The Balearic Islands: a wild archipelago

Long a place that was known only to birdlovers, S'Albufera brings together some 230 species of birds that appear one after the other throughout the year in the midst of this old drained marsh. Stretching across 6.5 square miles, the park combines several ecosystems and was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1988. In the silence, one can observe bitterns, squacco herons, ospreys, herons, egrets, and much more.

First there is the winding lane that stretches over the top of the ledge. Right to the end of the peninsula where the Tramuntana Mountain Range meets the sea. This is rocky scenery of steep cliffs, jagged peaks, pine forests, and azure waters, where the horizon beckons. Little paths run downwards, leading to yet another paradise: a world of small, isolated, sandy coves, straight from a picture postcard.

Built on the site of the former Great Mosque, La Seu is, first and foremost, a masterpiece of Gothic art. It was built over the course of nearly three centuries, but the greatest artists in the country have continued to decorate and redecorate it through the ages. Gaudi, for example, revamped the royal chapel, while Miquel Barcelo, a native of the area, reinvented the apse of the nave, as well as certain stained glass windows.

A top destination for the most celebrated DJs on earth, Ibiza, in summertime, becomes the place where clubbers from around the world gather together. Drawn by the beautiful landscapes and tolerant islanders, it was the hippies who first fell in love with the island in the 1960s. As both a tranquil and trendy island, Ibiza now attracts a very diverse mix of visitors who storm the beaches by day and the dance clubs by night.