We spent around 4 months this summer (2011), from the end of May to the end of September, with a short fly-home break in late July, cruising in the Balearics. I thought it sufficiently idyllic to consider ceasing voyaging, making a base in the area, and cruising the islands for our remaining however many seasons.
What I've tried to do in this article is explain why I think the area is so great and, possibly, encourage other CA members to come here rather than rushing through to the East Med.