide the property seeker with a world of choice. From crowded beaches full of suntan cream, naked bodies and beach bars, through family resorts with quieter restaurants, calmer harbours and homes set back from the hustle and bustle to serene farmhouses set on hillsides clad in majestic pines, the islands have it all. And getting there is simple from almost anywhere in Europe.

Mallorca

Traditionally the capital of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca woke up about 10 years ago and realised how far down the slippery slope it had gone in terms of quality of tourism. Always a popular holiday destination, Mallorca has attracted many foreign residents who bought apartments and house in almost every corner of the island, but the quality of the infrastructure had suffered badly. The island was a tired old lady in severe need of a facelift and several weeks in a health farm.

The islanders set about changing their home and billions of pesetas were invested in roads, water, drains, telephones, the airport and cleaning up the beaches and today, Mallorca ranks high in the list of places where the jet set goes. The image of the island today is one of an up-market destination where property purchasers can enjoy a superb quality of life. The capital is Palma de Mallorca, a fine city with excellent restaurants, great hotels and superb shopping and a great airport linking it with the rest of the world.

Home to golf courses, an opera house that features stars from all over the world, harbours and marinas where some of the most luxurious boats in the Mediterranean tie up, Mallorca has property developments second to none with some of the most elegant homes in Europe.

A number of international celebrities own home on the island. They include film stars such as Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta Jones and former F1 star, Michael Schumacher, while Don Juan Carlos, King of Spain and his wife Sofia enjoy summer holidays there

Menorca

Menorca has always been modest about its achievements and its many qualities. Perhaps the fact that it was owned by Britain during the 18^th century makes it slightly different to the other Balearic Islands. Certainly the locals are proud of their Georgian architecture, their dairy farms and their enjoyment of gin.

Menorca hasn’t repeated the mass tourism mistakes made by Mallorca and Ibiza. Rather, it has concentrated on developing its shoe industry and only in recent years has it started to encourage foreign residents.

Low level developments are being built around the coast, but great care is being shown and perhaps those seeking to buy a property on Menorca will be looking for a quieter, more laid-back lifestyle. The two main towns, Maó (or Mahon) and Ciutadella are different from each other.

Maó is where the tourist will find the most typically Georgian buildings and has a distinctly international feel, doubtless thanks to its wonderful harbour, while Ciutadella retains more of a Spanish air and in the past has provided palaces for wealthy Catalan families.

You’ll find that the island of Menorca is pretty much bisected by one main road which connects the two towns. Between, there is a rural landscape of dry stone walls, market towns and factories which produce everything from ice cream to shoes.

For those that love the sun, sea and sand, look for names such as Cala D’Algairens, Cala En Turqueta, Cala Macarella and Cala Pregonda. These aren’t the typical tourist beaches but there are properties to be bought and if it’s a typical tourist development you want, head for Cala Santa Galdana.

Menorca is emerging carefully into the tourist 21^stcentury and with it, there are more and more places for the property purchaser to think about. But this is an island where tradition counts, and you can be sure it won’t allow the island to be spoiled by too much concrete.

Ibiza

Ibiza (or Eivissa as it’s known locally) is the Balearic Island that’s known the world over for its nightlife and for its clubs. But don’t be put off by this if staying out till dawn isn’t your thing. The locals are going through a similar process to the ones in Mallorca and they are putting their house in order. While this doesn’t mean they’ll be closing down the clubs, emphasis is being placed on the quality of the lifestyle for the permanent island residents.

As in the rest of the Balearic Islands, it is now recognised that tourists are great for about four or five months of the year, but it’s the year-round residents that keep things going for the rest of the year. Towns and villages such as San Carlos, San Jose, Santa Gertrudis and San Juan are still home to many who love Ibiza for its many fine qualities and these days the facilities, such as water, phones and electricity function as they should.

The White Island, or La Isla Blanca, Ibiza is dotted with fincas, or farmhouses, have grown just as the families grew. As another generation came along, so an extra room was added and the whole thing was whitewashed, making it look as the house has been built with a child’s building blocks.

This is a truly international community and foreigners have bought fincas, modern houses and apartments all over the island. Go out to dinner and, just like Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera, you’ll be surrounded by a dozen different languages, and they’ll all be saying the same thing; “Isn’t this a great place?”

San Antonio in Ibiza is still the main destination for those seeking long nights and lazy days. Clubs and bars abound but for those with the energy to get up and go to the beach, there’s plenty of choice as well. Boats make regular trips up and down the coast and there are plenty of beach restaurants for long lunches before heading back to the serious business of a long night of fun.

Ibiza town is the capital of the island and main administrative centre, as well as having great shopping, restaurants and bars. Check out the La Marina area and wander through the cobbled streets of D’alt Vila up to the Cathedral. See whether an apartment in town would suit you.

There again, perhaps Santa Eulalia will be your ideal local village, with its sugar cube church sitting atop the village, its easy-going lifestyle and its many bars and restaurants. Nearby San Carlos was originally the haunt of the island’s original hippies back in the 1960s and there are developments in this part of the island with houses and apartments to suit all tastes.

In fact, despite all the things that have been said about Ibiza in the press, it would be hard to find somewhere (apart from Mallorca or Menorca – choices, choices!) that had as much to offer the second home buyer or retiree.

Formentera

Formentera is the little sister of Ibiza and, so far is only within reach by boat (or your own private helicopter). Two high plateaux one in the west and one in the southeast are linked by a flat part in the middle. On either side of this lie two beaches, Platja de Tramuntana to the north and Platja de Mitjorn to the south. Formentera harks back to an earlier time and even if you buy a property on one of the other islands, don’t miss the chance of spending time on the smallest of the Piutiusas, the little gems of the Balearic Islands.

© Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Stewart Andersen and Stewart Andersen’s Property Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.