MallorcaAN INVITATION

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MALLORCA

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A tripto the largest

of theBalearic Islands

Why Mallorca? 4

PALMA DE MALLORCAA labyrinth with a Mediterranean flavour 6

BEACHESSand, atmosphere,alternatives 10

LANDSCAPEThe inspiration of artists 14

HISTORYA meeting pointfor cultures 16

LEISURE AND PRODUCTSThe body, the mind,the Mediterranean 18

HOSPITALITYA thousand and one nights,breakfast included 20

CULTUREAn invitationto curiosity 22

NATUREThe Island’s treasure 24

GEOGRAPHICAL MAPMallorca 26

Port de Valldemossa

Interior patio, Castell de BellverSa Canova d’Artà

Valldemossa

Glass craftsmanship

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Why Mallorca?

A plane in the sky heading forMallorca. Inside it are ahundred passengers who havechosen this destination forvery personal, very differentreasons.By talking to each of these

passengers we could discover the infinity of motivesthat have a bearing when people choose to spend theirholiday on the island. Without a shadow of a doubt, the

main one is that Mallorca responds to the most diversewishes with an excellent offer. One loves the interior ofMallorca, because of its idyllic, tranquil corners. Anotheris drawn by the pleasant urban, cosmopolitanatmosphere of Palma. A third one knows no better placeto practice a little cycle-tourism. The fourth one likes theTramuntana mountain range, the fifth is a painter, thesixth one plays golf, the seventh is a yachting fan andthe eighth is looking for night time entertainment andlively beaches.

They all have the same thing in common: Mallorca isperfect for them.Quite possibly some of the passengers on our imaginaryplane are already acquainted with the island. If there isone piece of information which reflects the quality ofMallorca as a destination, it is the fidelity of its visitors.Fidelity which is often transformed into somethinglasting, and which confers the status of residents onthem. There is no greater complement for a touristdestination.

Over the following pages we will give you a small idea ofjust how big Mallorca is. We explain how a destinationfrequented year after year by seven million visitorspreserves its character and responds to such differentexpectations. It is an invitation to travel with the mind,the soul and the body. In Mallorca, all three arecontented.Benvinguts.

Typical house,Banyalbufar

Pond in theSerra de

Tramuntana

Flowering almond trees

Port of Cala Figuera

Rural figure

Palma Airport

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PALMA DE MALLORCA

Because of its strategic situation in the WesternMediterranean, this city has drawn sustenance from allMediterranean cultures. Although its first inhabitants,the Romans and Muslims, left few remains, the mainstreets of the city centre still follow, to a large extent,the labyrinthine structure laid down over a millenniumago by the Romans. In the old town, the past is presentand future. It is one of the best-preserved historical citycentres in Europe. Losing oneself in the labyrinth ofalleyways can lead to discoveries, such as a traditionalcafé, a beautiful church or the elegant patio of a statelyhome.

Diverse styles come together in many buildings. Duringrenovation work Gothic archways appear, or even thefoundations of the former Roman wall or traces of theMuslim and Jewish cultures. As for the stately homesthat line the alleyways, only their patios allow us toglimpse the beauty that is hidden behind the impressivefaçades. Some of these monuments have been destinedto public use, enabling visitors to daydream of thesplendour of other eras.This regional capital reflects the diversity that is sotypical of the islands. It is home to both bars andmuseums, shopping centres and cultural centres, of an

History of the capital of the Balearics

123 BC. Foundation of Palma by the Romans.

903 AD. Beginning of the Muslim era. Palmawas called Medina Mayurqa and was one ofthe eight main cities of the WesternMediterranean. Construction of theAlmudaina.

1229 AD. King Jaume I reconquered Mallorcafor the Christian world.

1403 AD. A flood opened up a rift in the city.Later it was used to build splendid avenues:the Rambla and the Borne.

15th to 17th centuries. Construction of theGothic “Lonja” and the Renaissance wall.

18th to 19th centuries. The populationincreased from 28,000 to 42,000 inhabitants.

20th century. Demolition of the wall. Palma’spopulation rises to 300,000 inhabitants.

A stone monarch: La Seu

Palma cathedral is, without a doubt, thesinglemost beautiful and spectacularhistorical building on the Balearicarchipelago. The dimensions of this Gothictemple are comparable to those of the Domesin Cologne and Milan: 121 metres long, 55 m.wide and 44 m. high. It houses the mortalremains of three kings, of all the Island’sbishops from Ramón de Torrella (1266), and ofinnumerable nobles and other citizens. It alsohouses great works of art, from the Gothiccreations of Sagrera to the modernist ones ofGaudí.

Legend attributes the project to the king ofthe Reconquest, Jaume I, but it is more likely itwas started under Jaume II and initiallydesigned as a chapel-mausoleum. As such itconstitutes an annexe to the former centralmosque, which served as a church for ahundred years and remains of which surviveduntil the 15th century. The cathedral projectgained direction definitively at the end of the13th century and continued until our times.The last contribution is from the 21st century:a chapel which is the work of the famousMallorcan artist Miquel Barceló.

Nighttime view of Palma, the Cathedral and the “Palau de l’Almudaina” in the background

Arab baths

Old city

Parc de la Mar

“Centre Cultural Fundació La Caixa”,former Gran HotelA labyrinth with a Mediterranean flavour

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inner city marked by history and of outskirtscharacterised by a modern, healthy economy.It is a city that surprises those who do not know it.In Palma, the elegance of old and the day-to-day lifeof today live side by side.

The port, the entrance to the island for centuries, is afavourite port of call for cruise liners, as urban life isjust a few metres away, whilst at the same time theidyllic rural scenery is only a few kilometres away.

Splendour and intimacy:the stately homes

Mallorca’s great families had two mainseats: a rural estate with significantagricultural production, and a statelytown house. These noble families spentthe summer in their country estates,whilst the rest of the year they residedin Palma. A characteristic of the Palmastately home is a sequence of spacesseparating what is public from what is

private in a graduated fashion. Theintermediate space is the patio, which inits day was accessible to all the passers-by. There are still a few stately homeswhere one can perceive the atmosphereof old. Amongst the most splendid areCan Vivot; the “Casal Solleric”, now acultural centre; the “Casal Balaguer”,the headquarters of the Fine ArtsCircle; and Can Marqués, a museum-house that shows the customs of thepast.

Palma in detail

CCuullttuurraall cceennttrreess aanndd AArrtt EExxhhiibbiittiioonnssCasal SollericPelaires Cultural CentreSa Nostra Cultural CentreKrekovic CollectionBarceló FoundationLa Caixa Gran Hotel FoundationMiró FoundationPalau MarchSes Voltes

MMoonnuummeennttssArab BathsBellver CastleCathedralLonjaAlmudaina Royal Palace

MMuusseeuummssCan MarquésTorrents Lladó Museum-HouseMuseum of Modern and ContemporaryArt Es BaluardMuseum of Spanish Contemporary Art,Juan March FoundationBiblical MuseumCathedral Museum Sports Museum Diocesan MuseumMuseum of the History of Palma(Bellver Castle)Museum of MallorcaPorciúncula MuseumSan Carlos Military MuseumAntique Dolls’ MuseumSanta Creu

PALMA DE MALLORCA

Sa Llotja

Castell de Bellver

Port of Palma

Patio of a stately home

“Sa Llotja” exhibition hall

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Sand, atmosphere, alternatives BEACHES

A beach is something more than a place where sea andland meet and where access to the water for bathing iseasy. Factors such as surroundings, services, quality ofwater and distance to one’s accommodation come intoplay, without forgetting the climate, of course.The 550 kilometres of coastline and a huge geographicaldiversity mean Mallorca can offer a range of beacheswhich is difficult to beat. A range including anythingfrom lively beaches like Arenal to hidden coves on theNorth coast that are raw material for poetry.One constant factor is the quality of the water, officially

Aquatic activities

Mallorca is a paradise for bathing,diving, water skiing, windsurfing,surfing, and even boarding a submarineand seeing the coast from an entirelydifferent perspective. Mallorca is aparadise for boat trips, panoramic tripsshowing the varied coastal landscapeswith their ancient watchtowers,villages, ports and hidden beaches.Mallorca is a paradise for yachtingtourism: around 20,000 berths in over50 ports and marinas accommodatevessels ranging from traditional“llauts” to luxury yachts.

Mallorca is a paradise for having fun inthe water: it’s never far away in anaquatic park.

Es Trenc beach Cala Carbó

Illetes beach

Cala Figuera de Calvià

Detail of the sea bed,“Gorgonias”

Port de Sóller

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BEACHES

recognised by the European Environmental EducationFoundation. In 2004, 41 Mallorcan ports and beacheswere awarded Blue Flags.The 300 days of sunshine a year are another key aspect.

And added to this is the wide range of leisurepossibilities: amusement parks, leisure centres, a broadcultural offer and the charms of the interior of theisland.

Mediterranean fish,“Donzelles”

Cala Agulla

Cala Mesquida

Cala San Vicenç

Cala Figuerade Pollença

Mondragó Natural Park

Cala Estany

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There can be no greater complement to a person’sbeauty than a painter’s interest in painting a portrait ofit. The same is true of a region, but more specifically forMallorca, which groups together a larger number ofartists than any other territory of the same size. This isnot a new phenomenon. The Englishman Gordon West,in his description of a journey made in the ‘20s, meteven in those early days a foreign artist who was livingin a boarding house in Pollença, where he paid his rentwith his paintings. Every village has its collection ofextraordinary characters, of diverse nationalities andorigins, who were unable to resist the magic of Mallorca.The island’s geology only explains this fascination to acertain extent. The continents of Africa and Eurasiameasure their strength under it. Although they do sowithout volcanoes or huge earthquakes, they areresponsible for some of the island’s most spectacularscenery. From the “Mirador des Colomer” viewpoint one

can see the gigantic stoneformations doubled over by thework of many millenniums.Mallorca has three fundamentaltypes of landscape: the Tramuntanarange, the central plain and theSerra de Llevant. The Tramuntana isQueen: its peaks reach over 1,400metres in height and its extensivearea means that the numerousmountaineers, walkers and cyclistsrarely feel crowded out. The centralplain is a collection of sedimentsfrom former seas, material frommountains displaced by the forcesof erosion and considerableamounts of sand from the Sahara,by courtesy of the winds of the lasttwo million years. The Serra deLlevant range is gentler and not sohigh, reaching a maximum of 561metres.The variety of forms in whichbeauty manifests itself in 3,640square kilometres is quiteastonishing. The most spectacular

display is found in the Serra de Tramuntana, a scenicjewel which began to be protected in one way 120 yearsago, when an eccentric member of the Hapsburg familybegan purchasing properties that would, with thepassage of time, constitute a first-class cultural andscenic heritage (see inset “The Archduke”). But everyyear the visitors who do not find the idyllic, discreetbeauty of the interior, with its gentle hills, villages, fields,windmills and country estates less attractive grow innumber.

Making friends with the wind:the windmills

In olden days, life in the Mallorcancountryside revolved around thewindmills. Today, they form part of theisland’s landscape, history andcultural heritage. There are fewregions with such a concentration oftowers with sails, whether they beflour mills or windmills used toextract water. Although few of theseinstallations are still working, theirpresence still has an impact. Amongstthem are over 700 former wheat mills,some of which have been restored astestimonies of a past when Mallorcawas a great cereal producer. Othershave been reconverted into houses dueto their privileged situation, offeringsuperb views – and the breeze isguaranteed in summer.

There are also around 3,000 waterextraction windmills. An association ofwindmill fans and the localauthorities have made huge efforts topreserve this architectural heritage.Some windmills have even found a newuse, being adapted for the productionof wind energy.

An Archduke in love:Ludwig Salvator

A tireless traveller, he only found peacein Mallorca and also during visits tothe neighbouring islands that hestudied. His studies generated ananthology which is still a referencefor historians and ethnologists today.Ludwig Salvator, the Archduke ofHapsburg-Lothringen and Bourbon,was an eccentric member of the familywhich reigned the Austro-HungarianEmpire at the time. He came to theisland in 1867 as a visitor, but soonbegan to purchase country estates andland with the aim of preserving thebeauty of the landscape and living faraway from the protocol of the VienneseCourt, establishing his own Bohemiancourt of artists, scientists and othercharacters. When he died in 1915, hebequeathed all his properties inMallorca to the islander who had beenhis loyal private secretary. Descendentsof the latter are to this day the ownersof some of the Archduke’s residences,two of which – Miramar and SonMarroig – are museums which bearwitness to this extraordinary man. Thevilla the aristocrat had built for hisMallorcan lover currently belongs toanother great friend of Mallorca: theAmerican actor Michael Douglas.

Invisible landscapes: the caves

The island’s calcareous geology hasgiven it so many caves that the 4,000registered to date are quite probablynot the full list. Amongst thesubterranean wonders is Sa Gleda,located between Portocolom andPortocristo and one of the largest sub-aquatic caves in Europe.

These caprices of nature have alwayshad their significance for man. Thefirst Mallorcans in history lived incaves. And later numerous caves servedas hiding places for smugglers andbecame the scenes of legends. Some ofthe most beautiful caves are adaptedfor visits by the public, amongst themthe Drach Caves, the main attraction ofwhich is a lake of 177 metres in length.Added to these are the Artà caves, thoseof Campanet, Hams and Génova.

LANDSCAPE

Poppy field,country house in thebackground

Fountain in the Lluc Monastery

Windmills on the “Plà de Mallorca” Sunset on the north coast

Drach Caves

Interior landscape

Orient

Fornalutx

The inspiration of artists

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Historical witnesses: the castles

The Castle of Alaró is situated on animpressive crag at the beginning of theTramuntana mountains. This is wherethose who fought against the Musliminvasion in 902 held out for eight years.This is where numerous Muslims tookrefuge during the reconquest at thebeginning of the 13th century, andwhere those faithful to the last King ofMallorca offered fierce resistance tohis opponent.

The history of the Castle of Capdepera isvery different. This was a wholefortified village, inhabited from theyear 1300.

There are two more castles, - Santueriand “el Rey” – and the beautiful Bellver

Castle in Palma, which houses artcollections and the museum of thecity’s history, and is also a splendidsetting for cultural and social events.

The Devil is one of the team:fiestas and traditions

One Friday in September the inhabitantsof Binissalem take their chairs andtables outside onto the streets and dinewith a fair number of guests. This keyday in the traditional grape harvestfestivals usually brings togetheraround 15,000 people. Mallorcans lovefiestas. Every village organises showsfor several days in honour of its patronsaint, but always with a peculiarity todifferentiate them from one another.Thus, in Búger the “old people’s race”takes place, whilst in Sineu it is thefattest men in the village who have torun.

The fiestas of Sant Antoni in Sa Poblaare famous all over the island – indeedthe town has dedicated its own museumto this spectacular celebration. Themost impressive fireworks are let off inAugust, during the Can Picafort fiestas.And the night of Sant Sebastiá turnsthe whole of the historical centre ofPalma into a festival enclosure.

Many celebrations are an echo of pastevents, such as the “Moors andChristians”, when the battles betweenMallorcans and pirates are recreated.The most impressive of these fiestas isheld in Pollença.

But one fiesta that truly stirs up theisland for a day is “Dijous Bo” in Inca,Mallorca’s third town, which turnsinto the capital of the island for oneThursday in November.

The Myotragus Balearicus was a dwarf antelope and agood symbol of a peaceful life. Evolution made thisanimal lose its agility, speed and part of its field of visiondue to lack of natural enemies. When man arrived,around 7,000 years before Christ, the Myotragus becamean easy victim for hunters.The pacific lifestyle also ended for man when, in around1200 before Christ, the “Peoples of the Sea” turned theMediterranean into a true melting pot and settled onMallorca. The period from then on we now know as theTalayotic era, a culture which has left us impressiveremains in the form of fenced settlements with theircharacteristic stone structures, amongst them largetowers, the purpose of which has not yet beendetermined for sure. (See Capocorb Vell, Llucmajor andSes Païsses, Artà).Half a millennium before Christ this primitive societyentered into crisis (see Museum of Son Fornés, Montuïri)Little resistance could then be offered to the Romanswhen they invaded the island in the year 123 beforeChrist, establishing their capital in Pollentia (nowAlcudia) and introducing their culture. During thosecenturies, the Mallorcan slingshot throwers, elitewarriors whose precision with the sling was legendary,were recruited by different armies, including the Romans

themselves. The latter were sure tohave received a stone or two ondisembarking. (See Museum ofMallorca and Monographic Museum ofPollentia in Alcudia).The vandals finished Roman culture offand history plunged into darkness. Butin 903, Mallorca came to form part ofthe civilised world again, only this timein the Arab civilisation. Palma wasnamed Medina Mayurqa (City ofMallorca) and came to be one of thejewels of the Mediterranean. Several

enclosures protected it, but they could not prevent theentry of a Pisan-Catalan expedition in 1115, the aim ofwhich was to punish Mallorca for the piracy of its fleet.

In the 436 years of Muslim ruleenormous areas of terraces wereconstructed, many of whichhave been preserved. But only afew buildings bear witness tothe Arab splendour of the times:the Almudaina Palace, which hassince changed in appearance;the Arab Baths and the remainsof the Gumara Almudaina. (SeMuseum of Mallorca, consideredone of the best of Spanishmuseums).In 1229 Muslim civilisation came to an end with thearrival of King Jaume I of Aragón and his troops. Theisland was divided up as the spoils of war and theChristians founded towns and villages where previouslythere had only been simple farmsteads.From 1230 to 1349 a Kingdom of Mallorca existed. Itstragic end was due to a conflict within the Royal Family.Since then, the island has formed part of a political unitwhich in time became what is now Spain.In the 16th century piracy caused serious problems for allMediterranean coasts and islands. In Mallorca it was thegrounds for the construction of a network ofwatchtowers. The villages suffered innumerable attacksand many Mallorcans were kidnapped and sold in theslave markets of Turkey or North Africa. But soonMallorcan vessels took part in a great cleansingoperation, applying the same methods, but using thename of corsairs. This adventuring activity was theorigin of huge fortunes (see Santa Creu in Palma).Mallorca received a heavy blow when in 1715 King PhilipV abolished the island’s institutions and prohibited theuse of Catalan as an administrative language by decree.This situation did not change until 360 years later withthe establishment of democracy in Spain in 1975. Since1983, Mallorca has formed part of the AutonomousCommunity of the Balearic Islands, a bilingualcommunity where Catalan and Spanish are the officiallanguages.

HISTORY

Archaeological site

“Pollentia”

Alaró Castle

Traditional Moors and Christians’ fiesta,Santa Ponça

Arab baths

Santa Eulalia church

A meeting point for cultures

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Ideas that go down well: food

Traditional Mallorcan cuisine could beclassified as rural, with the occasionalguest from the sea the closer we get tothe coast. If pork was formerly morepopular than fish, it was becauseapproaching a pig involved less risk ofbeing wrecked in a storm or kidnappedby pirates. And the Mediterranean Sea isless rich in floating food than theshoals of the Atlantic due to its lowplankton content.

Logically, the culinary range hasgradually been refined andincorporated external influences, butit still has its own character.

A hundred years ago, in practically allof Mallorca, lords and farm workersalike all sat down to the same dinner:“sopes”. The dish consisted of a bowl ofcabbage mixed with the week’s leftoverbread, soaked in broth to soften it.Farm animals such as the pig, rabbit,

chicken and pigeons are combined inthe dish called “arròs brut” (“dirtyrice”) .

The characteristic colour of sobrasada,another myth in Mallorcangastronomy, reaches its height ifprepared using meat from the island’sblack pig.

“Pa amb Oli”, or bread with oil, in spiteof its simplicity – or perhaps thanks toit – is an authentic delight for thesenses: farmhouse bread, oil, tomatorubbed over the bread and served withcheese or ham, all accompanied byolives and good Mallorcan wine.

On occasions, extraordinary marriagesbetween the sea and the land occur, aswith the dish called “pollastres igambes” (chicken and prawns).

In the sweets section the almondrecovers the importance it had of old:almond ice cream and sponge cake arethe classic desserts, although thequeen of pastries is based on lard: the“ensaimada”. Then, of course, there arethe Valldemossa potato “cocas” and theherb liqueurs to mark the end of thebanquet.

Valuable objects:the Island’s products

Because of its tradition of leathercrafting and creative, enterprisingspirit, Mallorca is the birthplace ofsome very well-known brands offootwear. Inca is the centre of thisindustry which markets productsranging from designer shoes toclimbing boots or fashion accessories.

Glass production also has a longtradition. Legend has it that the son ofa family of Mallorcan glazierstravelled to Venice, the glaziers’ Meccaof old, and fell in love with thedaughter of a Venetian master, thuslearning some of the secrets of thoseinvincible artisans. Nowadays severalcompanies offer an Incredible varietyof creations, and allow one to witnessthe entire manufacturing process.

Another emblematic Mallorcanproduct are the artificial pearls fromManacor.

While on the subject of crafts, weshould remember the Siurell, whichwas probably used as a toy in the Arabera. It was made popular andtransformed into a symbol of Mallorcaby the artist Joan Miró.

Initially, in the ‘80s, a fewprofessionals came. Nowadays it is aphenomenon which moves ahundred thousand people. Enjoyingthe island by pedalling is just asfashionable as doing so by walking,following, for example, the stoneroute that leads from one end of theTramuntana Mountains to the other.

The horse is at the heart of popular culture here, andoffers a top-quality leisure opportunity for visitors.

Golf is another passion that has taken root in Mallorca.And the importance of yachting tourism is reflected byprestigious, international-level competitions, such as the“Copa del Rey”.The sky is also the setting for much activity, withballoons, paragliders and microlights.And if floating has a metaphorical connotation, Mallorcais the ideal launching platform. The level of services withregard to wellness and health tourism is extraordinaryindeed.

LEISURE AND PRODUCTS

Cycle-tourism

Serrade Tramuntana

mountains

Mallorcan country estate

Golf course

“Conill amb ceba”, rabbit with onion

Almond pastries and “Panades”

Siurells

The body, the mind, the Mediterranean

“Copa del Rey”sailing competition

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The island of the famous:Royal families and the RollingStones

Some of Mallorca’s hotels have such along list of famous guests that theymerit a separate section. Here, we canonly mention a few of thesedistinguished guests. Above all is theSpanish royal family, who spend everysummer in Mallorca and stay in theirown palace. Their presence draws visitsby members of European and Orientalroyal families.

From the list of famous stalwartsupporters of Mallorca we musthighlight the actors Michael Douglas,the late Peter Ustinov and the writer

Carlos Fuentes. George Lucas came totake a break from his galactic wars, theRolling Stones to take one from theirconcerts and their colleague Bonofrom U2 came to attend a wedding. Theliving legend of Hollywood, LaurenBacall, came to work. “007” PierceBrosnan, “Indiana Jones” Harrison Fordand also some leading names inAmerican journalism, such as BarbaraWalters, have trodden on and enjoyedMallorca. The list of politicians isalmost endless, as the island isregularly used as the setting forimportant meetings.

If we extend the list back into the past,we find names like Agatha Christie, AvaGardner and Errol Flynn, as well as

prominent residents such as theAmerican writer Gertrude Stein andthe Catalan artist Joan Miró. The latterleft a magnificent legacy, nowconverted into the Miró Foundation inPalma.

The islands of tranquillity:agrotourism establishments

In just a few years what was originallyconceived as an alternative has becomea true star of the tourist panoramawith the passage of time. Agrotourismoffers the visitor a vision of the otherMallorca. Its great success is due to aperfect combination of tranquillity,tradition and comfort. Agrotourismhas also constituted a discovery forthe Mallorcan countryside, as it hasenabled the owners of large estates,whose agricultural production barelyguaranteed their survival, to enter asector with extremely good prospects.In this way, tourism has contributed tothe preservation and recovery ofbeautiful country estates and houses.

To avoid abuse, the name of“agrotourism” is strictly controlled. Anagrotourism establishment must have aminimum of 25,000 square metres ofland, it must conserve its agriculturalusage and its maximum capacity is 24persons.

The origins of this new way ofenjoying Mallorca go back to 1992,when only four of theseestablishments were running on theisland. Their success, and the demandfor them, have brought on aspectacular increase since then,doubling their number over the lastfive years, and reaching over ahundred establishments at present.

The range of accommodation reflects the diversity ofMallorca, and it does so in all its aspects: categories,character, surroundings, infrastructure and thecomplementary services available.Since Palma’s splendid Gran Hotel (now a culturalcentre) opened its doors in 1903 as the first luxury hotel,Mallorca has made history in the world of hotels andcatering. Mallorcan companies that started out on theisland have expanded throughout the world, but theystill keep their headquarters on the island.The beach or purely holiday hotel is obviously the mostprolific accommodation type, but within this samecategory the diversity satisfies all kinds of demand.ñ Asa complement to this range, the number of urban hotelsin Palma is increasing, inspired by the city’sunmistakeable atmosphere. A similar process has takenplace in the interior of the island, where there are smallhotels in villages and top-class agrotourismestablishments.More and more hotels gear their product towards theworld of sports and health, as in the case of golf, cycling,wellness and spa. And in recent years, as a consequenceof the island’s magnetic draw and a policy which givesthe priority to quality, there has been a spectacularboom in top-category establishments.

HOSPITALITY

Interior -agrotourism

Spa in holidayhotel

North coast

Rural hotel room

Holiday hotel

Estate in Sóller

A thousand and one nights, including breakfast

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Mallorca and literature

Three works on Mallorca have had a hugeamount of success, and each comes from adifferent country: in “A winter on Mallorca”(1842), the French writer George Sanddescribes her stay with the composer FrédéricChopin in Valldemossa, a picturesque villagein the Tramuntana mountains. Under thecurious title of “Jogging around Mallorca”(1929), the English journalist Gordon Westdescribes his travels around the island withsuch eloquence that after its rediscovery in1994, the work was declared “travel book ofthe year” in the United Kingdom. And “Theisland of the second face” (1953), by AlbertVigoleis Thelen is already a classic of Germanliterature.

In its day the world of poetry found an exilegilded with inspiration in Mallorca. In the‘thirties a group of American poets publishedtheir magazine “Caravel” in Mallorca, and inthe 1950s the avant-gardists of the mythical“Black Mountain” magazine met here. Later theNobel prize winner for literature, Camilo JoséCela, and the great British poet Robert Gravesenriched the island’s cultural panorama.

There are also Mallorcan writers who havewon a place in international literature, likeCarme Riera, Baltasar Porcel and Maria de laPau Janer.

But the best-studied Mallorcan author theworld over is still Ramón Llull, a 13th-centurymissionary, philosopher and thinker, who inthe Miramar country estate (later the propertyof the Archduke) founded a school of Arabiclanguage and culture for missionaries, theonly institution of its kind ever to haveexisted.

The Museums of MallorcaMMuusseeuummss iinn PPaallmmaa::(see chapter onPalma de Mallorca)

AArrttYannick CollectionBen Jacober, AlcúdiaMuseum ofContemporary Art,ValldemossaMunicipal Museum,PorreresMunicipal Museum,Sa Pobla

SScciieennccee aanndd NNaattuurreeS’Albufera Museum, AlcúdiaCabrera MuseumMuseum of Natural Science and BotanicalGarden, SóllerMuseum of Iberian-Balearic Fauna, Costitx

CCuullttuurreeCan Sabater Museum-House, BinissalemMuseum-House and Alfábia Gardens, BunyolaRaixa Gardens, Bunyola

EEtthhnnoollooggyyEls Calderers Museum-House, Sant JoanSa Granja Museum-House and gardens,EsporlesEthnological section of the Museum ofMallorca, Muro

HHiissttoorryyThe Archduke’s Museum-House of Miramar,DeiàThe Archduke’s Museum-House of SonMarroig, DeiàWaldren Archaeological Museum, DeiàCartoixa (Carthusian Monastery) Museum,ValldemossaPollentia Monographic Museum, AlcúdiaRamón Llull Museum, Randa (Algaida)Son Fornés Museum, MontuïriTorre dels Enagistes Museum, Manacor

RReelliiggiioonnFriar Juníper Serra Museum-House, PetraCrestatx Oratory Museum, Sa PoblaSanta Margalida Parish MuseumSanta María de Sineu Parish MuseumSanta María la Major Parish Museum, IncaSant Jaume Parish Museum, AlcúdiaSant Joan Baptista Parish Museum, DeiàSant Juliá Parish Museum, CamposPuig de Maria Shrine Museum, PollençaSister Francinaina Museum, Sencelles

IInndduussttrryyCasa Gordiola Glass Museum, Algaida

OOtthheerrssCosta Nord, ValldemossaWax Museum, BinissalemMuseum of Toys and Childhood, Sa PoblaArtá Regional MuseumMuseum of the Sea, Port de SóllerLluc Monastery MuseumMunicipal Museum, PollençaMuseum of Saint Anthony and the Devil, SaPoblaSóller Museum

AArrcchhaaeeoollooggiiccaall ssiitteess wwiitthh vviissiittiinngg ttiimmeettaabblleess Capocorb Vell, LlucmajorPollentia, AlcúdiaSes Païsses, Artá

We could talk of the writers who have passedthrough the island and paid homage to it in theirwork, from Jules Verne and Agatha Christie toGeorge Sand and Vigoleis Thelen. Or of the famouscartographers of the 14th and 15th centuries. Or wecould talk of the concerts held not only in Palma,but also in some villages and nature spots. And thenthere is the Mallorcans’ passion for painting, theinnumerable galleries, the exhibitions, thecompetitions and the artists, both Mallorcans andoutsiders, who have found their inspiration here.Then again we could talk of the museums, of whichthere are more every year due to private initiative andinstitutional efforts.In spite of the predominance of Palma the culturalactivities and expressions in the “Part Forana” are not farbehind. There are top-notch cultural centres in villagessuch as Valldemossa (Costa Nord), Petra (Ca N’Oms) andBinissalem (Ca’n Gelabert), events like the Sa Pobla jazzfestival and focal points for cultural activity like thetown of Pollença with its art galleries and musicfestivals. Important trends have even appeared outsideof Palma, as with the “Escuela de Pollença” or “PollençaSchool”, a classical painters’ movement, or alternativeinitiatives like the “Casa del Cactus” (House of theCactus).

CULTURE

Fiestas in Sóller

Pilar & Joan MiróFoundation,

Palma

Palma Auditorium

The Cartoixa (Carthusian Monastery)In Valldemossa

The Castell de BellverMuseum

Traditional fiesta, “Dimonis”

Museum of Mallorca

Craft market

An invitation to curiosity

AN INVITATION

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MALLORCA

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Pirates, prisoners, national park:the Cabrera archipelago

In its day Cabrera was a trap forsailors. This archipelago, with its 18islands and a total surface area of1,836 hectares, is extremely well-knownamongst divers and archaeologists dueto the quantity of sunken boats.

From the 16th century on Turkish andBerber pirates discovered thearchipelago as the ideal base for theirforays on the coast of Mallorca. Asmall fortress was built to warn of thedangers, but it was destroyed onnumerous occasions. During oneperiod the danger was so great thateven the ships that brought materials

for its reconstruction were interceptedby the pirates.

A drama of epic dimensions took placeon the island during the war ofindependence in 1808. Around 9,000French prisoners of war wereimprisoned on Cabrera, which hadnever had a permanent population ofmore than around fifty peoplethroughout its history. When the warended six years later, only 3,600survivors were left.

In 1916 the island, which had hithertobeen private property, was expropriatedto be turned into a military zone. Itscondition as such protected it fromdevelopment and its eco-systemremained practically intact. The visitingregime is extremely strict andanchoring of pleasure boats is limited.It is, in short, one of the best-preservedjewels of Mallorcan nature.

S’Albufera is to migratory birds what Son Sant Joan is toaeroplanes: this is where birds stop over. With its 2,400hectares, S’Albufera is the largest wetland on Mallorca.A project to drain it did not prosper and in 1985 theauthorities purchased the whole area in order topreserve it. It is a paradise for “birdwatchers”, thoseenthusiasts armed with binoculars, reference books andinexhaustible patience. In S’Albuferar 196 bird specieshave been detected, a number which varies dependingon the season as this enclave is used as a bridge for thegreat North-South migrations.Today 40 percent of Mallorca constitutes protectedareas. Amongst them are Spain’s first national maritimeand land park, the Cabrera archipelago, as well as theisland of Dragonera. But the largest protected surfaceon the island is the Serra de Tramuntana mountainrange.

NATURE

Sea bed in Cabrera

Bee-eater

Son Serra de Marina

Serra de Tramuntana

S’Albufera natural park

Sa Calobra

Cabrera national maritime and land park

Serra de Tramuntana mountains

The island’s treasure

MALLORCA

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AN INVITATION

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hospital

health centre

tourist information

airport

museum

archaeological site

cave

castle

chapel / shrine

golf course

area / park / natural reserve

world heritage

motorway / dual carriageway

main road

secondary road

railway

IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

Surface: 3,640 km2

Coast: 554.7 kmMaximum height: 1,432 m (Puig Major)Average annual temperature: 18.7ºCHours of sunshine, annual average: 2,958.7Number of inhabitants: 753,584

MallorcaGEOGRAPHICAL MAP

© Institut Balear del Turisme (Balearic Institute of Tourism)© Texts: Comunicación Creativa© Photos: Ibatur photographic archives, Pedro Coll, Fco. Llompart, Manuela

Muñoz, Eduardo Miralles, W. Obiol, Climent Picornell, Jaume Pellicer, PepVicenç, Cati Grunfeldt, Giorgio Gatti, Gaspar Monroig, ComunicaciónCreativa photographic archives.Design: Comunicación CreativaPrinted by:D.L.: PM-1538-2006

The data in this brochure are valid at the time of publication, 07-2006.Please inform us of possible modifications for the purpose of including them in future editions.

C/ Montenegro 5. 07012 Palma (Mallorca, Balearic Islands)e-mail: general@ibatur.caib.es

INFORMATION OF INTEREST

www.illesbalears.es

O.I.T. Mallorca (Mallorca Tourist Information Office)Plaça. de la Reina, 2 · 07012 Palma de Mallorca · Tel. 971 17 39 90www.infomallorca.netO.I.T. Palma (Palma Tourist Information Office)Parc de les Estacions, s/n · 07002 Palma de Mallorca · Tel. 902 10 23 65www.palmavirtual.es · palmainfo@a-palma.esCentre d’Itineraris TuristicsSant Domingo, 11 · 07001 Palma de MallorcaTel. 971 72 07 20 / 636 43 00 00e-mail: itinerariosculturales@caib.esFoundation for the Sustainable Development of the Balearic IslandsAvda. Palma, 6 · 07170 Valldemossa · Mallorca (Illes Balears)Tel. 971 21 31 14 Fax 971 21 31 15www.balears-sostenible.com

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