Majorca (or Mallorca), in Spain, is the largest of the Balearic Islands and is the most popular of the Mediterranean Islands. This tourist mecca boasts beautiful beaches, breathtaking mountainous views and a rich cultural history. The summers are infamously swelled with an amazingly diverse crowd who want to spend their holidays to Majorca: celebrities, food enthusiasts, and countless European tourists. Once they arrive, visitors are greeted with quaint medieval villages, top-notch food and wine, and a hypnotizing ancient landscape.

About 130 miles from Barcelona and 90 miles from Valencia, Majorca has a coastline 310 miles long. Although commercialization has resulted in overbuilding along certain coastline, the island is charmingly picturesque in the interior. The north coast is mountainous, while the southern region offers a flat landscape of windmills and almond groves.

Majorca is studded with golden beaches, with famous sands such as Ca'n Pastilla and El Arenal. However, these can get overcrowded with tourists who booked package tours. Cala Mayor and Sant Agustin are popular locales with notable beaches, including Playa Magaluf, the longest stretch of shore on the Calvia coast. On the northwestern coast, Cala de San Vicente is a beautiful beach bordered by towering cliffs. And in the northern tip of the island, beachgoers flock to the shoreline between Cala Pi and Cala Murta in Formentor.

Palma, Majorca's capital, has experienced a recent renaissance and become one of Europe's popular weekend destinations. The city's historic center was resurrected, along with the myriad of ancient cobbled streets. Stone palaces and plazas were also revived, helping to transform this formerly fading town. Travelers can now enjoy the chic hotels, quaint restaurants, and the variety of old and new shops in the area.

It is highly recommended that visitors rent a car while in Majorca. The dramatic mountainous scenery can be better appreciated if you have the means to explore easily on your own. One well traveled route is a driving tour that begins and ends in Palma. This 88 mile trip will take drivers west on C-719 passing through the most breathtaking area of Majorca, through towns such as Santa Ponca, Port D'Andratx, and Andratx. Next, the route continues on C-710 N which is a winding road that passes through Mirador Ricardo Roca, Estallenchs, and Banalbufar. Some sights along the way include sea coves, a 17th century belvedere, fishermen's houses, and a submarine base. The tour returns to Palma following C-710 and local roads, through the lofty mountain village of Fornalutx and the harbor village of Sa Calobra.

Over four decades of robust tourism has built a solid infrastructure in Majorca. This equates to hundreds of options for hotels, flights, and restaurants, at all price points. Some visitors may want to splurge on yacht cruises or five star restaurants, while others may want to enjoy the local establishments. The options are seemingly endless in this one island, for entertainment, dining, and adventures.

Majorca is a destination of improbable beauty and unbelievable sights. A vacation here can be spent trekking through the jagged terrain, enjoying the authentic and local restaurants, or lounging in the countless gorgeous beaches. There is no question why the millions of tourists who visit these Islands keep coming back.
 

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