10 Best Islands in Spain
What are the Most Beautiful Islands to Visit in Spain?
The best islands in Spain serve up an eclectic mix of heady Mediterranean glamour and rustic bohemian beauty, 5-star beach resorts, palm-fringed promenades and taverns that are built into caves. Spain might be celebrated for its Andalusian flamenco culture, atmospheric tapas bars and architectural feats by Antoni Gaudi, but its islands showcase unique attractions that give the mainland a run for its money.
Head to Ibiza for its electrifying nightclubs and lavish celebrity superyachts, or venture to the lesser-known Cíes for unspoiled stretches of sugar-white sand and wineglass-shaped coves filled with warm turquoise water. Outdoors enthusiasts will adore Spain’s islands for their snorkelling, scuba diving and hiking adventures, as well as above-wave activities like surfing and paddleboarding.
1. Mallorca
The biggest Balearic that’s beloved by celebs
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Part of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Mallorca is worshipped by sun-seeking jetsetters who flock here for its 5-star resorts, rustic-chic rental villas and temperate indigo and turquoise waters. Its capital city, Palma, is an affluent enclave that’s lined with ritzy restaurants, boutique art galleries and multiple marinas that teem with superyachts. Keep your eyes peeled for A-list celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jeff Bezos and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Don’t miss the honey-hued Santa Maria Cathedral, a Gothic confection built in the 13th century, as well as hiking in the scenic Tramuntana mountains and the heavenly gardens of Jardines de Alfàbia. Beach lovers can visit Platja de Alcúdia before hitting Mallorca’s pulsing club scene or dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant like Maca de Castro.
Mallorca
2. La Palma
A vison of volcanoes and pretty little fishing villages
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One of the Canary Islands, La Palma (or ‘La Isla Bonita’) is a forested volcanic beauty renowned for striking black sand beaches. It offers stunning hikes through rugged national parks like Caldera de Taburiente and Bosque de Los Tilos. Certified a Starlight Reserve, the island is one of the best places on the planet to view the night sky, thanks to its lack of artificial lighting and its deep darkness.
Wander cobbled streets full of colonial architecture in the capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, where charming wooden balconies overflow with flower boxes. The city has a fascinating collection of Catholic churches with ornately decorated interiors, including Iglesia Matriz de El Salvador and Parroquia De San Francisco De Asís.
La Palma
3. Fuerteventura
Alien landscapes meet exquisite beaches
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With its backdrop of stark volcanic mountains, Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands’ most instantly recognised vacation spots. It’s revered for its powder-soft shorelines and aquamarine Atlantic waters that look particularly gorgeous at sunset. When you’re not spending time on blissful beaches like La Solana and Esquinzo Butihondo, you can visit deserts, lagoons and scrubland in Jandía Natural Park.
What’s more, Fuerteventura is peppered with characterful villages that teem with whitewashed buildings, cultural attractions and laidback waterfront bistros. We love Puerto del Rosario for its galleries, museums and Insta-worthy sculpture park, and Betancuria for its Colonial churches.
Fuerteventura
4. Cíes Islands
Off-the-beaten-path location barely touched by humans
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An archipelago off the coast of Pontevedra, Cíes Islands seduce with their pristine sugar-white beaches, glittering wineglass bays and forest-covered mountain ranges. Sharp Mouth, Lighthouse Island and Saint Martin are totally free of cars, bikes, hotels and tourists, so only venture out here if you want a no-frills campsite getaway.
This trio of idyllic islands can be reached using passenger ferries that operate in and around Ría de Vigo, and you can explore the rugged terrain via several marked hiking trails. Visit Praia de Rodas beach for unforgettable snorkelling with octopus and spider crabs, or hike to Faro de Cíes to see its enchanting vanilla-white lighthouse.
Cíes Islands
5. Ibiza
Revellers’ playground with hidden bohemian secrets
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Once an island of sleepy little fishing villages, Ibiza has earned a reputation in modern times as one of the Med’s go-to party spots. Big-name European nightclubs own high-octane venues here, making it a summertime haven for pleasure seekers who are looking to let their hair down.
Those keen on enjoying the slow life can sunbathe on beaches like Cala Vadella, stay at boho retreats offering yoga and massage and shop at Las Dalias market for artisan goods. Visit the UNESCO-listed Dalt Vila Fortress in the Ibiza Town mountains or dine at the Sa Capella monastery restaurant in the San Antonio hills.
Ibiza
6. El Hierro
Exquisite little outpost marked by wild and windswept landscapes
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One of the Canary Islands’ lesser-known holiday spots, compact El Hierro charms with its outer-space landscapes that have been forged across the centuries by volcanic eruptions and molten-hot lava flows. This is a terrain marked by dense pine and laurisilva forests, dramatic Atlantic coastlines and craggy expanses of coastal rock dotted with turquoise swimming holes.
When you’re not sunning yourself on El Verodal’s black sand beach or hiking the astounding elevations of the Camino de Jinama trail, you can scuba dive past flamboyant corals at Punta Restinga and Baja Bocarones. Seafood lovers should reserve a table at Mirador de La Peña for its breathtaking clifftop location and Atlantic Ocean views. Try the fried moray eel and pineapple-stuffed prawns.
El Hierro
7. Formentera
One of most popular day trips from Ibiza
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The smallest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Formentera captivates visitors with its crystal-clear water, dreamy golden beaches and craggy coastal backdrop of honey-hued cliffs. A mecca for rockstars in the swinging 60s, this Mediterranean retreat is a huge attraction for water lovers with sea turtle expeditions at Playa de Ses Illetes and scuba diving sessions at Don Pedro: a humungous sunken cargo ship.
Foodies will adore Formentera for its chilled-out bohemian beach shacks that serve tasty plates of tapas and its upscale, candle-lit tavernas that are positioned by the water. Book a table at Es Molí de Sal for a beach club style deck, romantic sunset views and homestyle seafood dishes like lobster paella.
Formentera
8. Illa de Arousa
Lesser-known gem a short drive from Spain’s west coast
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The only island municipality in Galicia, Illa de Arousa can be reached by carriageway from the Spanish mainland, which adds to its air of exclusivity. This tiny landmass is renowned for its sublime swathes of coastline and unblemished white sand beaches, which were declared a Natural Reserve by the European Union.
Stroll the Port of Xufre promenade for a bite to eat at a local cafe or head to Parque Natural de Carreirón to photograph is population of graceful grey herons. The religiously inclined can visit Mirador o Con Do Forno (the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue) which is situated at the highest point of the island and offers spectacular views of the town and the estuary.
Illa de Arousa
9. Tenerife
The biggest of the Canary Islands with a personality to match
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Tenerife might be the largest of Spain’s sun-soaked Canary Islands, but don’t be put off by its monumental size. This popular tourist haven is the place to stay when you want to party at the flamboyant Santa Cruz Carnival, unwind in style at a 5-star resort or stroll golden sand beaches with views of volcanic Mt. Teide.
Spot whales and dolphins on an exhilarating boat cruise, ride the waterslides at the Thai-themed Siam Park or enjoy an al fresco lunch on a luxurious yacht under the looming shadow of the Los Gigantes cliffs. When it comes to evening dining, nothing beats the atmosphere at La Cueva Caprichosa: a romantic lamplit restaurant built into an ancient cave.
Tenerife
10. Menorca
A picturesque paradise with a prehistoric past
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Visit Menorca when you want to get away from Spain’s bustling Balearic Islands like Ibiza and Mallorca, especially in the height of summer when the tourist numbers surge. Known for its tantalising turquoise bays edged by crescent moon shorelines, this magical coastal sanctuary is also rich with culture.
Day trip to Talayotic Menorca, a prehistoric settlement that’s featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, or head to Lithica to marvel at its labyrinth of enchanting stone quarries that look more like a city from a lost civilisation. For picture postcard alleyways and sublime little swimming coves, visit the white-washed village of Binibeca Vell that overlooks the Mediterranean.
Menorca
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