Majorca

The largest of the Balearics, Majorca's popularity as a holiday destination does not diminish, in spite of all the developments in recent years. The simple reason is that it remains incredibly beautiful and you are never far from vast untouched areas of scenic delight. With picturesque villages, intresting architecture as well as a diverse range of resorts it really does offer something for everyone.
PLACES TO VISIT
Perfectly placed to explore the Tramuntana Mountain range, Puerto Pollensa is a good base to enjoy the outdoor life - whether that's enjoying a round of golf on one of the area's many excellent courses, or exploring the mountains, monasteries and forts of the northwest. The Church of Sant Bartolmeu in Soller is a riot of contrasting building styles, revealing a history that stretches back 800 years, and a trip on the Soller Tram as it winds its way from the picturesque port to the mountains is essential. A day at the market in Puerto Pollensa's old town will reward you with a bargain or two but for super-charged shopping Palma can't be beaten. The capital's famous cathedral, La Seu, sits at the edge of its wonderfully labyrinthine old town, great for tiny craft shops and cosy bars.
ENTERTAINMENT
Puerto Pollensa's historic core is a laid-back place where the highlight of the evening - like most places in this corner of the island - seems to be the traditional 'paseo', the appetite-inducing early evening stroll. Most hotels offer some form of entertainment but, for a touch of class, the picturesque town of Deia offers a festival of summer classical concerts (possibly to please the town's most famous couple - Mr and Mrs Michael Douglas). The cosmopolitan capital, Palma offers evening entertainment to suit everyone. If your looking to sit back and relax in a traditional bar, head for Placa Gomila or you can try your luck at Casino de Mallorca located along the harbour front. For the serious night owls the area around St Llotja is where the action is with streets lined with cocktail bars, courtyard bars and subterranean jazz clubs.
HISTORY & CULTURE
The Moors, from North Africa, soon took advantage of the fall of the roman Empire and lived more or less peacefully on the islands until, at the beginning of the 13th Century, an act of aggression against a fleet of Catalan trading ships forced King Jaume to act and overthrow the island, annexing the island to his Kingdom of Aragon. The isle has been ruled from the Spanish mainland ever since although, today, it retains a fierce - and proud - sense of its own identity.
WALKS & SCENERY
If we had to choose just one island for walkers, it would have to be Majorca. The Atalaya de Alcudia walk starts at the sleepy inlet of S'Illot and climbs up, past pine hills and hanging valleys, to a wonderfully exposed ridge offering 360 degree views of mountain and coast. With its ancient tracks and well-marked paths, the wonderful Soller Basin's limestone gorges and rich vegetation is easily explored. Huddling beneath the striking outline of Majorca's highest mountain, the village of Fornalutx is without doubt one of the prettiest on the island. Keep walking and you'll reach the cobbled streets and colourful houses of Biniaraix. In Palma, the stylish waterfront of multi-million dollar yachts and scrubbed-up boardwalks is good for a morning stroll. The coast around the southeast of the island is a succession of jagged headlands and sunny coves. Es Trenc is a popular stretch - visit early in the day before the buses from Palma arrive.
FOOD & DRINK
Majorcan cuisine, surprisingly, is centred far more around the island's farming than its fishing - much of the fish you'll see at the coast is, in fact, imported from other ports of call. Jamon Serrano - cured legs of pork - hang from every bar while the spicy chorizo is used to flavour everything from paellas to stews. Hearty peasant fare steeped in tradition and rooted in local ingredients - that's the Majorcan way of eating.Vegetarians will adore Tumbet, a Majorcan ratatouille of aubergines, potatoes and peppers in sweet olive oil, and sopes mallorquines, a thick broth of thinly sliced brown bread and vegetables. House wine, usually good enough, will be Majorcan but treat yourself to a good bottle of fruity red Rioja - the only accompaniment to a memorable Majorcan meal.

Factfile
Currency:	Euro
Language:	Spanish
Flight Details:	Approx. 2 hours from the UK
Departure airports:	Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Exeter, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds/Bradford, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham East Midlands, Teeside and Stansted.