Puerta Palma Badajoz, Mallorca, Spain by Charly Morlock

Island Paradise

Situated in the Balearic Sea, 200 kilometres East of Valencia, Mallorca has a culture not normally seen by the droves of visitors form Britain.

It is accessibility from mainland Spain and Europe, almost equidistant from Valencia and Barcelona, is one of the main reasons why it has become so popular for the likes of tennis stars Raphael Nadal and Boris Becker, super model Claudia Schiffer, as well as kings and queens (the King of Spain often takes breaks here), politician and famous musicians.

It’s not surprising that with 200 beaches the island’s coasts are the primary attraction for holidaymakers, but it’s the more secluded spots of the island’s interior, where former farm houses have been converted, and villas built for the seclusion that many of the rich and famous crave away from the lime light.

A bay in Mallorca, Spain by Jon Rawlinson

Popular Pursuits

One of the most popular pursuits on the island is sailing, and if you head down to any marina, you’ll see enthusiasts setting off on the beautiful turquoise water. Or if sailing is not your sport one of the 20 golf courses might be closer to your tastes, or the amazing hikes and cycle track into the stunning wilderness.

There is an undeserved reputation that the island has developed, with resorts lining the coasts, but that shouldn’t distract from the Mallorca hotels that epitomise luxury, and massive yachts that are worth millions of dollars berthed at the private marinas.

Culture

Mallorca’s capital, Palma, has an incredible mix of the medieval and the modern, it is in fact named after the Roman city of Palmaria. Being so close to North Africa, Spain was spent many centuries ruled by the Moors, the general term used to describe the many tribes.

Their presence was certainly felt more in the south of Spain in the cities of Cadiz and Seville; but Mallorca was also under the rule of the Moors until the 13th century when it was taken back by the Spanish and became a vital port in the Mediterranean.

There is a strong multicultural presence in Palma (just like Cadiz and Seville) where you can see a distinctive mix of Gothic, Roman, and Arab architecture.

It is not surprising that once you look past the crowds of sunburnt Brits, the throngs, of taxis and endless beach umbrellas that Mallorca is truly a calm and beautiful paradise, and will surely continue to draw the rich and famous for decades to come.

Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to https://www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and-Resorts/Destinations/Mallorca/Jumeirah-Port-Soller-Hotel–Spa/

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