| ny Majorca represents an invasion of young people, | | | | took four years to construct. Once a day the railway |
| loud resorts, bars and crowded beaches but although | | | | runs a special “Panoramic” special |
| that does exist it is only in one corner of this | | | | which stops at Mirador Pujol d'en Banya for 15 |
| beautiful island just for a short period each year. On | | | | minutes to allow passengers to take photographs. |
| the rest of the island and for most of the year the | | | | In the same area as Soller but up in the mountains, |
| picture is somewhat different. Beautiful countryside, | | | | are the towns of Deia and Valledemossa. Deia was |
| mountains, beaches, and plenty of fine restaurants | | | | the home to English novelist and poet Roberts |
| and cafes and of course a variety of attractions and | | | | Graves who lived here for many years. Nowadays |
| cultural offerings to tempt visitors out and about | | | | you are more likely to see film stars who stay in one |
| during their stay. | | | | of the two expensive hotels in the village. |
| Majorca has much more to offer and with influences | | | | Valledemosa is famous for being the place where |
| from the earlier invaders such as Phoenicians, | | | | Fredrick Chopin and his lover Georges Sands came to |
| Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Moors and Catalans | | | | from Paris when Chopin’s health was in |
| there is plenty to see and enjoy for everyone. | | | | decline. Unfortunately Valledemosa and the weather |
| Travelling to Majorca from anywhere in Europe is | | | | were not kind to them as Sands recorded in her |
| easy with hundreds of airlines providing cheap flights | | | | book about the period. |
| to Palma, the island’s main airport, on a daily | | | | Traveling away from the Mountains and through the |
| basis. The terminal buildings are spacious and modern, | | | | centre of the Island you will see fertile land with |
| providing a perfect start to your break on this | | | | almond trees, windmills and vineyards. Some of the |
| wonderful island. | | | | small towns and villages are so quiet you imagine |
| Palma, the capital, has a wonderful Gothic cathedral | | | | they could be uninhabited and then you reach the |
| overlooking the harbour. Work began on building the | | | | east of the Island and its wonderful beaches. There |
| cathedral in 13th century and continued for another | | | | are long open beaches such as those at Pollensa and |
| 400yrs with some final touches added by Gaudi in | | | | Alcudia as well as many smaller resorts with tiny |
| recent times. It is packed with interesting features | | | | coves. Be sure to visit the Caves of Drac one of the |
| including one of the worlds largest stained glass | | | | most famous tourist attractions on the island or even |
| windows and the unfinished bell tower containing the | | | | the lesser known but just as impressive caves in |
| massive 2 metre diameter N’Eloi bell weighing | | | | Arta which contain thousands of huge stalactites and |
| 5,700 kilograms. | | | | stalagmites. |
| Another Palma building with an interesting history is | | | | Majorca is also home to a number of monasteries, |
| Castell de Bellver, also built during the same period | | | | some of which are located in impressive hilltop |
| and unique in Spain as it is completely round. Used for | | | | locations. One of the largest is the Lluc monastery |
| some time as a prison it is now a museum which | | | | located in the mountain region in the north west of |
| traces Majorca’s history through various | | | | the island surrounded by oak and cypress woodlands. |
| artifacts. | | | | The monastery now has it’s own museum, |
| Majorca has some fantastic beaches and coastal | | | | restaurant and the Los Blauets school choir. Visitors |
| towns, one of the finest being Puerto Soller which | | | | may also spend longer enjoying the wonderful |
| can be reached from Palma on the old railway that | | | | scenery by staying overnight in one of the |
| winds its way over and through the mountains to the | | | | monastery’s 129 cells if they wish. |
| port. The journey from Palma takes about an hour | | | | Whether you are a walker, cyclist, bird watcher, |
| and passes through 13 tunnels en route to the pretty | | | | historian or just an inquisitive tourist there certainly is |
| port on the north west coast of the island. The | | | | a lot to offer in the beautiful Island of Majorca. |
| longest tunnel is almost 3 kilometers n length and | | | | |