Mallorca

What is Mallorca if not a succession of sensations and emotions that come together and leave their mark on its visitors over time? Mallorca is spirit; it is aroma and colour; it is the magic of nature in its purest state and the quintessence of peace and tranquillity in all of its splendour.

From north to south and from east to west, the island offers its visitors the very best of its land: from landscapes of red and white wine, to the finest cuisine and a cultural, recreational and entertainment supply on par with the very best tourism spots on the planet.

Mallorca is trend, nature, gastronomy, business, sailing, light and warmth. In a word, it is unique in every sense. Singular and once-in-a-lifetime. Welcome to the island of peace and tranquillity.

Mallorca and its landscapes

Arriving in Mallorca for the first time is like being captivated by the magnificence of the light on the landscape and the colour of the sky. The warm temperatures and the environment transmit a feeling that captures the visitor and intoxicates him/her with the vitality of the island.

The fact is that the island’s unique topography makes for that special array of landscapes and colours. And whilst the peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage) can tower as high as 1400 metres and those of the Serra de Llevant reach 500, what you get on the fertile central plain of the island is the breathtaking image of the mixture of marine sediments, mountainous remains and sands from the Sahara Desert itself.

Of course, all of these Mallorcan landscapes are further enhanced by the magic of the sea. A sea that interacts with the surface of the land and human infrastructures to create a diverse variety of ports, bays, coves and beaches. Places of extraordinary beauty and picturesque little corners sit just alongside other more cosmopolitan areas, where shopping, culture and great architectural masterpieces come together.

The people, their traditions and the cultural supply

Mallorca has its own history, its own language, its own accent and a distinct personality of its own. Our island is and has always been a crossroads for different cultures and civilizations. It is a traditional and friendly community that has become accustomed to the passage of the travellers of different origins who have left their mark on the island through the centuries.

With a registered population of 800,000, the island has received international personages from the worlds of culture, politics and even royalty. Mallorca boasts the historical imprints left behind by the composer Chopin and the poet George Sand, as well as those of Robert Graves, Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly, and actors such as Charles Chaplin, John Wayne and Claudia Cardinale. The peaceful and discreet nature of the local people has moreover enabled the island of Mallorca to become a holiday retreat for countless celebrities including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, Claudia Schiffer, Annie Lenox and Eva Longoria.

A luxury destination that moreover serves as the home base of Spain’s Royal Family, both at Easter time and during the month of July, when they move in to the Marivent Palace to live all the excitement of the most important regatta in the world, the Sailing King’s Cup Regatta, which has been held for the past 36 years at the famous yacht club Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP).

The Mallorcan people traditionally celebrate a large number of local festivities, which, when combined with the national Spanish celebrations, make the island an important venue for folklore and culture. The most noteworthy dates on the local calendar include the festival of San Sebastian (the patron saint of Palma)—which is celebrated on 20 January with its traditional open-flame roasts in the streets of the capital city—and the eve and day of Sant Antoni Abad, a holiday that fills the streets with bonfires and demons every 16 and 17 January. And if the Dijous Bo is emblematic in Inca, with open-air flea markets and entertainment in the streets, it is the battle of the Moors and Christians that fills the beautiful streets of the town and port of Pollença with colour every 2 August.

To speak of the cultural area from a completely different perspective, Mallorca has a wide array of auditoriums, theatres and museums with ongoing schedules of very interesting activities. Particularly worthy of note in the winter are the opera and ballet performances, which make way for open air festivals such as that of Pollença and the jazz festival in Sa Pobla, in the summer months.

And as to museums, mention must be made of the great Fundació Joan i Pilar Miró, the spectacular Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum, the Museum of the Palma Cathedral and the Fundación March, among countless other art galleries, large and small.

Handicrafts and traditional flavour

Mallorca is the quintessential land of craftsmanship, with a wide array of traditional local products. In fact, the visitor can purchase authentic hand-made wonders that range from leather footwear to blown glass, the famous pearls of Manacor and rustic pottery.

Gastronomically speaking, the island boasts its own production of mixed herb, thyme and orange liqueurs. Not to be forgotten is the island’s olive oil: liquid gold with a tradition dating back to the 15th century, produced by pressing Mallorca’s own olive varieties, the empeltre, arbequina and picual.

Yet Mallorca is also synonymous with fine wine. It is not by chance that the island has two Denominations of Origin (D.O. Binissalem-Mallorca and D.O. Pla i Llevant), 70 wineries and more than 500 brands of wine recognised around the world. Wines with a special, fruity flavour that is only possible thanks to the island’s distinct climate.

Cuisine and Pastries

Vestiges of the Arabic cuisine, along with the peculiar and exquisite mixture of sweet and savoury flavours, have been passed down for centuries in the kitchens of Mallorca. A style that comes through in the soups and stews, as well as in the traditional pastries.

As to the savoury dishes, the frit mallorquí casserole particularly stands out for its flavour and its preparation; whether made with meat, potatoes and peppers or in its fishermen’s version, which is equally tasty. The brothy sopes mallorquines, the vegetable tumbet casserole, esclattassangs (a particularly exquisite variety of the saffron milk cap mushroom) and stuffed aubergines, along with arros brut (dirty rice), and pa amb oli (bread with tomato and olive oil) are just a few of the island’s delicacies. Yet not to be forgotten are the traditional cured meats, which include sobrassada, botifarró and camaiot, as well as the cheeses.

As to the baked goods, the island boasts an extensive variety of pastries that delight the visitor and have made a name for Mallorca around the world.

Hence, in addition to the popularity of the traditional ensaïmada (in any of its variants), we must mention the sweet dough empanadas (which also come in their savoury versions, filled with meats and vegetables), crespells and robiols (filled with soft fresh cheese, angel hair jam or fruit preserves), and the exquisite potato cakes of Valldemossa.

Lifestyle and night life

The lifestyle in Mallorca is traditionally Mediterranean. On our coasts, peaceful luxury comes together with daily family life, and the serenity of the day combines with the most authentic nightlife and the hallmark of Mallorca.

And as the Mediterranean island that it is, Mallorca welcomes its visitors warmly, placing at their disposal its diverse array of restaurants, cafés and top-notch hotels furnished to perfection, to offer them the very best of our island.

Should you decide to combine your meeting with a shopping outing, in Mallorca you are sure to find shops to satisfy everyone’s different tastes. Both in Palma and in the rest of the towns on the island, you will have a choice of luxury brand stores, stylish shops and small boutiques, as well as other alternatives, including the outdoor craft fairs and flea markets in the different towns.

The nightlife is yet another strong point of our lifestyle. With a supply for people of all ages, the Mallorcan night is special, tinged with bluish black hues and breezes infused with salt and jasmine. To enjoy the sunset, there is nothing better than the style and glamour of Puerto Portals, the new Porto Petro, the incredible Marina at Port Adriano and the lovely terraces of the Passeig Marítim and the Bay of Palma.