The Holiday Island of Mallorca

Though it may seem a world away, the beautiful island of Mallorca is easily reachable from the Costa Blanca region and well worth a visit if you have a few days to spare. A short flight from Alicante airport or a ferry ride from the resort of Denia, will see you on the holiday island in no time.

Mallorca (normally called Majorca in the UK) is the biggest of the Spanish Balearic Islands, the other main islands are Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera and Cabrera, Mallorca itself is often likened to a continent rather than a small island, due to is rich and diverse landscape, which varies from the alpine like mountains of the Serra Tramuntana and the Serra de Levant to the flat fertile plains of central Mallorca. The island is also rich in flora and fauna and its natural parks such as the wetlands of S’Albufera in northern Mallorca, provide important protection for hundreds of bird and animal species.

Mallorca was one of the pioneers in mass tourism during the 1960’s and 1970’s and many of its popular resorts became over developed, but don’t let that put you off the place, get away from the built for tourism resorts (mostly gathered on the south coast), and you will find some charming little towns and villages, which remain much as they have for hundreds of years. Though almost nowhere is Mallorca is totally untouched by tourism, and most places rely on it, in one way or another, there is plenty to see that has not been spoiled by it.

Mallorca was first inhabited in around 5000 BC and its first organised culture was known as the Talaiotic Culture which built settlements in Capocorb Vell and Artà in 1000 BC. The Talaiots left their mark in the form of great stone towers which can still be seen today (the neighbouring island of Menorca is particularly rich in these structures). The Romans conquered Mallorca in 123 BC and called it Balearis Major, they built their capital at Pollentia (Alcudia) and introduced vineyards and olives, though it remained an outpost of the Roman Empire and less important than the Spanish mainland. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Vandals arrived on Mallorca, persecuting the Christian population, though their control was relatively brief and they were ousted by the Byzantines who restored Christianity and order to the island, under Byzantine control Mallorca became a province of Sardinia.

The next major year in Mallorca’s history was 902 AD when the Moors invaded, incorporating the island into the Caliphate of Córdoba, the Arabs called it Medina Mayurqa and set to work improving the irrigation of the island with their advanced techniques, introducing new crops such as oranges and almonds.

Mallorca was re-conquered for the Christians in 1229 by King Jaime I of Aragon, his son Jaime II was later to become the 1st King of Mallorca

Mallorca suffered numerous pirate attacks throughout the 16th to 18th centuries and a number of watchtowers were built around to coast to warn the inhabitants of these attacks.

In late 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, Mallorca was attacked by Republican troops, the attack was repulsed and the island remained in Nationalist hands throughout the war (1936-39).

Mass tourism arrived in the 1960’s with the opening of the Son Sant Joan Airport and Mallorca catered for this modern invasion by developing its southern coastline, in 1983 the balearic Islands became an autonomous region of Spain, with Palma de Mallorca as its capital.

Valldemossa Chopin and George Sand

Valldemossa Chopin and George Sand - One of the big attractions on the cultural tourist route of Mallorca, Spain is the small town of Valldemossa, which sits in the mountains north of the capital Palma de Mallorca. What makes this place so special is that for a short time in the winter of 1838-39, it became the home of French novelist George Sand and her lover composer Frederick Chopin, who went there to escape the gossip of Paris, and also in the hope that it would aid Chopin’s bad health (he suffered from tuberculosis). Ironically that winter the weather in Valldemossa was not kind to its new visitors and it remained wet and windy for most of their stay. The celebrities were also apparently given the cold shoulder by the locals as they were not married, and George Sand wrote a derogatory book about their stay called “A Winter in Mallorca” in which she called the local inhabitants savages and thieves. Their visit has still not been forgotten and the book can still be found on sale in the town!
Valldemossa Map

Majorca Towns - Palma de Mallorca

The capital of Mallorca (Majorca) and of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca is home to almost half the resident population of the island, and also welcomes millions of visitors each year by way of its International Airport.

The city itself has some wonderful attractions including the famous La Seu Gothic cathedral, which boasts one of the biggest stained glass windows in the world with 1,236 pieces and measuring some 11 metres across – amazing.

Founded as a camp by the Romans in about 123 BC, Palma de Mallorca became an important port on the Mediterranean trade route. Known as Medina Mayurqa to the Arabs, its name is actually taken from the Roman city of Palmaria. Much of the original Roman city still exists below the present day city, and Roman remains are being found all the time.

Map of Palma de Mallorca

Check out today's weather in Palma de Mallorca

Andratx and Port d'Andratx for Mallorca Holidays

The charming old Mallorca town of Andratx sits in the shadow of the 3,366 foot Puig de Galatzo mountain at the south-western end of the island, overlooked by medieval watchtowers, built to warn of raids by pirates and renegades in centuries past. The fortress like Santa Maria church is well worth a visit if you are in the town.

Completely separate from the old town is the equally old port and harbour area, previously just a tiny fishing village, it has been transformed into a popular and exclusive resort, visited by the rich and famous who moor their luxury yachts in the new marina. Andratx has some famous residents including the likes of Tom Cruise and Claudia Schiffer who both own homes there.

Andratx and the whole of Mallorca is blessed with a fantastic climate and Andratx weather is particularly pleasant during the summer months, but also quite agreeable during the winter months.

Andratx is a great location for Mallorca holidays, situated in the south-west of the island of Mallorca in the Spanish Balearic Islands and can be accessed from the MA-1 from Palma de Mallorca, you can see a map here: Andratx Map