la granja banyalbufar
this country house, just south of banyalbufar, is on a site known since roman times for its natural spring. when jaume i conquered mallorca he divided the island into four feudal estates, giving one to count nuno san who settled at la granja. in 1239 the count handed the estate to cistercian monks to found mallorca's first monastery. since 1447 it has been a private house owned by various noble families; most of what you see today dates from the 17th century....
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inca leather factory mallorca
mallorca's third largest town styles itself 'city of leather', and if you come on an organized tour you will undoubtedly be taken to a leather factory. shop around; the bargains these days are few and far between. better to come on thursdays, when the streets around placa d'espanya are taken over by mallorca's largest weekly market. plenty of leather here, of varying quality, plus jeweler, carved olivewood, lace and fresh produce from across the island plaa d'espanya itself becomes an open-air flower show near here are a smart coffee houses. inca is also known for its cellers, old wine cellars turned into restaurants featuring traditional dishes at reasonable prices...
jardines de alfabia soller
these classical gardens by the entrance to the soller tunnel are a legacy of the arab talent for landscaping and irrigation. their name derives from alabi 'jar of olives' in arabic. they were probably designed by benihabet, the muslim governor of inca who converted to christianity following the spanish invasion....
platja de palma beach mallorca
if you cannot wait to get on a beach, this 5km stretch of fine white sand is just minutes from the airport. the two resorts of can pastilla and s' arenal have merged into one, connected by a long palm lined promenade offering every possible entertainment in summer. this is a good resort for families - there are children's playgrounds and a miniature train ride, though the nightlife can get a bit raucous. take a passeig here before dinner and you have a fabulous view of palma, the twinkling lights on the waterfront reflected in the se...
portals vells cove ei mago mallorca nudist beach
a bumpy track from magaluf leads through pine woods to this beautiful cove at the southwest tip of palma bay. in summer it gets crowded, but out of season you could have your own private beach, with golden sand, rocky cliffs and shimmering turquoise water. in fact there are two beaches; the smaller one, ei mago, is mallorca's official nudist beach. from the main beach,...
puig de randa mountain mallorca
this table mountain, rising 543m out of the plain, has been a place of pilgrimage ever since ramon llull founded mallorca's first hermitage here in 1275. he came aged 40, shaken by an incident which caused him to review his way of life. bent on seduction he chased a married woman through palma on horseback; unable to shake him off, she lifted her blouse to reveal cancerous breasts. llull retired in isolation to puig de randa to ponder a life of youthful excess....
sa calobra cove mallorca
do not believe anyone who tells you that they have discovered the perfect unspoilt cove on the north coast at least, not if its name is sa calobra. this is indeed a beautiful spot, which is why tour buses pour in by the dozen every day, even in winter. the journey to sa calobra is as memorable as the bay itself. a twisting road around puig major plunges 800m in just 12km, turning 270 degrees at one point to loop under it (a feature known as the 'knotted tie'). the easier approach is by boat from port de soller, passing genuinely isolated bays with an excellent view of puig major, albeit spoilt by the rnilitary installations on the summit of mallorca's highest mountain....
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sa dragonera island mallorca
this uninhabited island off mallorca's western tip was the focus for a turning point in mallorcan history in 1977, when it was occupied by environmentalists protesting against a planned tourist development. the campaigners won, the island became a nature reserve instead, the seabirds survived, and for the first time the authorities realized that mass tourism had reached its limit....
marineland mallorca
marineland is the top award-winning dolphinarium in spain, located by calviá's costa d'en blanes beach in mallorca. marineland is ideal for family fun whilst on holiday in mallorca, keeping the children entertained in a multitude of ways. the marine-zoo provides interest and education for children, presenting daily shows with different wildlife taking the spotlight. the park is renowned for its dolphin and sea lion shows, where the playful animals perform numerous tricks (only on saturday and sunday)....
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