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Majorca |
Other opinions
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The Main Island Mallorca, more than offering you some of the best European beaches and best weathers, is not only a coast. It has the advantage of its small size and diversity, allowing you to stay in the beach as long as you want, and use the useless or dangerous hours of the day to travel inland and discover the Island. |
Palma de Mallorca is a big and nice city, from where we may easily reach all the interesting points in a day trip even the remote Formentor cape or Sa Calobra.
I didn't visit all, but Manacor, Porto Cristo with its caves, the many calas around Cala d'Or, Alcudia, Pollensa, Lluc, Palma Nova and Magalluf where interesting visits.
Tito went there again with his son, this time to Santa Ponsa. I will ask him about it.
I didn't visit all, but Manacor, Porto Cristo with its caves, the many calas around Cala d'Or, Alcudia, Pollensa, Lluc, Palma Nova and Magalluf where interesting visits.
Tito went there again with his son, this time to Santa Ponsa. I will ask him about it.
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In the opposite side to Palma, protected by the mountains of Formentor, a large bay holds a long sandy beach. It's a good starting point to the visits to the wild northern coast, but, as long as my quick two visits and one bath allowed me to see, it is not in the top beaches of the island. Landscape is appealing, everything is near, and the bath was not bad, after all. |
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Which beach shall I choose? Peaceful and secure? Why not one of the many calas?
We went to Cala D'Or - Very good. The hotel was excellently located, the beach was safe but sometimes overcrowded. The service was good and the animation one of the best we have seen. So, the week passed quickly, and we had to move, because the second part of holidays should follow the preferences of the young members of the team, in the lively Palma Nova. |
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It's the hell of a job driving downwards the coast to Calobra. And shall we say that the sights, upon arrival compensate the effort?
Well... If you admire dramatic landscapes, yes. If you wanted just to see something different in the island... Yes. If you were expecting a very spectacular site... No. But, may I ask, spectacular, is not the way down and up? |
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Situated close to the famous caves of Drach and Helms, this is a beautiful beach, though usually very crowded. The beach is well sheltered, and circled by a road lined with restaurants and bars, which makes it a lively place, but not the ideal for a relaxing days. Most of the excursions to the caves visit this beach, and that means a lot of traffic. |
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I've been in many caves, all with the same type of beauty - the stalactites, stalagmites and water ponds. Some details make them all different but the Cuevas del Drach have something special: in the bottom of it, you sit in a large room and gently, softly in the dark, a small boat comes sliding in a silent rowing, while a few musicians perform delicate chamber music. The acoustic conditions, the unusual ambiance, and the tranquility of the experience is something to remember. |
I've been there twice, and will not be surprised if it happens a third time.
Someone wrote me suggesting that I should add:"(...) it is very important to enter Porto Cristo, and then to follow only the signs marked clearly "CUEVAS DEL DRACH", because there are another caves nearby, and it is easy to be misled.
"I did it, with pleasure. Thanks Maiorica (in the gone Virtualtourist)
Someone wrote me suggesting that I should add:"(...) it is very important to enter Porto Cristo, and then to follow only the signs marked clearly "CUEVAS DEL DRACH", because there are another caves nearby, and it is easy to be misled.
"I did it, with pleasure. Thanks Maiorica (in the gone Virtualtourist)
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Not with Fernanda
I made two attempts to reach the end of the cape. Both of them failed with Fernanda feeling dizziness (and fear), caused by the winding roads and steep cliffs. It's a pity. The landscape is beautiful and, I must confess, we have crossed some more dangerous paths. Website: http://www.mallorca-majorca.de/cap-formentor-mallorca.php 
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Speaking of Mallorca we all think immediately - Beaches. That's correct, because we find there beaches for all tastes, with all the facilities for the visitors. However, Mallorca is more than that, what enriches the vacations with the possibility of small trips to different areas and attractions and, no matter where you're installed, come back to sleep at home. |
To start, Palma de Mallorca is a beautiful town.
The historic highlights are concentrated in the Cathedra and Almudaina area, with adjacent old quarters. But all around town you may find some beautiful examples of Spanish architecture.
To start, Palma de Mallorca is a beautiful town.
The historic highlights are concentrated in the Cathedra and Almudaina area, with adjacent old quarters. But all around town you may find some beautiful examples of Spanish architecture.
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Belver Castle - Skipped
Dominating the landscape, this castle atop the hill is a failed temptation - Fernanda accuses me of being a castle maniac, and, to prove that I'm not "castle dependent" I missed this one. I really am sorry - it was built in the 14th century, with a round shape, not so common, in my "collected" castles, and the sights must be... gorgeous. Next time I will try to find a "El Corte Ingles" in the area, and... you know! Directions: Some three km from the centre of the city of Palma at some 112.60 metres above sea level. Website: http://castelldebellver.palmademallorca.es/ |
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Historical Area Originally a Muslim palace, converted to gothic by king Jaime II, this alcazar still keeps signs of both styles. The views are beautiful and the adjacent gardens are well conceived and maintained, featuring a statue from Juan Miro. It is used by the royal family in summer, but it allows visits in the free days from March to October. Website: http://www.patrimonionacional.es/real-sitio/palacios/6254 |
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Cathedral Started in 1230 and finished in 1601 it's a Gothic church, with the large size usual in that style, dominating most views in downtown Palma. Damaged by an earthquake in the 19th century, the reconstruction of the facade introduced mixed styles in some of its elements. |
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Parc de la Mar
One advice: always read before you go. I've been in Parc de la Mar, found it pleasant, but only later I learned why and how it was made. Maybe I would have a different approach if knowing that: “Until the 1960s the sea reached up to the city walls, providing the perfect reflection for the cathedral. When the building of a new road changed all that, an artificial lake was constructed to reproduce the effect. |
The park around the lake is now a popular weekend and summer spot, with several cafes, outdoor concerts, a mural donated by Joan Miro and an art gallery in the vaults of the old city walls. Sit beneath the palm trees gazing up at the cathedral and try to imagine the travellers of days gone by arriving at this same spot from the sea by boat.”
Read in Balearnet
Well, now you do know!
Read in Balearnet
Well, now you do know!
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Arab Baths
You had a good lunch, it’s "forbidden" to go to water, and you need a cool place to spend digestion time. Well, you may use the shades of the narrow streets in the old town, and visit the Arab Baths. They aren't a stunning monument nor very well recovered, but they are preserved to look as original, and they really do. It’s cheap, open all day, and they have a nice and fresh garden to rest a while. |
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Santa Eulalia Close to Palau Vivot, the church of Santa Eulalia, in the square with the same name, is one of the oldest and more important of Palma. Coming from the 12th century it suffered drastic changes, showing today a Neo Gothic facade built in the 19th century. It's a good solution for a short break in the shade. |
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Arenal One of the most accessible beaches from Palma, this is a very wide and lively beach. If, for you, the night is so important as the day in the beach, then this may be your option - the other is Magalluf. However, if you prefer a quiet place, then... maybe you should skip it, and look a little bit further, in the Calas area. |
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Playa de Palma Nova Which beach shall I choose? Peaceful and secure? Why not one of the many calas? We went to Cala d'Or - Very good week, but the young folks wanted animation! We moved to Palma Nova - another very good week (for them!), taking advantage of our hotel's situation half way from Palma Nova and Magalluf |
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Magalluf Magalluf is the most agitated and noisy beach of Mallorca, thus appealing to the youngster. We took solomonic decision, staying in the western end of the quieter Palma Nova, in the "border" of both beaches. That allowed us a relatively calm staying in Palma, and some short visits to the other side, where the young guys of our team went each night. But in daylight, the beach is also quiet and beautiful. |
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Glass manufactoring
I lived all my professional life in glass industry, so, seeing from the car a glass studio, I had to stop. Close to Palma, It was a nice visit, showing the difference between a glass factory and a stage performance prepared for tourists. The furnace was almost pre-historic, with the glass blowers charging it with a few pieces of wood from time to time. |
A rope defined a square around the working area, and while the workers were doing their job, the tourist in a tighten line walked around, to end in the principal area - the shop. I mean... the shops!
The first and smaller one was selling what seemed to be the local artifacts, the following and bigger one, selling the wide common tourist paraphernalia.
Back home, I tried to identify the studio, to discover that there are several places, all of them linked to Italian names, which probably means that someone tried to escape competition in Murano investing in a touristy neighbor.
The first and smaller one was selling what seemed to be the local artifacts, the following and bigger one, selling the wide common tourist paraphernalia.
Back home, I tried to identify the studio, to discover that there are several places, all of them linked to Italian names, which probably means that someone tried to escape competition in Murano investing in a touristy neighbor.