Visiting Mallorca

Mallorca in Spain is also known more often than not in the UK as Majorca; the official Latin name for the island is Insula Maior, meaning larger island.
You can find Mallorca in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea, part of the Balearic Islands. Mallorca is the real deal – the place the locals call home, not the Majorca more famous to and for tourists. The people here have time to sit in the shade to chat and take siestas – to enjoy life!

Mallorca is filled with beautiful mountains and a visit to the amazing hill ‘Puig de Galatzo’ is a definite must; it is a peak that is so high it can be seen from miles around; the scenery will take your breath away. But it wouldn’t be a Mallorcan holiday without some sun and fun on the beautiful beaches.

Mallorca became hugely popular with tourists in the early 1950s, particularly with German and British tourists, being quite close to home it was an easy and beautiful place for these holiday-makers to visit - and it still is!  Mallorca has been a popular tourist destination ever since then with people wanting to see the beautiful sights and sample the gorgeous warm climate. The climate in Mallorca is typical of the Med; the winters are mild and the summers are hot; it’s not unusual to see snow on the mountain tops during the winter months in Mallorca.

History of Mallorca

Is it history that you crave when you go on holiday, well we have lots of that?

Ruins, churches, historical sites are situated in Mallorca in abundance; everywhere you turn you can just feel the islands’ history coming at you from every angle. Take in the history and get the feel for what this amazing island has been through; read on to get a little background into the history.

Mallorca has been lived in since before the middle ages throughout Europe, there has been recent discoveries showing burial chambers and also a trace of habitation from what is known as the Paleolithic period; this is going back to 6000 BC. So if you want to sample in some history on your holiday then Mallorca is definitely the place to visit. If you like Roman history; then you should know that the Romans lived in Mallorca in 123 BC. It was under Roman rule that Pollentia, now known as Alcudia, and Palmaria, now known as Palma, were originally formed. So if Roman history is your thing then Mallorca is an amazing and historically exciting place to visit.

During the year 426 the people known as the vandals ransacked the island and during 465 they claimed Mallorca as their kingdom.  During 534 Mallorca was actually took over by the Byzantine Empire; then it was claimed as part of Sardinia. It was during this rule that Christianity became more widespread and churches were then built. More history was to come when in 707 the island of Mallorca was attacked by Muslim raiders that came from Northern Africa. Mallorca is steeped in history; when you’re visiting the island; just think about all the events that have shaped history and made Mallorca what it is today.

If that still isn’t enough history for you then look no further; during 902 Mallorca was taken over by Caliphate of Cordoba; it was through this period that Mallorca really prospered and improved dramatically the islands irrigation, industries and other such things. Caliphate was dismembered during 1015 and it was then that the Taifa of Denia took the island.

During 1087 till 1114 the island was independent and was under siege once again from the Pisans and the Catalans. This siege went on for 8 whole months and eventually Palma fell to the invaders; it was then that the Almoravides from Northern Africa came to rule the island and they did so until 1203.

The history and the excitement of Mallorca’s history doesn’t end there though; King James I of Aragon came to invade Mallorca with an amazing 15 thousand men and 15 hundred horses; it took 3 months for the battles to be won and the king was victorious.

It was during 1276 that the king died and his sons divided the kingdom between them; James II was later crowned king and it was in 1344 that a new king came to take the kingdom; King Peter IV of Aragon arrived.

If you want to actually see some of the history in Palma de Mallorca then you can visit the remains of a Talaiotic settlement situated in Palmaria; Palmaria is a roman camp. It was during the Roman Empire that vandals ransacked the island and during the devastating fall of the empire it was taken by the Byzantines.

Mallorca today

Mallorca was reinvented into a tourist hotspot in the 1950s and became a brilliant attraction to many visitors and new workers from Spain.  This is why there are so many different traditions and cultures in Mallorca as there is a mix of everyone in there. During the 1960s 500,000 visitors came to visit Mallorca and in 1997 a staggering 19,000,000 visitors passed into Mallorca. Now its in excess of 20,000,000 a year with over 20,000 British permanently living here.

Attractions and Celebrities in Mallorca

Mallorca is a real mix of old and new with prehistoric geology and medieval architecture sitting side by side with modern bars and thriving coastal towns.

Some of the attractions that you could visit while you holiday in Mallorca are Bellver Castle, Santueri Castle, Palma Cathedral, Cuber Lake and El Diablo Castle and many, many more! You will never be bored in Mallorca with all the wonderful sites and things to see and visit!

For those of you who like their entertainment a little noisier, and with a little more alcohol, you’ll be pleased to know that Palma is home to the islands trendiest bars. From there you can take the vintage railway through beautiful mountain scenery to Soller or visit one of the islands many seafood restaurants.

Cala d'Or on the South East coast and Puerto Portals in the south of the Island retain a chic appeal with their impressive marinas where many a star can be spotted in the summer months.

If a round of golf to you is a lot more than a good walk spoilt then you’ll love the many golf courses of Mallorca.

Famous people from Mallorca are plentiful; people such as the writer and the philosopher Ramon Llull and also Junipero Serra. Some other more recent famous people from Mallorca are Rafael Nadal the top international tennis player and also Carlos Moya.

Celebrities also love visiting this history rich and beautiful island; celebrities such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas have a permanent home here, Michael Schumacher, Annie Lennox, Boris Becker, Peter Stringfellow, Claudia Schiffer, Suzi Quatro, Claire Sweeney and many, many more make Mallorca their holiday home destination of choice. So if you want to do a little celebrity spotting while you holiday then this gorgeous island is the place to be.
Visit the monastery at Valldemossa and you’re walking in the footsteps of Chopin and George Sand.

Having children won’t hold you back in Mallorca. The local people love children and they are welcome everywhere. Children are the perfect excuse for you to visit one of the island’s water parks. Aqualand is one of the world’s largest water theme parks and that will keep you entertained the whole day.

If you want to get even more up close and personal with the water, go beneath it. Nemo Submarines takes you for a two hour trip of a lifetime beneath the waves.

Coming back to land, why not go talk with the animals. Auto Safari will allow you to drive through parkland with monkeys, giraffes and zebras. Or if you have a need for speed, take a karting excursion. Mallorca has all this and more.

Or why not just go shopping! Most towns have their own local markets where you can buy leather and lace along with a selection of local produce.

Language in Mallorca

You may want to brush up on your Spanish before you visit Mallorca feel free, remember they also speak Catalan. The accent of Catalan is known locally as Mallorquin and is used by the indigenous population of Mallorca. As is the case anywhere, the accents and the dialect change from area to area in Mallorca. English and German are spoken by some residents of Mallorca especially in the tourist areas and are taught as  foreign languages.

Politics in Mallorca

Mallorca is part of the Balearic Islands; this means that it is ruled by the ‘People’s party’ otherwise known as Partido Popular; Jaume Matas currently leads this party. The government has come under fire recently from popular opposition so they are developing a new plan. Some people are against this new development plan as they do not want Mallorca’s beautiful countryside and spectacular scenery to be ruined because of it.

The government for the island is actually called Consell Insular de Mallorca with looks after all the roads, and the administration of the island. It is Maria Antonia Munar who heads this council and controls Mallorca alongside the Peoples party’s support and help.

Sampling local cuisine

If there is no other reason for you to go to Mallorca, then you should go for the local cuisine. With an amazing report of 1000's of cafes and restaurants on the island, you can be sure you will find food and cuisine to your liking. Seafood is of course widely available the islands prime location in the Mediterranean being of particular use there.

Mallorcans have olives and almonds as a staple part of their diets; and with over 4 million olive trees and almond trees that really isn’t all that surprising!

You can sample the gorgeous paella made with pork, chicken or seafood! Try other local cuisines next time you holiday in Mallorca; they have you begging to come back for more, and why wouldn’t you want to!

Having your own property in Mallorca, whether that is your permanent home or a holiday property, means that all these great areas and the quality of life this island brings can be your to share. Never forgetting that a property in Mallorca has been a great investment over the last few years and should continue to be so.