It's the holiday season again. If you are like me, you might have a hard time choosing
between the splendor of history, the beckoning of the beach, the call of the quaint quiet life watching the magnificent sunset, or the craving for adventure, exploring peaks and trenches and yet, suffer from fear of missing out on city life - you could hit a sweet spot on this lovely island of Spain - Mallorca. This lovely group of islands sitting on the Mediterranean Sea offers you a great mix of everything on a platter, and will still leave you craving for more.
The Lonely Planet declares Mallorca a top European summer destination with a marked history. The destination is such a favourite among the Europeans that they have a whole new name for the island - Majorca - with reference to it being the largest island in the Balearic Islands archipelago. To the natives and rest of the world, it is Mallorca. It comes as no surprise that many from the rich and famous tribe like Claudia Schiffer, Boris Becker, Jeffrey Archer have made holiday homes here thereby indicating that the luxury accommodation market thrives in Mallorca. Almost half of the islands of Mallorca live in the capital city of Palma. The Royals of Spain are regulars in the city of Palma every summer. That said, the city's airport hosts about 22 million visitors a year, making it one of the most visited holiday destinations of the world.
There are many more interesting facts about Mallorca and whatever kind of holiday you crave, the city has it for you.
1. For the art and history lover:
The Palma de Mallorca Cathedral or 'La Seu', is popularly known as jewel in the crown
of Mallorcan architecture. Palma is also home to one of the most controversial sculptures in the world. With the Church spire buried underground in Palma's Plaza de la Puerta de Santa Catalina, American sculptor Dennis Oppenheim's controversial piece of art, 'The Inverted Church,' is a copy of the original made for the Biennial art exhibition in Venice in the 1990s. The artist is said to have had strong links with Palma until his death in 2011.
2. For the surefooted adventurer:
Mallorca houses the outstanding Sierra de Tramuntana Mountains with peaks reaching over 1,500m above sea level. The amazing thing is that many of the climbs on the Tramuntana can be easily accomplished by cycling, making the island a cyclist's paradise. Many visitors to the island are also cycling enthusiasts.
3. For the beach-lover:
The beaches of Mallorca have been the major draw for tourists. You will find a never-
ending sheen of fine, golden sand in Muro or the lure of White sands up North of Mallorca.
4. For the lover of the rural and rustic:
However, lately, there has been a change of tide with the island seeing old manor houses, country estates, long-abandoned fincas (farm-houses) revamped and renewed with pride and indulgence into lovely rural retreats for the island's growing community of tourists.
5. For the nature-lover:
Mallorca is one of the few places where almost half of the island is protected. In 2011, Serra de Tramuntana's cultural landscape was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6. For the foodie:
If you are looking for an exotic food experience, the island is home to about 3000 restaurants and boasts of some of the finest varieties of wine in the world. The world famous Bodega wine originated from the Bodega region of Mallorca. Also, it is home to "Ensaimadas", an exquisite pastry that is available only on the island.
7. For the sports enthusiast:
If sports is your thing, the innumerable coves and beaches of the island offer a range of
activities to choose from: windsurfing, sailing, scuba-diving, surfing, etc. Golf is also a
preferred sport here.
The author writes on www.kidskintha.com; a platform that focuses on two important facets of childhood- Parenting and Education.