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Mallorca (or Majorca)
is probably the most
interesting island of
the Balearic
Islands, both historically
and culturally. It is
also the largest. The
official language is
Catalan, spoken in the
local dialect called
Mallorquín,
although of course Spanish
is also spoken everywhere.
Mallorca covers 3640
Km2 and you can visit
the whole island by
car in just a week.
Palma is the
capital of Mallorca.
Mallorca is one of Spain's
most important tourist
destinations attracting
visitors from all over
the world. It has a
lot to offer - great
hotels, sports facilities,
entertainment, museums,
churches, picturesque
villages, scenery, beaches.....
The marina in Palma
bay is spectacular.
Archeological remains
from the ' talayótica'
culture which existed
between 1400 - 1200
B.C. represent some
of the Mallorca's most
important historical
remains.
Palma
de Mallorca
Palma, with
a population of about
350.000, is by far the
biggest town in Mallorca.
It is located in Palm
bay surrounded by the
Tramuntana mountain
range to the west, the
Pla moutains and the
Llucmajor marina to
the east. The average
temperature is 17º
with on average 300
days of sunshine a year.
The histiry of 'Mallorca
city' (as it was once
known), is the same
as the rest of the Balearic
Islands. In 1716 Felipe
V changed its name to
Palma and in 1983 it
became the capital of
the Balearic Islands
automomous region.
Walks: the most
important street in
Palma is 'El Passeig
des Born', it is
a commercial street
with bars, shops and
restaurants and serves
as a meeting place for
the locals. A stroll
through the old part
which is full of old
mansions from the 17th
- 19th centuries aswell
as a number of churches
is very pleasant. The
'Plaza Mayor' is another
focal point of the city.
The Ramblas and 'Avenida
Jaime III' are both
important commercial
streets worth a visit.
Taking a walk from
Palma port to 'el Arenal'
is also recommended.
All in all its 16 kms
long going from beach
to beach El Portixol,
El Molinar, Coll d'En
Rabassa and Can Pastilla.
Other beaches worth
visiting are Illetas
and Santa Ponça.
They all have crystal
clear water and fine
sand.
Palaces and Castles:
Palau de l'Almudaina:
built above an ancient
Moorish fort. It was
converted into a Royal
palace. It now serves
as a museum.
Castell de Bellver:
Gothic in style, built
under the orders of
King Jaime II.
Cathedrals and
churches:
La Seu cathedral:
Located above the
sea wall over Palma
bay. Built between
the 14th - 19th centuries,
gothich style, the
chapel was designed
by Gaudi.
Sant Francesc
Basílica
: Gothic style,
the altar is Baroque.
Santa Catalina
church:
Located between the
cathedral and the
townhall. Gothic in
style.
Museums:
- Mallorca
museum: C/
Portella, 5. it houses
an extensive collection
of works of art, and
gives information
on the history of
Mallorca.
- Diocesano
museum:
C/ Calders, 2. It
houses an important
collection of religious
art.
- The Joan Miró
Foundation:
C/ Joan de Saridakis,
29. Located in what
was once the house
and studio of Joan
Miro´. It houses
a permanent collection
of his works of art.
- La Caixa
Foundation:
Plaza de Weyler, 3.
A cultural centre
located in the former
Grand Hotel.
- The Modern
Contemporary art museum:
Porta Santa Catalina.
- La Llotja
museum:
Plaza de Santa Llotja
- La Seu museum:
C/ Palau Reial, 29
- Bellas Artes
museum: Located
in 'la Llotja' a 14th
century building built
by Guillen Sagrera
 The
Townhall: Plaza
de Cort. 17th century,
it still has its original
roof.
The Arabic baths:
Dating back to the 10th
century. Well conserved.
Where to eat in Mallorca:
Mallorca has some very
good restaurants where
you can eat extremely
well. You can get excellent
tapas in the old part.
What to eat in Mallorca:
Mallorcan cuisine is
excellent. An unusual
thing is that both olive
oil and pig fat are
used in many of its
typical dishes giving
them a distinct taste.
Oil with bread is another
typical dish. Their
are many other tasty
dishes to try. Fish
and seafood stand out.
There are some very
good wines especially
from Benissalem D.O.
de Felanitx, Petra,
Sant Joan.
Restaurants in Palma
Mallorca: Arenís
Bellini (San Feliu,
7) creative cuisine
using traditional ingredients;
Can Cárlos
(Agua, 5) traditional;
El Jardí de
Son vida (Raixa,
2 , Castillo Son vida
Urb. Son Vida) chefs
own specialities; Es
Baluard (Pl. Puerta
de Sta. Catalina, 9)
chefs own specialities;
Koldo Royo (Av.
Ingeniero Gabriel Roca,
3, Passeig Maritim)
both innovative and
traditional; Porto
Pi (Joan Miró,
174) innovative.
Restaurants in Mallorca:
Miramar (Av.
Mateo Bosth, 18, Porto
Andraitx) tradicional;
Clibia (Av. Pollença,
Pollença)tradicional;
Miramar (Paseo
Maritimo, 2, Puerto
de Alcudia)tradicional;
Celler Sa Sinia (Pescadors,
5, Porto Colom) tradicional;
Port Petit (Av.
Cala Llonga, Santanyí,
Cala d'Or) tradicional;
Cavall Bernat
(Maressers, Cala Sant
Vicenç) chefs
own specialities; Ses
Rotges (Rafaelk
Blanes, 21, Cala Ratjada)
chefs own specialities;
Tristián (Puerto
Portals, local 1 , Torre
Capitanía, Calvià)
both innovative and
traditional.
Shopping: You
can buy pearls, shoes,
Morrocan jewellery,
furniture, glass ornaments,
and much more.
 Nightlife
in Mallorca: In
the old part known as
the Casco antiguo
you can find pubs and
bars with a bohemian
atmosphere near the
cathedral. In the area
around the sea promenade
you can find more expensive,
elegant bars. In the
area known as Can
Bárbara
the bars are more sophisticated
attracting the younger
crowd: In the area around
the Paseo de Mallorca
you get more classic,
typical bars open all
year which are mostly
visited by the locals.
Lastly around the beach
areas from Arenal to
Can Pastilla you get
the younger crowd and
tourists.
Hotels and accommodation:
Click on Hotels
in Mallorca
-
Places of interest
on the Island of
Mallorca
Soller:
Located in the Tramontana
mountain range.
An agricultural
village. The only
railway line on
the island goes
from the capital
Palma to this place.
The Balear Science
Museum is here,
with its splendid
botannic garden.
In nearby Deiá
there is an interesting
Archeological Museum
and also the house
where Robert Graves
lived.
Andratx: A
village located
in a valley. It
has an elegant,
exclusive marina
full of expensive
yachts. Surrounded
by expensive villas.
You can visit the
Sant Elm castle
and Sa Dragonera
island from here.
 Valldemosa:
The composer Frédéric
Chopin and George
Sand lived here
from 1838 to 1839
in the Jesús
de Nazaret charterhouse.
There is also a
17th century church
and a 17th century
pharmacy. Concerts
are held in the
16th century cloister
which also houses
a small museum with
works by Miró,
Tàpies and
Juli Ramis.
Polleça:
One of the most
popular tourist
destinations on
the island. A delightful
agricultural village.
To see: Nostra Senyora
dels Angels church
(18th century),
the Municipal museum
(local archeology).
On the outskirts
of the village there
is a Gothic church
El Calvari, la Alcudia
surrounded by 16th
century walls, a
Roman theatre and
10 kms away Formentor
and Cala Sant Vicente
beaches.
Manacor: Well
known for its pearls
although furniture
and glass ornaments
are also made here.
To see: The Archeological
Museum, the
Aquarium, the Santa
Domingo Convent,
a 16th-century convent
and just 12km. from
the town the famous
Cuevas del Drach,
beautiful natural
caves (see below
in Porto Cristo).
If you eat here,
try La Gamba
de Oro restaurant.
Cala Ratjada:
A typical fishing
village which has
now become a residential
area. To see: the
medieval Capdepera
13th century castle,
a 12th century tower
called Torre de
Canyamel and a beach
with sand dunes.
Alfabia:
Visit the Hacienda
and Jardines de
Alfabia. Once the
estate of Majorca's
Moorish governor,
it is one of the
few estates open
to the public. The
gardens still retain
features from the
fifteenth century,
including a courtyard
fountain and a canal
with criss-crossing
jets of water.
Llucmajor:
8 Kms from here
there is the Puig
de Randa 543 metres
high with 3 sanctuaries:
Sant Honorat del
14th century, Nostra
Senyora de Gracia
and Santuari de
Cura, built in the
16th century. 14
Kms away you can
find important archeological
remains from the
talayótico
culture from 1000
B.C. The Pi bay
is quite near.
 Porto
Cristo:
Near Manacor. An
important touristic
area with a marina.
To see: the Aquarium
and Exotic Park
(rare birds). Caves
(easy access from
Port Cristo): Coves
del Drac, Coves
dels Hams, Coves
d'Artà. The
Cova del Drac consists
of a number of caves,
an underwater lake
known as "Martel"
39 metres deep and
177 metres long
- boat trips available.
Also El Teatro and
La Ciudad Encantada
caves. The Caves
dels Hams: 500 metres
long, with a subterranean
lake known as the
Mar de Venecia.
The Caves d'Artà
are 40 metres above
sea level and offer
beautiful views.
Nearby beaches -
Bahía de
Artà and
the Cala Millor.
Felantix:
A agricultural village
- an interesting
13th century church
Sant Miguel with
a spectacular facade.
5 Kms away you can
the find the Castillo
de Santuari, which
the kings of Aragon
built in the 14th
century.
 Cabrera:
A national park.
An island off Mallorca
which has never
been inhabited,
although it was
used as a military
base for centuries
Lluc: Small
village situated
in the Tramontana
mountains. It has
a 12th - 13th century
Baroque style monastery.
You can get to a
beautiful small
cove called Sa
Calobra from
here.
Petra: Fray
Junipero Serra was
born here, the founder
of California in the
U.S. You can visit
the house where he
was born. There is
also a 12th century
monastery called the
Ermita de Nostra Senyora
de Bonany
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