Off the coast of Barcelona, the island of Mallorca has long captivated artists, with its craggy coves and shimmering turquoise waters. Mallorca has been a home to Catalan Surrealist artist Joan Miró, British novelist Robert Graves, and even Chopin (it’s here that he composed the majority of his famous preludes). This creative spirit is mirrored on the small neighboring island of Menorca, which carries its own artistic legacy and heritage of craftsmanship, while also emerging in recent years as a hub for contemporary art. While these islands are perhaps best known for beaches and sunshine, both stand as veritable art and design destinations.
With Menorca just a short ferry ride away, an island-hopping trip is the best way to experience the two islands’ design-forward stays, contemporary galleries, and history.
Hauser & Wirth
The renowned Swiss gallery opened an art center in Menorca on the Isla del Rey, a tiny island off the coast of Mahón, the island’s capital, in 2021. Reachable by a quick shuttle boat, the space includes eight galleries housed within the thoughtfully restored, 18th-century outbuildings of a naval hospital. This summer, a group exhibition “Directionless” is taking over the entire space. Organized by artist Rashid Johnson, the show includes works that speak to themes of ambiguity, uncertainty, and transience. On display until October 25, 2026, 28 artists are included, such as Firelei Báez, Cristina Iglesias, Charles Gaines, and Ali Cherry. Outdoors, wander through a path lined with sculptures from Louise Bourgeois, Eduardo Chillida, and others, alongside gardens from acclaimed Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf.
Installation view, ‘Directionless,’ Hauser & Wirth Menorca, 2026
Fundació Miró de Mallorca
In Mallorca, just outside of Palma, the Fundació Miró is dedicated to the renowned Catalan artist. Miró called Mallorca home for almost three decades, producing a massive portion of his body of work on the island. The space includes one of Miró’s former studios as designed by his friend and architect Josep Lluís Sert, as well as a sculpture garden and large museum designed by architect Rafael Moneo. Until April 25, 2027, the museum is exhibiting “Reencoutering Miró. The Magic Spark,” centering the artist’s re-discovery of unfinished works and memories in his creative process.
Art Palma Summer
For just over a decade, the Art Palma Contemporani, an association of contemporary arts on the Balearic Islands, has hosted Art Palma Summer. The event brings together galleries and exhibition spaces from across Mallorca and the Balearic Islands, including highlighting shows at galleries and running photo walks across 30 different spaces. The organization is also running the Mallorca PhotoFest until August 30, 2026, hosting photography exhibitions and talks across the island, such as “Colors of the World,” a National Geographic photography show at CaixaForum Palma.
Es Baluard
Also in Palma, the sweeping Es Baluard museum exhibits contemporary works, as well as an extensive permanent collection of pieces from the late 19th century to present day. This summer, Es Baluard is offering a range of exhibitions, including colorful and immersive pieces from painter and artist Katharina Grosse in “Arrels,” as well as “Interstices: Where the Sun Traces Time” from Mallorcan artist Aina Albo Puigserver, which explores the nature of light and time through materials such as wood, varnishes, and glass.
Galería Cayón
Housed in the former historic Victoria Cinema in Menorca’s Mahón, you can find the Madrid-based Galería Cayón’s Menorcan outpost. The gallery exhibits contemporary and 20th-century art exhibitions each summer, and this year is featuring work from Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies. The show features works across paper, canvas, and wood, in the last three decades of Tàpies’s career, exploring matter and materiality. Cayón will also show works from Spanish abstract expressionist artists Esteban Vicente and José Guerrero, who were part of the New York School in the mid 20th century.
Albarrán Bourdais
Also in Mahón is contemporary art gallery Albarrán Bourdais, which has a location in Madrid as well as a sculpture trail outside of Barcelona. Situated in a historic mansion, just across the street from the Teatre Principal de Maó (one of Spain’s oldest opera houses), a reminder of Menorca’s longstanding cultural relevance. This summer in Menorca, “Héroes Arcaicos” offers a selection of works on paper, bas-reliefs and video from Marco A. Castillo, exploring the visual and ideological legacy of the Cuban Revolution.
Vestige Binidufà
A creative and art-infused stay is easily possible in Menorca at the Vestige Binidufà. Just opened in spring 2026, the intimate 11-room escape is tucked away in the countryside of northern Menorca, acting as an idyllic base. The Menorcan farmhouse was thoughtfully restored by Vestige’s own Vestige Estudio, referencing the architectural history and the area’s craftsmanship through reclaimed materials and custom furnishing pieces, such as the traditional Menorcan gates made with olive wood or the antique doors that seem to be art pieces on their own. The hotel notably features an extensive collection of antiques and contemporary pieces on display, sourced from the founding family’s own collection. Son Ermità, the sister hotel, is just over the hill, with its own collection of pieces like wooden sculptures from Catalonia-based artist Hiroshi Kitamura.
Portella Palma
As for where to stay in Mallorca, Portella Palma is a design-forward option. Tucked away in Palma’s old town, the hotel is housed in a 17th-century building that was formerly the home of painter Joaquín Torrents Lladó. With architecture from local studio GRAS Reynés Arquitectos and interior design from Paris firm Festen Architecture, the hotel keeps the original architectural spirit while infusing each corner with further creative sensibility. Carefully selected art pieces dot the walls, alongside glassware and custom-made lighting from Gordiola, a glassmaker based in Palma since 1719.
Hotel Corazón
Up towards Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountain range, Hotel Corazón was created by artists Kate Bellm and Edgar Lopez, with artistic design at the forefront and each room entirely unique. The interiors were shaped by Tille and Oro del Negro (now founders of del Negro Studio), who collaborated with Bellm during their years working at the same company. With an emphasis on employing local artisans and craftspeople, the space is whimsical and creative. The restaurant and conservatory were also designed by Tatjana von Stein, and include custom pink marble tables made by a local stonemason, benches with sun motifs, and zebra-print cushions. The hotel’s spaces are filled with art from its own Artist in Residence program, including a custom sculptural reception desk from Berlin-based sculptor Yasmin Bawa.
