Majorca Island

The promenade along the bay - Passeig Voramar - is equally beautiful in the morning or evening - though the morning will be more peaceful.

Port de Pollenca, located on the North shore of the sweeping Bay of Pollenca, skylined by an impressive mountain range is well suited to a luxurious break.

The very sheltered bay is ideal for swimming, the waters are clear with an abundance of fish.

Along the water front, there are numerous restaurants, offering a variety of menus and prices.

Being a port town, seafood is a speciality. Locally caught fish is served fresh daily.

Low Rise
While there are a large number of apartments and resorts catering for the tourist, the town hasn't yet succumbed to the high rise developments of its neighbours in Alcudia and Caen Picafort.

Beach
Port de Pollenca has a fine sandy beach which stretches the length of the town. The northern end of the beach is lined with pine trees offering shade against the intense summer heat.

Cala Sant Vincente is about 6km from Pollenca.

It's a small cove (well two small interconnected coves) with stunning views.

Situated in a small cove, with cliffs falling dramatically into the azure sea.

The Cala has a number of restaurants with out looking views of the bay with its crystal clear water.

Unfortunately, in many opinions the Cala is spoilt by over development on the shore line separating the two coves.

Despite this over bearance the Cala is well worth a visit.

The drive from Port de Pollenca to the most northerly point on the island passes some very stunning scenery.

At places the cliffs are shear dropping down 400m to the sea below.

The Formentor Peninsula drive is 20km long. It starts at north end of Port de Polenca, rises through a series of gently sloping hairpins towards a spectacular viewing point at Mirador de Mal Pas.

Here the cliffs fall dramatically into the sea hundreds of metres below.

The Viewing point is very busy during the high season.

The beach at Formentor is worth a visit.

Whether you arrive by car through the hairpin bends or by ferry from Port de Pollenca or further afield, the beach offers a relaxing time, on its south facing sand, shaded by overhead pine trees.

Beach and Hotel

The beach and its hotel were once the haunt of the rich and famous.

Charlie Chaplin is one of many film stars who stayed in the hotel during the period when outside tourists were excluded from the beach.

Cap de Formentor

Continuing on the road past the beach leads to the Cap de Formentor, a rugged windswept promontory.

The cliffs are home to many nesting birds during the spring.

Port de Pollenca can be beautiful at any time of the year.

As the seasons change, the light and colour over the town reflects off the calm waters of this safe natural bay.

The road MA2220 runs along the shore of Pollenca Bay connecting Port d' Pollenca and Alcudia.

The bay is about 7km wide and 10 km long, and stretches out into the Mediterranean.

The coastal area along the MA 2220 is often wind swept as it faces directly towards the open sea, though as a result the strip is popular with wind and kite surfers.

A number of surfer schools along the road offer board rental and surfing classes.

The narrow sandy strip along the road can be a great place to cool off during the heat of the summer days.

With its km of sea and beach front it is not surprising that Port d'Alcudia attracts millions of visitors a year.

The port area is now a well-developed marina, with many pathways for families to stroll about after a day on the beach.

The bay area is sheltered and suitable for family beach fun.

Beach activities include windsurfing, canoeing, banana boat rides and much more.

As the beach front is so long, there are numerous areas off the beach which cater for the winning and dinning needs of the visitors.

Though there is also a good selection of restaurants up around the port which makes the trip from the more distant hotels enjoyable.

Alcudia Town lies between the beach areas of Port de Alcudia and Port de Pollenca.

Most of the holiday accommodation is along the beach fronts.

The old town of Alcudia is dominated by a defensive wall built during the 14th century.

After some restoration work it is now possible to walk the wall and peer down of the narrow streets and roof tops.

Just outside the town there are remains of a much earlier Roman town - the outline of houses, plazas can be seen.

The Roman town is close to the Church which looks imposing as its set almost into the town wall.

A museum close to the church provides useful background information and displays many artefacts from earlier periods.

The small town of Colonia Sant Pere has been developed in more recent years and now has a sizeable numbers of holiday homes and villas.

Along the waterfront there are a number of restaurants.

The area is quiet compared to large tourist areas around the island and while sitting in a cafe along the water's edge it's hard to imagine that Can Picafort is only 10km away.

Apparently, the town was originally established after an outbreak of Bubonic plague in nearby town of Arta, when some of the inhabitants left Arta for the relative safety along the sea.

The best way to explore the coast from Cala Dor to Cala Figuera, inlets and coves is by boat.

The boat services are regular, turn up on time and even stop enroute for a swim

Cala Dor is really a collection of resort areas that are branded together.

The many coves were formerly fishing villages, but today are locations for hotels and apartments.

Hop on Hop off ferries stop in many of the coves, allowing visitors pick and choose where to spend their afternoons without bothering about hiring a car.

Despite it's over development, one can find some lovely hotels hugging the rocky promontories.

Many of the coves have fine sandy beaches including Cala Gran.

Cala Figuera is a working fishing port - full of charm and appeal.

Though the best time to visit is after the ferries have left.

Cala Figuera is still a fishing village, having avoided the excesses of development the village has retained its old world charm.

While accommodation is limited there are some small apartments to rent during the summer.

The village becomes crowd at times during the day as the ferries stop on a regular basis, though many of the tourists soon tire of wandering about and retire to the nearest cafe, awaiting the next ferry.

The coast line around the area of Cala Dor is rugged, with numerous small coves cut into the natural rocks.

Many of these coves have soft sandy beaches.

Take a ride along the coast and explore some of the coves.

The town of Ses Salines is worth a lunch time stop - with some fine restaurants.

It is close to the salt pans (hence it name) and the cactus park.

The Salt Pans of cap de Ses Salines and Salines de Llevant are worth a visit if you enjoy driving through open country.

The landscape about is fairly desolate.

A number of the villages enroute have fine restaurants and serve good quality lunches.

The Cactus Botanical Garden has over 400 types of Majorcan flora and 12,000 different cacti.

It is claimed to be the largest botanical garden in Europe and the first in the Balearics.

The beach at Es Tranc is about 4km of soft sand. While it may seem out of the way, it can be fairly packed in summer.

The beach is backed by the Salt plains which are home to numerous species of birds and other wildlife.

Porto Colom still retains the charm of a small fishing village - though mass tourism is beginning to creep into the surrounds.

The harbour is well protected, affording a safe berth for numerous small craft and the local fishermen.

The local fishermen moor their small craft alongside the pier and can be often seen mending their nets or unloading their catch of fish, crab or lobster.

Along the waterfront there are some restaurants which serve freshly caught fish.

The small fishermen style houses in the older part of the town make this an attractive place to spend some time.

Leave the beaches behind and drive or take a bus across the island, passed the island's agricultural heartland.

The port is well protected from winter storms by high hills on two sides and the plains of west Majorca on the third.

The fourth side has an open deep channel suitable for larger boats.

The town despite its supposedly reputation as a destination for the richer clientele is still a working port, and you are more likely to see fisher men mending their nets or unloading their cargo of fresh fish than you are to see a film star or some notoriety.

The south side of the port is lined with sea front restaurants and cafes.

The town has a casual and relaxed feel, with a more chilled atmosphere than the busier beach loving towns of Alcudia and Can Picafort.

If you can't stay for the night at least try and sample some of the fish at the fine restaurants by the sea.

The sea side town of Sant Elm seems to be remote, as you drive the winding narrow M 1030 road from Andtrax over the hills and descend into Elm with its view of the deserted island of Sa Dragonera.

The island supposedly was named due to its likeness to a dragon, though the image of a dragon must have changed in the intervening years as the island, viewed from the mainland looks remarkably undragonlike.

The island is about 6km long and fairly barren, though there is a watchtower which can be easily seen.

The boat men in Sant Elm provide regular trips to the island.

Sant Elm is a quiet sea side resort, with mainly low rise accommodation.

The beach is fine and sandy and at times has great breaking waves crashing along the shore.

During the summer months, particularly at week ends this cove is thronged.

Not just with sun bathers on the sandy beach and rocks and swimmers diving or jumping into the azure waters.

But by many pleasure craft which take day trips from the many marinas back towards Palma and further along the coast.

Don't be surprised to find nude bathers on the smaller beach, as this is Majorca's official beach for the topless and bottomless

Further west from Portals Vells you could to the end of the headland which forms the Bay of Palma.

From here there are some sweeping views back towards Palma and across the bay.

The town of Port de Sóller is wrapped around the crescent shaped harbour.

The town has a number of restaurants along the waterfront and up some of the smaller streets.

Along the western side of the harbour is a sandy beach, one of the few in the mountainous north.

The picturesque tram from Sóller town is popular with visitors as it winds its way down past small orange and lime groves.

The port town has a number of hotels.

Sóller Harbour nestled below the northern mountains is crescent shaped with a fairly narrow outlet to the Mediterranean.

From the harbour there are a number of ferry services offering seasonal trips, though the service to Sa Colobra is year round.

The harbour provides safe moorings for the small fishing boats and pleasure craft.

Formerly Sóller Town over the high mountain passes was difficult to access.

Today it's only a relatively short journey from Palma either by train which can be fun or a drive along the Ma 11 and through a tunnel which cuts under the mountain and you are soon in the town square.

Plaça Constitució is pretty much the town centre, the Plaça has a number of cafes which open out during the summer months utilising all available space in the square.

While sitting in one of the cafes don't be surprised to see the tram rumbling past as it heads from the train station down to the port.

The town hall and church of St Bartholomew both on the Plaça are worth a visit.

The tiny beaches and coves of Sa Calobra make this a really beautiful spot for a relaxing afternoon, though you will have to share it with the thousands of visitors that come by ferry or tour bus.

An interesting way to get to the beach is by ferry from Soler -it takes about an hour and boats travel frequently during the summer.

Though a cheaper option is by local bus from Soler and sit back and enjoy the hair raising bends on the descent from the higher mountains.

Of course if you are driving a hire car you could try and tackle the steep road and hair pin bends, though be warned there isn't much parking at the cove.

Once you arrive, the beaches are relaxing - which beautiful clear water set against a mountain backdrop for swimming and for the more adventurous - diving.

A short distance from the man beach and through a tunnel is a second beach at the mouth of gorge. This gorge of Torrent de Pareis (Twin streams) is worth exploring.

The gorge of Torrent de Pareis is accessible from Sa Calobra via the paved walkway and then through a series of rock carved tunnels.

The view as one exits the tunnels is amazing as you enter an wide open gorge backed by high mountains.

The gorge narrows again just as it opens out and enters the sea.

This beach area is popular for swimming and diving during the summer months when the river is practically dried up , with just a few disconnected ponds remaining.

Though in winter and early spring after heavy rain in the mountains the river becomes swollen and treacherous as it drags boulders and uprooted trees down from the high mountains.

Hiking the gorge in winter is extremely dangerous and in addition the river is prone to flash flooding.

Though in the dry summer months when the river has virtually disappeared one can hike quite a distance up the narrow gorge, though underfoot is rocky and craggy and best not attempted in sandals.

Set at the mouth of the Torrent de Pareis Gorge, this beach due to its unusual location, in the gorge and the beauty of its surrounds is popular with tourists throughout the summer.

Though the pebbly, cobbly beach is remote and distant in every way from the more sandy beaches around the coast such as Alcudia.

Despite the mass of visitors, if you close your eyes, let your ears focus on the flushing of the sea as it swishes in and out through the underlying cobbles, you could imagine yourself lying on some remote exotic location.

Open your eyes and let them take in the splendour of the surrounding mountains, the islands cast in the azure sea and you know you are in an exotic place.

If walking through narrow dimly light tunnels cut into sheer rock makes you nervous, your spirits will rise again once you make in the first breath taking views of the gorge as you emerge from the tunnels.

Lluc has been a centre of pilgrimage since the 13th century. Today pilgrims can stay at Lluc and enjoy the solitude of the mountains.

The monastery of Luc is about 35 km from Soller and a little further from Polenca though the Polenca route is much less arduous and while the road is fairly hair pinned, it is much less so than the Soller route.

Outside the monastery, the pilgrim's path of the rosary leads high above the Bascilica.

The walk takes about fifteen minutes and from the top there is a panoramic view over the monastery and neighbouring valleys.

The Luc monastery has been an important place of pilgrimage from the 13th century right through till today.

During your visit you may be mingling with pilgrims spending a few over nights in the tranquil surroundings of the mountains and monastery.