An alternative guide to Majorca

Palma

Sadly often overlooked, the Mallorcan capital – thanks to a multi million pound facelift – has recently come into its own. With a new collection of art galleries, museums and a handful of swish boutique hotels, Palma can now easily compete with other European tourist cities. For your culture fix head for the city’s answer to the Tate Modern – Es Baluard or Palau March an elegant mansion on Palma’s seafront where you’ll find great views and a private art and sculpture collection belonging to one of the world’s richest men. For a more relaxing city trip take a stroll (or a Segway ride) down the landscaped promenade to the Portixol marina. The newly gentrified port area is home to a number of great eateries, swanky bars, hip beach clubs and of course more choice of tapas bars than you’ll know what to do with.

Pollença

The north of the island is a good place to start your escape from the crowds. Comparatively unspoilt and far more peaceful than the south, the north is known for its mountains and picture perfect towns and villages. One of which is the ancient Pollença. Most houses here were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and the narrow winding streets have a distinctly medieval feel. Highlights include the 365-step stairway leading up to a chapel, although only visit if you’re feeling energetic.

Fornalutx

Fornalutx claims to be the most picturesque village on the island if not Spain. It enjoys a privileged location in a valley surrounded by the island’s highest peak and plenty of bounteous orange groves. Fornalutx is all saffron-coloured cottages and stone cobbled streets, with not all day breakfast cafe or binge drinking Brit in sight.

Sóller

Sóller, the largest settlement in rugged North West, has long been overlooked in favour of its glitzier neighbours. Once attracting outdoorsy types (lured by the excellent hiking and cycling trails) the pretty but isolated town is now attracting a more well-heeled traveller. The collection of boutique hotels, newly renovated harbour and neat promenade lined with cosmopolitan cafes and elegant street lamps hails a new era of 20th-century-style tourism.

Deya

One of the jewels of the Mediterranean and a must go when visiting Majorca, Deya is a small coastal village on the northern ridge of the island known for its literary and musical residents. When visiting you’ll see why it has attracted so many notables. Located in a valley in the shadow of the Serra de Tramuntana mountains its an idyllic landscape complete with orange and olive groves spilling out from the over-hanging cliffs.

Santa Maria del Cami

This is a peaceful rural market town and artistic hub located on the Palma-Ina railway. People on their Balearic Holidays visit for the beautiful location, to buy locally produced arts and crafts and also to experience one of the excellent wine tours also based here. Most of Majorca’s potters work close by and the town is the centre of manufacture of roba de llengues (‘which means ‘cloth of tongues’). This is cotton woven into bright zigzag patterns and used in curtains, bedspreads and upholstery.

Es Torrent de Pareis

Es Torrent de Pareis -located on the west coast – is one of the largest Mediterranean gorge canyons. A haven for nature lovers, hikers and gorge walkers this area is perfect for anyone wanting to escape the crowded beaches. It’s also arguably one of the finest walks on the island allowing you to take in the limestone scenery. Unlike some other Mallorcan canyons, Es Torrent de Pareis does not necessarily require climbing/caving equipment which means it’s also suitable territory for less ambitious walkers.

Mondrago Natural Park

For more unspoilt natural beauty head for the South East of the island. The Mondrago natural park is centered around two larger bays with sandy beaches, one of which was voted the best beach in Europe. One of the island’s best kept secrets, the area has plenty of paths, pine forests and wildlife including water birds such as the coot and redshank. Thankfully there is only small development in Mondrago as it hasn’t been marketed to the masses. This is also unlikely to change in the future due to its protected status as a national park and an area of outstanding beauty.

10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Spain

1. Pueblos Blancos – Andalucia

The white villages that dot the rugged hillsides in central Andalucia seem to almost defy gravity in places. Formerly farming villages, many fell into disrepair as the younger generation headed to the cities in search of work. Now locals and overseas visitors alike have rediscovered their charm, and the narrow streets, whitewashed houses, pretty old churches and flower-strewn squares have been restored. Particularly lovely villages include Grazalema, Vejer de la Frontera and Arcos de la Frontera.

2. The Alhambra – Granada

The stunningly ornate Moorish palace, the Alhambra, is one of Spain’s most visited monuments and it’s not hard to see why. A sprawling complex of palaces surrounded by ornate gardens perched atop of a hill with the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains behind, it’s in a spectacular location. The interior is similarly beautiful with romantic intricate Moorish-style decoration around peaceful courtyards contrasting with the powerfully simplistic lines of later vast Baroque additions.

3. Gaudi’s Masterpieces – Barcelona

The proud capital of the Catalunia region, Barcelona has heaps to offer the visitor – great nightlife, shopping and beaches. But it’s the phantasmagoric buildings created by legendary architect Gaudi that are by far the biggest stars of the show. The still unfinished La Sagrada Familia with its amorphous spindly towers and oddly shaped buttresses and roof is the most visited of his creations. Although his residential buildings like the Casa Mila are also wonderful as are his more playful statues and benches in the popular Park Guell.

4. Stunning natural scenery – Picos de Europa

Spain’s natural scenery – from the sandy coastline to the vast plains – is constantly surprising, but the lofty peaks of the Picos de Europa mountain ranges are without doubt the most spectacular. Craggy mountain peaks, verdant valleys and raging rivers combine to make this chunk of northern Spain perfect hiking and adventure territory – whitewater rafting and snowshoeing are particular favourites.  There’s heaps of wildlife too including the endangered Cantabrian Brown Bear and wolves.

5. The Cathedral – Santiago de Compostela

Spain’s many vast Gothic cathedrals are testament to the country’s long-held Christian traditions. Perhaps the most spellbinding is the vast one at Santiago de Compostela. It’s a huge building smothered in Baroque swirls, statues and stalagmites. Possibly the most remarkable vista is the Western facade which forms the main entrance, accessed by a magnificent quadruple flight of stairs. The cathedral is also the final destination of the thousands of pilgrims who walk the Way of St James trail each year.

6. Volcanic Views – Mount Teide Tenerife

A couple of hours south by plane from the Spanish mainland, the Canary Islands are far closer to African shores than European ones and their natural landscape is radically different. Much of the land is volcanic, with steep slopes and dark grey sands on the beaches. At the centre of Tenerife – the most popular of the Canary Islands – stands the mighty Mount Teide a vast snow-capped volcano. It’s great hiking territory and at this altitude the scenery is almost moon-like. There’s a cable car to the summit and the views from up here out towards the other Canary Islands shouldn’t be missed.

7. Beautiful Beaches – Formentera

Spain has over 5000 miles of coastline and bright sunny days for much of the year, so it’s unsurprising that it’s a beach Mecca. From jam-packed tourist beaches to deserted stretches of virgin sand there’s a beach for just about everyone. Some of the most unspoilt and ultra-white are found on the shores of the Balearic Island of Formentera. The island is located in the Mediterranean Sea and only a couple of hours by boat from the mainland. Ses Illetes is a long curve of white sand, backed by soft dunes with shallow ultramarine seawater lapping its fringes.

8. City of Arts and Sciences – Valencia

Spain has its share of outstanding historical architecture, but it’s also looking firmly towards the future for many of its building projects of more recent years. The wonderful curves of the Guggenheim museum have really put Bilbao on the map, but it’s the City of Arts and Sciences designed by the wonderfully exuberant Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that is the pinnacle of modern architecture in Spain. His amorphous, buildings in stark white are a feast of odd angles and unusual shapes at any time of the day, but they look particularly spectacular when floodlit at night.

9. Plaza de Espana – Seville

The majestic capital of the Andalusia region, Seville is stuffed with beautiful sights and is wonderfully atmospheric. The Plaza de Espana was designed by local architect Anibal Gonzalez for the great 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition that was held in the city and virtually bankrupted it. It’s a feast of ornate colourful towers and colonnades decorated with tiles and motifs. At its centre there’s a huge fountain and canals which visitors can float along on on hired pedalos. It’s such a striking place that it often features in movies – most notably Star Wars Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones.

10. Roman Remains – Segovia

The Romans ruled Spain for over 700 years and there are reminders of their presence all over the country. Perhaps the most remarkable, is the wonderfully preserved aqueduct at Segovia in central Spain. It was used by the ancient Romans to bring water to the city. A double-height set of graceful arches, it’s 2950 feet long and it’s held together just by the weight of gravity on the carefully carved blocks that comprise it. There is no mortar whatsoever. With its 167 arches, at its highest point, it reaches almost 900 feet high – an incredible feat of engineering.

Córdoba, Spain

Bilbao – Spain

Barcelona, Spain

Cool and vibrant Barcelona, Spain's second city, has such a wealth of attractions that it's small wonder it has become Europe's most popular short break destination, and a common stop for Mediterranean cruise-liners.
Barcelona is also the heart and business/commercial sector of the popular holiday coastal region known as the Costa Brava, the northernmost Mediterranean seafront in Spain, as well as the Costa Dorada to the south. This coast area is lined with popular resort towns, many retaining their traditional charm. The capital of Catalonia is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only because of its geographic location but also and above all because of its history, tradition and cultural influences. Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate, with sub-mediterranean influence. Thus, it is not the "classical Mediterranean climate" with mild, humid winters and warm, dry summers. Barcelona is located on the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, so Atlantic west winds often arrive in Barcelona with low humidity, producing no rain. The proximity of the Atlantic, its latitude, and the relief, are the reasons why the summers are not as dry as in most other Mediterranean Basin locations.