Balearic Islands Tourism Guide - Majorca Resorts

Majorca Holiday Hotspots

For top Majorca trekking and walking spots you won't do better than bases like Deia (expensive!), or more budget Soller, Valldemossa, Port de Soller and on the West side Andratx and Port d'Andratx. Pollenca is a great base if you're either walking or cycling, with easy access to the Tramuntana to the west, and it's a base with many cultural offerings and a landscape surround to marvel at. Discover great shopping, restaurants and cafes in Pollenca around the main square as well. And of course the sublime Pollenca steps, with the obligatory climb for breathtaking views. Pollenca is a festival centre as well, and always has a lot going on.

So if it's a lazy beach holiday you're looking for then choose one of the many Majorca coastal resorts. None will disappoint. If you're looking for a culture trip, then you'd probably want to be firstly based near Palma de Mallorca. Palma is crammed with contemporary art galleries, a gothic cathedral that you can stare at for hours for some reason, many museums and excellent shopping. There's lots of public art scattered around as well, with Miro murals and such like in Parc de la Mar just down from Palma Cathedral. The graffitti on some of them seems to add a little something somehow!

A car is essential for that cultural/come contemporary art tour of Majorca. Other Majorca cultural hotspots include Andratx with it's superb Cultural Centre and art gallery. The likes of Martin Parr's photography has been on display here, with works also from Eva and Adele. Or how about Pollenca with the fascinating Marti Vincente museum crammed with sculptures, textile designs and ceramics. There's a rather good contemporary art museum at Charterhouse up at Valldemossa, more famous for the Chopin and George Sand stay in the 'cells'. Visitors tend to cram into Chopin's cell, and miss the Contemporary Art Gallery there, which is great as you'll have it all to yourself and can get a good look at the Juli Ramis works on display there, and there's some Miro as well!

For a budget focused holiday on contemporary art in Palma, why not think about booking into a Majorca hotel in Cala Mayor, just outside of Palma. It's easy to get into Palma from Cala Mayor on the number 3 bus which runs about every eight minutes each way and Cala Mayor is a lot cheaper than staying in the centre of Palma. Also, you'll be just round the corner from the Fundacio Pilar i Joan Miro gallery, once Miro's house. This gallery is unmissible, with visiting artists runnning changing exhibitions. Works by renowned artists such as Louise Bourgeois have also been on display here.

Mallorca Top Beaches

Majorca beaches are one of the biggest attractions on this Balearic Island. There's a great little beach at Cala Major just outside Palma (handy) which has sports installations. Majorca beach hotspots down from Andratx include the excellent beaches of Camp de Mar and Sant Elm. Sant Elm is a charming cosy little beach, sheltered by Dragonera island. Beaches in this area are noted for their pinewoods. Both Palma Nova and Magaluf have excellent clean blue flag beaches, with perhaps a little more character than the East side beaches which are larger and longer. Palma Nova has fine sand and pine groves and all your bars, cafes and restaurants close by, with lots of people if that's your bag.

Magaluf also has a superb beach with fine sand and crystal clear waters and many amenities. If you've time, check out Illetes not far from Palma. Illetes is a beautiful spot with two coves some 75 and 150 metres wide, and again is noted for it's pine trees which reach as far as the shore and there's superbo sand. Santa Ponca has another good beach over this way, and for something a little quiet choose Peguera with fine sand and pine trees, and easy on the crowds.

Majorca beaches on the East Coast have a split personality. There's a choice pick of long and large fine sandy beaches stretching for miles like the one at Port d'Alcudia or little bays like Cala Mesquida which is rocky in parts and gets the waves, so it's popular with the surfers. At both Port de Pollenca and Port d'Alcudia the Tramuntana mountains run right down to the sea, creating rather a dramatic effect and exquisite views from the beach. You get cooling winds down from the mountains up here in North Majorca as well. Move down the Mallorca east coast to spots like Cala Rajada and you've a mix of rocky shore, and small bay beaches. Further down are the more traditional beach resorts all with fine sandy beaches such as Cala Millor and Calas de Mallorca, a relatively new resort. Cala d'or has a choice of a few beaches, all idyllic little bays with fine sand.

Mallorca's west coast is rocky and rugged, but there are spots for swimming. It's more popular this side of the island with cyclists, walkers, and those taking the drive up the west coast to admire the scenery. Well worth doing that for sure! Port de Soller though is becoming a more popular resort, and has a charming character with a little port and lots of nice cafes along the very clean promenade. The beach is being worked on to improve it, but it's good enough already and highly recommended, particularly for families.