A Guide to Mallorca

Majorca is one of the Spanish Balearic Islands, located off the South East coast of mainland Spain. It’s easily accessible both from air and ferry ports on the mainland and from all major UK airports and other European destinations (flying time to Mallorca from London is less than 2.5 hours).

What do King Juan Carlos of Spain, supermodel Claudia Schiffer, movie star Michael Douglas and millions of ordinary Brits all have in common?

The answer: an enduring passion for Mallorca.

The French composer Frederik Chopin loved it in the 19th century, the famous British poet Robert Graves spent most of his working life here in the 20th century and in the 21st century, Majorca is holding its own as the favourite destination for millions of package holidaymakers.

The key to this Mediterranean island’s ability to attract such a broad range of visitors – from Kings of noble blood to Queens of karaoke – lies in its huge diversity of attractions. Mallorca is Magaluf with its bustling beach scene, high rise hotels and notorious nightclubs. It’s an island of swanky yacht marinas and sumptuous holiday mansions owned by the world’s rich and famous. And it’s a place where you can still hear the goat bells tinkling on the mountain terraces in the achingly beautiful countryside far from the madding crowds.

The privileged few, including the Spanish King, arrive for their summer breaks on their obscenely costly private yachts but the vast majority fly in courtesy of a burgeoning number of low-cost airlines.

Most package holidaymakers make a beeline for the major resorts of Palma the capital, and its immediate neighbour Magaluf in the South West corner of the island. This is where most of the island’s holiday activities are centred – the beaches are awash with all manner of sports and leisure activities and when the sun goes down hundreds of discos, pubs and clubs prepare themselves for riotous all night partying. Magaluf is geared to British visitors so those craving a taste of home will be relieved to find a wealth of burger bars, curry houses, fish and chip shops and Chinese takeaways.

Palma is a better bet for elegant dining and celebrity spotting at classy clubs such as Tito’s on the Paseo Maritimo, which has long been a favoured haunt of sports heroes, top models and film idols.

Majorca has some incredibly cheap car hire firms so it’s worth acquiring a set of wheels for at least a day or two to uncover the many treasures of the interior. The island is about 100 kilometres from West to East and 75 kilometres from North to South. With your own transport, you’ll be able to explore the magnificent Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range, the beautiful unspoilt coves and beaches of the east coast and the medieval villages sprinkled around the wine growing region of Benissalem.

Places of interest in Mallorca

Major visitor attractions on the island include the stunning mountain village of Deia where Graves spent decades penning his poetry and the Dragon Caves (Cuevas de Drach) on the east coast. The caves contain a breathtaking array of stalagmites and stalactites and an underground lake where classical musicians play from boats to the delight of audiences in a large, natural amphitheatre.

Beaches of Mallorca

Illetes

Two coves just 75 and 150 meters wide with pine trees that stretch as far as the shore. The beaches here are clean and filled with excellent sand.

Portals Nous

A small beach with a magnificent urban development.

Palma Nova

Excellent beach with fine sand, good installations and pine groves.

Magaluf

Part central with magnificent beaches, fine sand and crystal-clear waters.

Santa Ponsa

Another beach with fine sand and crystal-clear waters.

Peguera

Interesting tourist resort with a beautiful, quiet beach with fine sand surrounded by pine trees.

Cala Fornells

Small beach with fine sand.

Puerto de Andratx

Nearby are the beaches of Camp de Mar and that of San Telm, which is sheltered by Dragonera island. Both have pinewoods.

Beaches to the East of Majorca

Banyalbufer

(535 inhabitants) Magnificent nearby coves. Typical scenery with tomato fields all around.

Valdemossa

(1,300 inhabitants) The Royal Carthusian Monastery has reminiscences of Chopin and George Sand. There is also a small port just a few kilometres away.

Deia

(414 inhabitants) A picturesque mountain village with the Llucalcari cover and a small beach.

Puerto de Soller

(1,000 inhabitants) Its semi-circular beach is approximately one kilometre in length.

La Calobra

A very beautiful cove. Nearby is the Monastery of Lluc and the Torrent de Pareis beach.

The North East Coast of Mallorca

Puerto de Pollensa

(300 inhabitants) It has the beaches of Cala de Sant Vicencs and Formentor, the former situated some 7 km away from Pollensa. It is very cosmopolitan and has beautiful pine groves running right next to the beach. Formentor beach is 9 km from the port of Pollensa and 16 km from Pollensa itself.
Puerto de Alcudia

(500 inhabitants) Has an extensive beach with fine, clean sand and is the location of many urban developments.

Can Picafort

(800 inhabitants) Extensive beach with fine sand and pine groves.

Cala Ratjada

(1,500 inhabitants) There are an aquarium and a Safari park.

Porto Colom

(411 inhabitants) Has beautiful beaches, such as Porto Colom, Cala Murada, Cala Marsal and Arenal.

Satanyi

(6,640 inhabitants) Here we find the fishing port of Cala Figuera, surrounded by pine trees. Cala Santanyi lies 5 km away and has fine sand and clean, shallow waters. Other interesting sites include Port Petro, Cala Llonga and Cala D’or – the latter being surrounded by rocks and pine trees.

Colonia de Sant Jordi

There is a lovely, sandy beach with crystal-clear waters, as well as pine groves and salt pans.

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