Majorca Resort Search
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Camp de Mar |
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Illetas |
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Magaluf |
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Paguera |
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Palma |
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Palma Nova |
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Playa de Muro |
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Playa de Palma |
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Porto Cristo |
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Puerto Pollensa |
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Main Resort Summary
Cala Dor
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.
Cala Millor
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 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.
Magaluf
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Puerto De Alcudia
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 Puerto De 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.
Puerto Pollensa
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.
Flights
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