Make Your Own Mind Up About this Island
Majorca is a polarising place, dividing people neatly into groups of pro and con, those who think of it as a fun place which is all about consuming vast amounts of alcohol on the beach while watching football games, and those who snub it as a noisy, cheap island full of boozing Western Europeans, stripped of its original culture. Both are wrong. Though there are indeed places which more resemble an Essex beach club than Mediterranean paradise, most of them on the southern coast, there is a lot more to the island than sangria and bratwurst.
Palma, the capital, houses about half of the islands 800,000 inhabitants, and it is an exciting mixture of cultural history and trendy fashion. The townscape was sculpted by numerous reigning empires including the Roman, the Byzantine, the Moor, and the Aragon Kingdom. The highlight is the magnificent cathedral with a beautiful stain glass window which casts colourful reflections onto the inner walls of the building.
History and Culture
Numerous historical sights including an old fortress are to be discovered around town that can be easily reached in your car hire, although there is also plenty of shopping and sipping coffee in town squares to be done.
Palma is not the only place of historical significance. The old charter house of Valdemossa, the Roman ruins of Pollentia close to Alcúdia, and the picture-perfect harbour of Valdemossa grace postcards. One of the most exciting day trips is to the small town of Felantix, close to where you can climb a 510 m (1670 ft) hill on which rests the Santuari de Sant Salvador monastery, founded as early as 1342. All can be easily reached in your cheap rental car.
Enjoy an Array of Outdoor Activities
Apart from historical sightseeing there are lots of outdoor activities to partake in. The Serra de Tramuntana mountains offer hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing, and you can obtain scuba diving licenses from professional instructors along the coast. 19 golf clubs as well as numerous sailing clubs offer more sophisticated exercise.
Cala Guya and Cala Millor of an Alternative to the Busy Southern Beaches
If the southern beaches are a bit too crowded for your taste try the cliffy eastern shore. Secluded sandy bays close to Cala Guya and Cala Millor are frequented only by locals, on the eight miles of beach along the Alcudia Bay you are bound to find a private spot, and the Formentor beach on the northern shore is as far away from wet t-shirt contests as possible.
A special natural attraction are the stalactite caves of Porto Cristo, in the depth of which you will find Europe’s largest underground lake. The cave can be easily reached in your hired car.
As far as time of travel is concerned there are few restrictions weather-wise. Summer can start as early as February, soon turning the island’s rolling hills green. High season brings temperatures of over 30°C, which makes cross country hikes slightly uncomfortable, though olive groves and vineyards offer shade along the way. Rain is extremely rare during July and August, though up north you will witness the occasional shower.
