The
islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera have attracted
visitors and expatriates since prehistoric times. Thanks to
a sunny Mediterranean climate, miles of beaches, beautiful scenery,
and lively nightlife, the Balearics now draw more than 3.5 million
British tourists annually – including the countless planeloads
of English-speaking travellers who take advantage of low-cost
charter flights and holiday packages from Britain.
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Catalan
The
native language of Barcelona, North-eastern Spain, and
the Balearics is Catalan, which has local dialects called
Mallorquin, Menorquin, and Ibiçenco. In practice, virtually
all islanders speak Spanish, and most locals in the tourist
business also understand English, so the only time you’ll
need to deal with Catalan is when reading newer maps and
road signs. In recent years, most Spanish names have been
replaced by their Catalan equivalents. This isn’t a problem
if you’re clever enough to translate Pollensa into
Pollença and Mahón into Maó, but
it does require good mental reflexes when you’re driving
along at 30 m.p.h. and encounter a sign that doesn’t agree
with your older map or guidebook.
Palma
de Mallorca
With
nearly a third of a million inhabitants, Palma is by far
the largest city in the Balearics. It has an international
airport, a ferry and cruise terminal, and plenty of things
to see. For starters, visit the magnificent Cathedral
with its slender pillars and soaring stained-glass windows.
The Castell de Bellver, a 14th Century fortress overlooking
the bay, is also worth a visit. But you’ll probably want
to spend most of your time wandering through the mazelike
shopping streets of the Old Town, stopping at the Banys
Àrabs (Arab Baths) to see how the Moorish conquerors kept
clean before en-suite facilities were invented.
S’Arenal
This
resort strip along the Platja de Palma is Mallorca’s answer
to Torremolinos or Waikiki. It’s pleasant enough, but
not especially Mallorquin.
The biggest attraction (aside from cheap hotel packages
and the beach) is Aquacity, a massive water park with
pools, chutes, and slides that can thrill 3,500 bathers
simultaneously.
Valldemossa
Few holidays have received as much publicity as the four
months that pianist Frédéric Chopin and novelist George
Sand spent in Valldemossa during the winter of 1839-1840.
The sojourn resulted in a book, A Winter in Majorca,
which has fuelled the local tourist industry for 160 years.
The town itself is pretty, and the monastery where the
couple stayed has memorabilia of their visit. But during
high season, the crowds of bus tourists may leave you
feeling as sour as Chopin and Sand did after their chilly
reception by the local peasants.
Deià
Robert
Graves moved to Deià in 1930 and wrote two of his best-known
books – I, Claudius and Claudius the God –
while playing guru to an expatriate literary colony until
the Spanish Civil War sent him packing in 1936. He returned
after World War II and stayed until his death in 1985.
Today, Deià – which remains as beautiful as ever – attracts
foreign residents (among them, film star Michael Douglas)
who are more likely to be well-heeled than bohemian.
Sóller
The best way to reach Sóller is to catch
the 1912-vintage narrow-gauge train from Palma, which
takes just over an hour to cover a scenic 18-mile route
through farmland and mountain valleys. Once you’ve emerged
from your wooden carriage in Sóller, you can explore the
attractive town and its museums or catch an antique tram
down to the Port de Sóller. From the harbour, an hour’s
walk will lead you to the Cap Gros lighthouse and its
scenic views, or you can take a boat trip along the coast.
Pollença
Just
outside this handsome 800-year-old market town of 15,000
people, you’ll discover a fortified hilltop monastery
where you can rent a cell for the night if you’re on a
budget or need a break from worldly temptations. The Way
of the Cross, a steep stone stairway leading up to a chapel
on Cavalry Hill, is another religious attraction. If your
tastes run toward the secular, you can snap photos of
Sunday morning’s fruit and vegetable market or head for
the Port de Pollença and its sandy beaches. The Cap de
Formentor, Mallorca’s northernmost point, is just over
a dozen miles away by car or excursion boat.
Cabrera
Hardly
anyone lives on the “goat island” today, but it was once
occupied by pirates and was a prisoner-of-war camp during
the Napoleonic Wars. The island, which measures only four
by three miles, is rich in wildlife and has been a national
park since 1991. A daily tour boat covers the six-mile
distance from the Colònia San Jordi on Mallorca.
Ciutat
d’Eivissa
With
a lighthouse in the harbour and a fortified old town,
the Ibizan capital looks more quaint than trendy – until
you step off the ferry and plunge into a lively menage
of shops, art galleries, restaurants, gay bars, and other
tourist businesses. The narrow streets of medieval Dalt
Vila house the cathedral, a ruined castle, several museums,
and upmarket shops; nightlife action is mostly in the
port district of Sa Marina.
Maó
No, the name doesn’t refer to the late Chinese chairman;
it’s Catalan for “Mahón,” the traditional Spanish name
for Menorca’s port and largest town. The city, reputed
to be the birthplace of mayonnaise (mahonesa),
still bears traces of its British occupation after more
than 200 years: both in the local dialect, which incorporates
English words, and in the sash windows of the many Georgian-style
houses. Allow time for a harbour cruise and a visit to
the local gin distillery, which is another remnant of
British rule.
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The
Balearic Islands are easy to spot on a map of the Western Mediterranean.
Mallorca, the largest of the islands at 1,400 square miles, is
roughly 90 miles south-east of Barcelona and 120 miles east of
Valencia, Spain. Ibiza and its satellite island of Formentera
lie to the south-west; Menorca occupies the north-eastern corner
of the archipelago.
Although
each has its distinctive character, the islands share the Catalan
language and a culture that has been shaped by a succession of
Carthaginian, Moorish, and Spanish, and even British occupiers
over the last 2,700 years.
Mallorca:
Mass Tourism and More
The
vast majority of tourists head for Mallorca, an easy two-hour
flight from London. The island’s popularity isn’t surprising,
because Mallorca offers something for everyone – from beaches
to mountains to bucolic inland valleys, with accommodations that
range from high-rise resort hotels to self-catering villas.
Palma
de Mallorca, the capital, is an attractive city of 320,000
with a splendid Gothic cathedral and a mazelike old town. Don’t
miss the harbour, where you’re likely to see yachts, cruise ships,
and the ferries that connect Mallorca to her sister islands and
the mainland.
Heading
east along the Bay toward S’Arenal, you’ll encounter the
Platja de Palma, a beach that extends for 3½ miles with a backdrop
of hotels, restaurants, and night-clubs that cater to package
tourists.
A
more appealing trip is the drive via Andratx to the north-west
coast, past the terraced fields of Estellenchs and Banyalbufar
to scenic Valldemossa. A few miles along the road lies
Deià, long-time home of the novelist and poet Robert Graves.
Continue
up the coast to Sóller and its harbour resort, the Port
de Sóller. This is one of the prettiest regions of Mallorca, with
scenery that includes mountains, orange groves, and an attractive
bay.
Sierra
de Tramuntana, Mallorca
The
far northern reaches of the island are dominated by Pollença,
an ancient market town long favoured by English visitors. Pay
your respects to the British expat colony in the nearby Port de
Pollença, then continue on to the Badia d’Alcúdia, a vast horseshoe
bay whose best-known resort, the Port d’Alúdia, has become a Mecca
for mass tourism in recent years.
The
eastern part of the island is mostly agricultural, with modern
resorts dotting the coast. The German tourist enclave of Cala
Rajada is worth a visit for the Artà caves, and the Coves del
Drach (“Dragon’s Caves”) near Porto Cristo offer the kitschy spectacle
of musicians performing in boats on Europe’s largest subterranean
lake.
Perhaps
the most rewarding attraction in south-eastern Mallorca is the
boat trip to Cabrera, a tiny island with a 14th Century
fortress and abundant wildlife.
If
you have time, allow a day or two to explore Mallorca’s inland
plain, where a number of old manor houses have been converted
into luxury hotels and B&Bs in recent years. Olive trees,
almond groves, and vineyards offer a pleasant break from the resort
circuit – especially during February when the almond trees are
in bloom.
Finally,
if you enjoy mysteries, the 23 Inspector Alvarez novels by British
expatriate Roderic Jeffries offer a great way to become acquainted
with Mallorca before your trip – or to jog memories of the island
on a cold winter’s day back home.
Ibiza:
The Party Island
Eivissa,
as the locals call their island, gets only one-fifth as many tourists
as Mallorca does. That’s probably just as well, given the compactness
of the island and the energy level of its visitors. Ibiza has
been a haven for hippies and rock stars since the 1960s, and today
it reigns as the rave and party capital of Southern Europe.
The
port town of Ciutat d’Eivissa (Ibiza City) is a convenient
place to begin your sightseeing or immerse yourself in British
and German club culture. It’s a short trip from the ciutat
to the beach at Figueretes; other nearby beaches include Ses Salines
and the nudist beach at Es Cavallet. (One section of the latter
is a cruise zone for gays, who have flocked to Ibiza in recent
years.)
A
few miles away, on the western coast of the island, the high-rise
hotels of Sant Antoni de Portmany cater to package tourists in
search of sun, drink, and sex.
If
the beach and club scene begins to pale, head for the Santa Eulalia
or Ibiza’s quiet villages in the interior and along the northern
coast. Boat rides are another option; check with the tourist office
for schedules.
Formentera:
Ibiza’s Offshore Retreat
It’s
only a four-mile trip across the water to Formentera, a bucolic
island shared by farmers and youthful tourists. Nude swimming
and sunbathing are the main attractions, with an increasing number
of day-trippers joining the vacationers who have booked accommodation
in the limited number of hostals. The island is small and
flat, so rent a bike or moped and explore the many unspoiled beaches.
Menorca:
Prehistory and Pastureland
The
green and gently rolling island of Menorca has a landscape that
varies from sandy beaches to grassy meadows with stone walls that
evoke images of Britain. Much of the terrain is dotted with rock
mounds, T-shaped monoliths, and tombs that date back several thousand
years.
Maó
is the island’s capital and main port. It lies three miles inland
from the sea, at the end of a natural deepwater harbour that Britain
fortified and used as a military base for much of the 18th Century.
Ciutadella,
at the western end of Menorca, is the former Moorish capital.
A paved road connects the two towns, with smaller roads and tracks
leading to modest villages, farms, and beach resorts. If you enjoy
walking, you still can find unspoiled coves and beaches away from
the summer crowds.
Before
you Book
The
Balearic Islands provide a wealth of travel choices, from sun-sip-and-sin
beach holidays to sightseeing, sailing, hiking and biking excursions,
farm stays, and bird watching. When planning your trip or booking
a holiday package, give careful thought to location and accommodations.
A guidebook is a useful tool (I recommend The Rough Guides).
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