something for everyone (Majorca)

Member Name: shelley222

Product:	Majorca
Date:	05/07/01 (697 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: suits all age groups, beautiful weather, friendly locals

Disadvantages: you won't want to come home

My first visit to Majorca (or Mallorca as the Spanish call it) was in June this year and I can’t wait to go again.

Majorca is the largest of the Balaeric Islands and flying time is about two to two and a half hours from most U.K. airports. You fly into Palma airport, which is the capital of Majorca, and this is an experience in itself. The airport is huge and very busy.

We stayed at the resort of Cala de Mallorca, which is on the eastern coast of the island and the transfer time was about an hour and a half. This resort is quiet and generally relaxed, an excellent place for families to base themselves with the option to explore, which I advise that you do.

The resort does have a reasonable selection of bars and shops and evening entertainment is mainly hotel based, but some bars do offer live entertainment. This was an ideal place for us to centre our holiday on as we have two small children. Public transport is a bit limited here, so I would strongly recommend that you hire a car.

Restaurants in Majorca cater for a wide range of tastes, ranging from traditional English breakfasts to Chinese takeaways and of course you will find McDonalds and Burger King lurking. It is worth trying out the local cuisine though – pork and vegetable dishes are very popular and are subtlety seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs. Wine is also very good and is cheap.

The official currency of the island is now the Euro although the peseta will remain in coinage until March 2002.

We were warned before travelling to Majorca about ‘timeshare touts’, but we were lucky (either that or we just looked poor) as we were never bothered at all. It may be a bigger problem in the larger tourist areas, such as Magaluf.

Transport is good. There are two railway lines (don’t know how good these are, as we never used them), but they tend to link the larger of the towns. Buses are very cheap and children un
der 6 years travel for free. Drivers are a little erratic though, on one occasion the driver on our bus had his radio blasting away, while he was merrily taking in all the views. To say they are more relaxed than Britain is an understatement

We hired a car and were able to go out and about and I am so glad that we did, as we would have missed so much that the island has to offer. Here are just a few of my favourite places.

ALCUDIA lies on the north east coast and is also a popular resort for families with children. The major attraction here has to be the beautiful beach with 8km of clean, fine sand and shallow waters. Here you will also find water parks and go kart racing. Again here the evening entertainment tends to be hotel based.

PALMA is the capital city of Majorca and is a mix between the historical and the modern. Here you will find the cathedral quarter with it’s palaces and stately homes of the Majorcan nobility. Plaza Mayor and the streets around it, such as the Calle de San Miguel and Via Sindicato are the major shopping streets and here you will find genuine Spanish goods as well as International brands.

MAGALUF curiosity brought us here as you see and hear so much about this place on all those holiday programmes. This is definitely the place to be if you are under 30 and want two weeks of Saturday nights and a fortnight of baywatch days. It is like the Spanish equivalent of Blackpool for the young and young at heart. Bars and clubs are everywhere you look dotted in between with internet cafes. There are some lovely shops and it is well worth a visit. The beach is lovely, although as you would expect, busy and believe it or not it is illegal to consume alcohol on the beach.

VALLDEMOSSA can be found as you drive through the mountainous region of the island. Famous for the visit of Ferdinand Chopin and his lover, the writer George sands, and you will find numerous memories of it here. More
recent visitors of the town are Bill and Hillary Clinton.

CAVES OF DRACH are situated to the north east of the island, and the name translates to caves of Dragon. Here you will be serenaded by a local classical band who will perform from a fishing boat, which will float in front of you, along the beautifully lit waters of the Lake Martel (which is the largest subterranean lake in Europe). This is a good cooling point on a hot day, but there are a lot of steps to conquer.

MARKETS are a dominant feature of Majorca. Even if you are not a fan of markets in general, take time to visit at least one. You will find them everywhere especially in the larger towns. Even if you don’t intend to shop, you will soon be tempted. Items that don’t carry a price label or tag are open to ‘bartering’’ and I know that the British are reluctant to do this but it is the only way to go. You ask the price of an item, the stall holder will write this down for you, you sigh and say no. Quickly you have the pen and paper thrust into your hand for you to write down an offer – offer about half. They ‘tut’ and shake their head and make you another offer – keep going until you get the price as near to what you want and if you get no joy then turn to walk away – you will be surprised how quick they can run to catch you and give in to your offer. The best deals to be found are on leather goods and linens. Designer labels are also present but make sure that they are genuine. Oh and a final tip – watch your bags and pockets.

Whilst in Majorca we went on a few nights out. Many of these are offered by your tour operator as excursions, but check how much they are actually charging you on top, you will be surprised. The buses are cheap and the events themselves are often a fraction of the cost that the reps charge you.

PIRATES ADVENTURE is a swashbuckling adventure and a half. This started
in great style, before we even got off the coach, as one of the pirates boarded the bus and warmed the audience up. The show itself involves you cheering for your very own pirate, as he or she dazzles you with acrobatic fights and gymnastic feats. There is a lot of comedy in here too. All this takes place after you have enjoyed a meal of chicken, spare ribs, jacket potatoes, salad, all washed down with unlimited Pirates Punch (Sangria). Don’t worry, the children are very well catered for, with their own menu and soft drinks). Children and adults are invited on to the stage to win a prize or two. There are plenty of opportunities to have your photo taken with your favourite pirate but there is no flash photography allowed during the show. Great fun for all the family but prepare yourself for a sore throat the day after.

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT is very much along the same lines, except this time you are cheering for your knight. Food is very much the same and knives and forks are not allowed as you have to eat medieval style. Great displays of horsemanship are to be seen as well as great juggling. Again, this is a great family evening.

SON AMAR is classed as the ‘World Renowned Extravaganza’ but to be honest the other two were a lot better. The meal is disappointing as you are rushed through so quick that you barely have time to eat (in fact my 5 year old daughter had her plate taken before she had even started). Waiter and waitresses are constantly in your view, even when the show begins, and we had the added disadvantage of being seated next to the kitchens (that had no door) and all we could hear during the performance was the constant clattering of pots and pans. Saying that the show was good with Spanish dancers, comedians, magicians and singing by the Drifters, all set in the splendour of an 17th century Majorcan mansion.
This excursion cost over £100 for a family of four and was the most disappointing part of our 10
day stay.

I hope I have given you a bit of an insight to all that Majorca has to offer, but it is no means comprehensive. My advice is to buy a travel guide for the island as there is so much to see and do, and it is easy to miss things.

Thank you for reading and I look forward to your comments.

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