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Nigel Tisdall's Mallorca Report Posted On 11.01.07 |
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| Nigel Tisdall, Travel Writer | |
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| Introduction | |
| Mallorca is the quintessential holiday island - sunny, friendly, blessed with huge beaches and pretty, honey-hued villages. Being near and not too pricey, it’s an excellent choice for a get-together with friends or family. Go for a villa with a pool in the olive-studded hills around Pollença. Here you’ll be pleasantly isolated but within striking distance of beaches, markets and sights like the monastery at Lluc. If you can’t lie on a sunlounger for long, head for the Serra de Tramuntana. These domineering mountains run right along Mallorca’s northwest coast and are superb walking country. Deià is its most famous village, and rewarding stops include the mighty monastery at Valldemossa and Mirador de Ses Barques. The peace within these forests and valleys is astonishing, and there are charming small hotels set on old fincas that have been restored through agroturismo projects. For families with young children, Mallorca’s coves are often more appealing than the big beaches. Cala Deià has clear waters and friendly restaurants. Cala Sant Vicenç comes with some good hotels, while Cala Mondragó and Es Trenc are choice sandy spots on the south coast. There’s no shortage of waterparks and thrill-based activities, and for a cultural outing visit the Fundación Jakober near Alcúdia, which has a sensational collection of historic portraits of royal children. Wherever you stay, save time for the Mallorcan capital. Palma is excellent for a short break, with an elegant palm-lined promenade, El Born, and shops both trad and trendy. Look out for art nouveau architecture around Plaça Mercat, while Castell de Bellver offers impressive views. Sa Llotja is the place for tapas bars and nightlife, while two rewarding art museums are Palau March and Joan Miró’s studio. Crowning all this is Palma’s magnificent waterfront cathedral, which took 371 years to complete. That’s slow, even for Spanish builders, and today the go-ahead Mallorcans would have one up in no time. Last summer their island enjoyed its best tourist season for five years - so if it ain’t broke, why go further? | |
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| Best Avoided | |
| The past:Steer clear of congested resorts like Magaluf and Playa de Palma, where the hotels can be outdated and the atmosphere is downmarket. Tourist menus:Avoid restaurants on the seafront offering typical English dishes. Mallorca produces good wines, cheeses and olive oils, and has an earthy regional cuisine well worth trying – look for tapas bars and restaurants offering cuina mallorquína. Cap de Formentor:This craggy peninsula in the northeast of the island may be very scenic, but it becomes one big traffic jam at peak times. | |
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| Need to Know | |
| This is Spain, so get into the habit of afternoon siestas and dining late. If you’re doing a big shop and paying by credit card, take your passport – some stores may ask for ID. All the big towns have regular markets that are well worth catching to buy local fruit and inexpensive clothes and to enjoy the atmosphere. Shopping opportunities at Palma airport are limited, so do your spending while you’re out and about. | |
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| TC Tips | |
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