| The
Island
With an area of 3,640 square kilometres, Majorca
tends to be bigger than the visitor expects, which is just
as well considering the number of visitors it receives. At
the height of the summer, its 639,000 inhabitants are outnumbered
by tourists nearly three to one, and it becomes undeniably
more difficult to find a corner of beach to yourself, but
rarely impossible. Its capital, Palma Majorca, (also the capital
of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands), is a gracious
city, dominated by its port and Gothic cathedral, one of the
finest in Spain. Its towns, villages, and resorts are numerous
and varied enough to cater to most tastes, from those looking
for exclusive comfort, downmarket raunchiness or a peaceful
family holiday.
When to Go
The summer months are Majorca's peak season, in terms of both
foreign and Spanish tourists. Spring and autumn are significantly
quieter, though it does attract a high level of third-age
tourists and second residency owners. Winter is as wintery
as in Valencia or Catalonia, i.e., much less than in the north
of Europe, but don't make the mistake of thinking Majorca
is in the tropics - it can get nippy, and storms do occur
in both winter and autumn. Also bear in mind that many establishments
close from November to April. On the other hand, prices are
much lower.
Fiestas
A complete list would be too long for this page, but here
are the most interesting celebrations:
January 06 - Fiesta des foguerons, Sa Pobla, Artà,
Sòller and Muro: bonfires and regional dances. The
following day, there is a procession of horse-drawn coaches
in Muro, and in Pollença a tree trunk is put up in
the Plaza Vieja for people to climb).
January 20 - San Sebastian (Palma).
February 05-08 (2005)- Carnival.
March 20-26 (2005)- Easter. The processions in Sineu on Thursday
and Friday are of particular interest.
Second Sunday in May (May 08, 2005), Moors and Christians,
Soller August 2 - Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles
(Pollença), including another historical battle, Joan
Mas vs the pirates.
July - Jazz Festival, Palma.
December 31 - Fiesta del Estandarte, the "festival of
the banner," Palma.
What to See
Mallorca's most important sights are in the capital, Palma.
They include the Gothic cathedral, Almudaina Palace, the Llotja
(commodities exchange) and the Arab Baths. Valldemosa, Deià
and Sóller are a few of Majorca's historical towns
and villages. Majorca's outdoors include the lovely Sierra
de Tramuntana, two cave systems in the east of the island
and two nature reserves of particular interest to birdwatchers:
S'Albufera and the Cabrera Archipelago. And of course, let's
not forget Majorca's fabulous coves and beaches.
What to Do
Without counting sunbathing, nightclubbing and generally having
a good time, walking and birdwatching are the leisure activities
Majorca best caters for. Horse riding and cycling are other
terrestrial activities, but water sports from windsurfing
to yachting are also very much on offer.
Getting There
Palma's Son Sant Joan Airport connects Mallorca with most
of Europe. There is an ample offer of routes, and low-fare
airlines are in many cases displacing the charter flights
which used to be so frequent. For example, easyjet flies to
Palma from Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, Bristol, Liverpool, Belfast
and Newcastle, as well as Dortmund and Berlin. In addition,
there are ferries to Majorca from Valencia and Barcelona,
but be warned that they are not usually the cheap option.
Getting Around
Renting wheels is highly recommendable because of the freedom
it affords, though the island's communications are quite good
enough for most purposes. The Palma-Sóller railway
line is recommended for its picturesqueness.
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