Travel guide – mallorca
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Overview
The island of Mallorca (Majorca) off the east coast of Spain is the largest in the Balaeric Island group, which collectively form one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, and certainly in the Mediterranean. Mallorca took off as a tourist Mecca in the 1960s, when a development boom spawned the building of hundreds of high-rise hotels, apartment blocks and shopping centres which now line most of the island’s coast. The capital, Palma, however still retains some of its historical flavour sporting grand mansions and a magnificent Gothic cathedral in its bustling centre. The northwest coast, too, still offers some secluded coves below the peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, and several quaint old towns and villages.
If you visit Mallorca for the sun and fun, it is worth taking a break from the beach resorts and heading off for a tour of the island by car, or even bicycle, to discover the romantic fishing villages, historic monasteries, monuments, museums and spectacular landscapes tucked away from the madding crowds. The interior is largely the preserve of a thriving agricultural community, dotted with windmills, olive and almond trees.
The resort of Port d’Alcudia is situated in the north of Mallorca at the top of a long curving bay with an endless white sandy beach. It is two miles (three km) south of the historical old town of Alcudia, from which it takes its name. The sprawling, purpose-built resort, together with its neighbour Playa de Muro, stretches for five miles (eight km) either side of the coast road and is particularly popular with British, German and Scandinavian families. It has a fairly relaxed atmosphere; its spectacular beach is the major attraction, though it is also well placed for exploring the attractions around the north of the island.
Things to do and see in or around Alcudia
Lluc
About 20 miles (32km) beyond Soller, after a precipitous drive through the Serra de Tramuntana in the north of the island, is the remote mountain village of Lluc, in a valley that has been an important place of pilgrimage since the 13th century. Lluc became Mallorca’s most sacred site when a shepherd boy discovered a dark wooden statue of the Virgin in a cleft in the rock. The miraculous statue returned to its cave three times after being placed in the local church. Now the statue, known as La Moreneta, has been encrusted with precious stones and presides in its own chapel, receiving pilgrims and tourists who come to pay homage each day. On Sundays a traditional boys' choir gives a concert at 11am in the monastery complex where the statue resides.
Alcudia (Old Town)
The ancient town of Alcudia, not to be confused with the modern resort two miles (3km) to its south, has a fascinating and turbulent history. The Phoenicians and Greeks settled here and the Romans made it their capital in the 2nd century BC. Destroyed by the Vandals in the 6th century it was rebuilt again by the Moors before being liberated by King Jaime I of Spain in the early 1200s. The Spanish sensibly fortified the city; its massive city walls date from this era. Today visitors still enter the narrow streets of the old town through one of the two gates, which are guarded by large towers. Near the town, at Polentia, is a well preserved Roman amphitheatre and the Orator de Santa Anna, one of Mallorca's oldest churches.
Like most resorts in Mallorca, Cala d’Or (Golden Cove) evolved from a local fishing village after its charms and idyllic setting were ‘discovered’, in this instance, by a group of avant-garde artists who settled here in the 1930s. They built their white, flat-roofed houses around the picturesque fishing harbour, and soon the word spread. Cala d’Or became a desirable spot to have a holiday home, or for a relaxing seaside vacation. The original village and harbour was situated in one of the small rocky coves with sandy beaches, called ‘calas’, that abound on Mallorca’s east coast. The resort has now spread out to encompass several of these coves, all now beset with attractive hotels, apartment blocks and villas. It is a very chic resort, recommended for families because most establishments cater extremely well for children. There are numerous adjacent smaller resorts and quaint villages clustered around the calas all along the south-east coastline, connected by a good bus service, which means visitors can make excursions to explore the delights of places like Cala Egos, Puerto Petro, Cala Mondrago, Cala Figuera, Cala Santanyi and Cala Llombarts. The Cala d'Or marina is the heart of the east coast resort area, attracting the fashionable yachting set.
Situated in the liveliest part of Mallorca, ten miles (16km) west of Palma and 15 miles (24km) from the airport, the neighbouring resorts of Magalluf and Palma Nova are the largest and most popular on the island, offering wonderful long white beaches, a wealth of entertainment and an exhausting nightlife. Much has been done to improve Magalluf over recent years with some of the 60s apartment blocks being demolished and a new palm-lined promenade being created, however it is still very much a party town popular with 18 to 30s looking for sun, sand and the odd San Miguel. Quieter areas can be found on the outskirts of Magalluf, in the suburb of Torrenova and in neighbouring Palma Nova.
Palma, capital of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands, is a lively, cosmopolitan city in true Spanish tradition, its city centre forming a bustling montage of shopping centres, a maze of narrow lanes and restored buildings surrounded by ruined ancient city walls, and modern boulevards. Like mainland Spain, Mallorca and Palma itself was under Moorish control between the nineth and 13th centuries until the re-conquest by Jaume I of Aragon. The Moorish heritage is still evident, as are the remnants of Palma’s golden years when it rose to wealth and prominence in the 15th century as the main port of call between Europe and Africa. Later the city, set on the beautiful bay Bahia de Palma, became the favoured Royal retreat for Fernando and Isabel, which helped it to become the popular holiday destination of the rich and famous. Despite the invasion of foreign tourists Palma has kept its local flavour, particularly in its old quarter lined by cafes and tapas bars. Often the native dialect of mallorquin is the only language heard in the backstreets.
Things to do and see in or around Palma de Mallorca
Catedral O la Sea
Palma's magnificent Catalonian Gothic cathedral is a landmark of the city, standing in the old town overlooking the ocean. The cathedral is dedicated to Palma's patron saint, San Sebastian, and contains some saintly relics and pieces of the True Cross in its treasury. Construction started on the edifice in 1300. The vast central vault is 144ft (43m) high, its columns towering to a height of 65ft (20m). The wrought-iron canopy over the main altar was added by Gaudi in 1909.
Telephone: 971 72 31 30 ; 10am to 6pm weekdays, 10am to 2pm Saturday, closed Sunday (summer); 10am to 3pm, closed weekends (winter)
Palau del'Almudaina
Opposite the cathedral in Palma stands an austere fortress palace that was erected by the Moors and later became the residence of the kings of Mallorca. Inside, most rooms and corridors are bare, but there are some beautiful Flemish Gobelin tapestries on display as well as a few antiques, art works and suits of armour. The palace, on the Plaza Reina, is surrounded by a pleasant Moorish-style garden sporting fountains, which offers panoramic views of the harbour.
Telephone: 0971 72 7145 ; Monday to Friday 10am to 6.30pm, Saturdays 10am to 2pm, closed Sundays (April to September); Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm, closed weekends (October to March)
Castell del Bellver
The round hilltop castle built in 1309 was the summer residence of the kings of Mallorca during the short period in which the island had a Royal family. The fortified castle with its double moat also served as a prison. Today it contains Palma’s Municipal Museum, displaying mainly archaeological artefacts and old coins. There are also models of archaeological digs to be seen.
Telephone: 97 173 0657 ; 8am to 8.30pm, closed Sundays
Museu d'Art Espanyol Contemporani
Palma’s most renowned art gallery contains works collected by the Juan March Foundation, housed in a restored mansion on the Carrer Sant Miquel. The collection focuses on modern works including Picasso’s Head of a Woman and paintings by Miro, Dali, Juan Gris and Antoni Tapies.
Monday to Friday 10am to 6.30pm, Saturdays 10am to 1.30pm, closed Sundays
Banys Arabs
The only remaining complete Moorish-built building in Palma is the bathhouse in the medieval quarter. It contains an elegant horseshoe-arched and domed chamber, supported by 12 columns, and is fronted by a garden with picnic tables.
Daily 9.30am to 8pm
Beaches near Palma
There are several good, though usually crowded, beaches accessible by bus from Palma. El Arenal, seven miles (11km) to the southeast of the city, attracts many German visitors as is reflected along its waterfront in the signs on restaurants, bars and hotels. The long beach boasts white sands and turquoise water. Palma Nova and Illetes, between six and ten miles (10 and 16km) to the southwest, are smaller but equally popular beaches. On the road to Palma Nova is Marineland, offering dolphin, sea lion and parrot shows as well as Polynesian pearl-diving demonstrations. Other beaches include Portixol, El Molinar, Coll d’En Rebassa and Can Pastilla. The most popular beach on the entire island of Mallorca, Es Trenc, on the southeast coast between Cap de Salinas and Cap Blanc, can be reached by bus from the Plaza Espanya in Palma with departures three times a day. The local tourist office distributes an information leaflet on 40 beaches in the Palma area.
Soller
Soller, set in a lush valley of orange groves between the mountains and the sea, half way along the northwest coast of the island, is a popular day-tripper destination because it can be reached on a vintage train ride from Palma. The town is awash with tempting pastry shops, ice-cream parlours and tapas bars in its quaint squares, but there is more to do than just eat and drink. There are some good examples of modernist architecture, like the church of Saint Bartomeu with its 1912 arched tower above a rose window, and needle-like spires. There are also two museums: the Natural Science Museum displaying fossils and the Museu Municipal filled with antiques.
Valldemossa
Mallorca’s favourite titbit of tabloid gossip has turned the monastery in the small town of Valldemossa, on the west coast, into a tourist attraction. In 1838 Frederic Chopin arrived with his lover, George Sand, to stay in a former monk’s cell in the Cartoixa Reial monastery and carry on their affair away from the eyes of Paris. The shocked locals shunned the tubercular Chopin and his lover, and the couple were so unhappy that their relationship never recovered from the wet, windy and miserable winter in the monastery. Today the cells occupied by the lovers are open to visitors. The library and old pharmacy can also be visited and there is a small art museum with works by Picasso, Miro and Juli Ramis.
Cells open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 6pm, and Sunday 10am to 1pm
Castell dAlaro
Mallorca’s most popular hiking trail is the climb from the town of Alaro up to a ruined castle and hilltop chapel, which offers panoramic views of the sea and plains as far as Palma. From Alaro the walk takes about two hours to complete. The castle ruins on the hilltop date from the 15th century and dominate the landscape. At the summit there is a restaurant and bar to refresh weary climbers. On Sundays the trail becomes rather busy.
The sedate resort of Puerto Pollensa stretches along a sheltered horseshoe-shaped bay lined with sandy beaches, set against the backdrop of the Boquer mountain range on the north coast of Mallorca. The resort has grown up around the scenic fishing port that serves the picturesque old Roman town of Pollensa, situated a few miles inland. Far quieter and more laid back than the exuberant resorts of Magalluf and Palma Nova, Puerto Pollensa and its near neighbour, the tranquil resort of Cala San Vicente, it attracts families and couples. Holidaymakers generally take inclusive packages at the resort’s family hotels, or rent sophisticated villas on the port’s celebrated Pine Walk promenade. Cafes, restaurants and tourist shops line the promenade along with some elegant hotels, which overlook the wide sandy beach and the bay, dotted with the colourful sails of yachts. Those willing to make the effort to be up for sunrise are rewarded with an inspiring sight as gentle waves lap the shore in the dawn light.
Things to do and see in or around Puerto Pollensa
Pollensa (Old Town)
Situated in the hills, towards the north east of Mallorca, Pollensa is a peaceful old town that has been largely unaffected by tourism. The town was established a few miles inland to protect against any sudden pirate attacks; its harbour, Puerto Pollensa, was left as an unprotected outpost. Today the port has grown into a popular family resort. Some of Pollensa's medieval centre remains around the Plaça Major, the main square, including the church of Nostra Senyora dels Àngels. From the outside the church is fairly austere, the sheer stone façade is pierced only by a large rose window, but the interior is highly decorative particularly during the packed Sunday morning services when it is ablaze with candles. Other than the church, the main square houses a cluster of bars and cafés, and on Sunday morning, a busy market. Just north of the square is the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), a long stone stairway, bordered by ancient cypress trees. At the top, in a small chapel, is a much-revered statue of Mare de Déu del Peu de la Creu (Mother of God at the Foot of the Cross). On Good Friday, a figure of Jesus is slowly carried down the steps by torchlight in the Davallament (Lowering). Perched on a hill just south of Pollensa is a rambling 18th-century monastery, a peaceful and serene spot to take in wonderful views of the surrounding area. The monastery is an hour’s walk from town.
The purpose-built resort of Sa Coma lies in the heart of Mallorca’s popular east coast, sandwiched between lively Cala Millor and the restaurant-strewn seafront of S’Illot. S’Illot can be reached on foot, while a tourist tram connects to Cala Millor and its attractions. Sa Coma itself is largely frequented by British family groups, most opting for self-catering accommodation. The resort establishments cater particularly well for children, who make the most of the wide sandy beach with its broad shallow shelf of clear, blue water. The beach has ‘Blue Flag’ status for cleanliness, water quality and safety. The beach is fronted by a wide promenade lined with restaurants, bars and shops, many of them British owned. Another big plus for the children is the resort’s proximity to the large safari-park at Cala Millor, where apes, gazelles, elephants and ostriches are among the animals that roam in a simulated natural environment and can be viewed from a safari bus.
Things to do and see in or around Sa Coma and Cala Millor
Arta
The ancient hilltop town of Arta close to the east coast of Mallorca has been occupied for about 3,000 years, and today welcomes visitors to the remains of its Bronze Age settlement at Ses Paisses, just outside the town in a grove of olive, carob and holm oak trees. Arta presents a picturesque sight from the Santuari de Sant Salvador, the chapel-shrine on top of the hill, with its bleached rooftops spilling down the hillside below the battlements of a Moorish fortress. The town is particularly lively on Tuesdays, which is market day.
Climate
Mallorca has an ideal climate for holidaymakers with little rain and average temperatures kept below 86ºF (30ºC) even in mid-summer. Temperatures remain nice in the spring and autumn and even in winter rarely drop below 50ºF (10ºC), though rain is more likely at this time of year. Water temperatures range from 64ºF (18ºC) in May to 79ºF (26ºC) in August making Mallorca ideal for watersports.
Health
There are no health risks associated with travel to Spain, and no vaccination certificates are required for entry. Spain has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, including the UK, providing free emergency health care at State run hospitals. UK travellers should take a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Note that private clinics are not covered, and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised.
The basics
Getting Around
Palma de Mallorca has the island’s international airport and is the main ferry terminus, receiving ferries from Valencia and Barcelona on the mainland. It is also the hub of the extensive transport system that covers Mallorca, with bus services linking all main settlements, and train lines to Inca and the scenic tourist train to Sóller. The best way to get around is by car and there are several rental agencies in Palma, but in high season reservations need to be made in advance. Everything on the island is within three hours drive from the capital.
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