Useful information about Mallorca

A Quick History of Mallorca
Mallorca—also known as Majorca—is the jewel of the Spanish Balearic Islands. A popular tourist destination, Mallorca offers its visitors a beautiful climate, lush inland forests, splendid beaches, majestic mountain ranges, and a host of other natural delights. This island is part of several European tour packages, and has been a popular destination for holidaymakers since the 1950s, although the real tourism boom began in the 1960s. Mallorca has been a popular place for thousands of years, in fact traces of humanity from 6000 to 4000 B.C. have been found there, and many of today’s known civilizations have made their home on Mallorca.

The Capital City of Mallorca
Palma, the capital of Mallorca named after an ancient Roman camp there called Palmaria, offers an unusual combination of culture, history, and nightlife. Palma Cathedral is one of the most striking daytime landmarks in the city, and by night the boulevards, lined with trees, lead to a large choice of concert venues, bars, and restaurants. There are over 550km of coastline around Mallorca, and 80 beaches to serve the sun worshippers. Holiday villas on the island are a great way to experience everything this island has.

Travelling to Mallorca
Many airlines now offer Mallorca as a destination and there are weekly trips from most UK airports. Because of this, there is a renewed interest in Mallorca as a popular tourist destination. In 2000 alone over 8 million people visited the island, and 26% of those were from the UK. Its Mediterranean climate, combined with two mountain ranges with large bays in between, and friendly people make it a popular destination for many—stars of film and television, music, art, literature, and athletics have chosen to keep homes there.

Life in Mallorca
Although there are two official languages of Mallorca—Catalan and Spanish—the local dialects (often called Mallorquin or Balearic) are often varied, and almost all citizens have at least some knowledge of German or English. This is largely due to the constant and large numbers of tourists, as well as the immigrants who have come to Mallorca to stay.

Attractions on Mallorca include Bellver Castle, a 14th century residence built for King James II of Mallorca, and which was later used as a military prison. It is now one of the island’s main attractions, and its history is rich with intrigue. Mallorca also boasts a football team—RCD Mallorca (Real Club Deportivo Mallorca)—and masses of excellent restaurants.

The native local cuisine includes a pastry called ensaïmada, a traditional delicacy for hundreds of years. Sobrasada, a cured, raw sausage, is made from various meats and spices and is traditionally made to celebrate pig slaughters in autumn and winter, the seasons that provide the correct weather properties for dehydration of the meat.

Finding transportation in the tourist areas should not be a problem if you choose Mallorca as a holiday destination, but remember that service is usually limited nights, on Sundays and in the low season. You can also rent a car at the airport, and this is often a popular choice for tourists who wish to travel as much of the island as possible.