Description

Mallorca also known as Majorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands, in Spain. The other islands in Spain include Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the Balearic Islands with a coastline of about 554 km. Mallorca's landscape is very varied, due to its geological formation and it is one of the most popular holiday destinations for international tourists offering a wide range of attractions. The resorts on the islands are lively and are more suited for young singles, or those seeking an active nightlife. Shopping, great food, even greater nightlife and an endless variety of water- sports and attractions make it a bustling centre of tourists and traders.

Shopping

Mallorca and especially the Palma is a shopping paradise. The Pearls of Mallorca are world renowned for their finish. They are made from natural marine products, which are laboriously processed to achieve an excellent presentation. Some of the other products and malls and shopping streets are Centro Porto Pi which is the best shopping mall in Mallorca, Colmado Sto. Domingo which is a typical Mallorcan grocery store. For products like Delicatessen, spices and fine liquors etc. Zapatos is the place to go. At C/. San Miguel in Palma the best shoe shops are to be found. Av. Jaume III is the most exclusive shopping street in Palma with the fine international stores like Cartier etc. Tourists can shop for Ceramics at "Man de Mallorca", just behind the cathedral. Felanitx has pottery and Mallorcan tiles shops. Ensaimadas is well known and famous Mallorcan pastry which is available in any bakery and is worth taking home. For wine, Petra has one of the best wine cellars. The weekly Flea market which is held on Saturday morning at Alomar y Villalonga, and the Sunday markets at Consell and Binissalem, and the exciting weekly market held in Sineu, every Wednesday should not be missed.

Restaurants

Eating out in Mallorca is, an economical and pleasant experience with hundreds of restaurants and cuisines to choose from. These range from the fast food outlets in the large tourist resorts, to international cuisines including Japanese Sushi, Mexican, Indian, Thai, French and Chinese. Authentic Balearic food is worth a try as there are numerous Tapas bars and restaurants. For authentic Spanish or Mallorcan cuisine, tourists can visit Amano, Bodega Bellver, Bruselas, Casa Gallega, Don Tapeo, Koldo Royo etc. in Palma. Seafood restaurants in Palma are Rocamar, Coral, Casa Gallega, C’an Jordi, Ca’n Tito, C’an Eduardo etc. For vegetarian food tourists can visit Atisha, Bon Lloc, Green Market, Restaurant Santacilla, Restaurant Vegetaria and Restaurant Verd y Blau. Chinese cuisine too is popular in Palma, some of them are Alegria, Ca na Nube, Casa Chino, Chinatown, Chino Rio Grand, Chun Lam Express, Gran Dragon, Gran Muralla, Hang Zhou, Hong Kong, Jade Express, Lu Cheng, Victory and Luna de Miel to name a few.

Night Life

Mallorca has a vibrant nightlife with a lot of clubs and dance venues and bars. Some of the major clubs that draw crowds are Pacha, Garitos and Titos in Palma. Mallorca is a fantastic place to eat this most famous of Spanish foods with hundreds of Tapas bars to suit every taste and pocket. They are Bar Centro, Casa Gallega, El Pilon, La Boveda and Pica Pica. Mallorca also boasts its own Casino situated a short distance from Palma.

Activities

Mallorca has a plethora of sporting activities. The land-based activities include golf, with many courses, tennis, bowls, ten-pin bowling and riding. Water based sports include sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, kite surfing, scuba diving and pedal boating. Balloon, gliding and submarine trips and spectator sports on the island include bullfighting, cricket, football, greyhound and horse racing.

Communications

The international access code for Spain is +34. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. Pay phones are blue or green and coins or phone cards can be used. Phone cards are available at post offices, tobacco shops, and newsagents. GSM is operated through 900/1800 and covers the entire country by three telecom operators. Internet is accessible at internet cafes in most towns and resorts.

Contacts

Spanish Tourist Office, Madrid: +34 91 366 5477 or www.spain.info
Spanish Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 452 0100
Spanish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7589 8989
Spanish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 747 2252
Spanish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 3555
Spanish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 344 3875/6/7
Spanish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 283 9900
Spanish Consulate, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 472 5804
United States Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 587 2240
British Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 700 8200
Canadian Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 423 3250
Australian Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 353 6690
South African Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 436 3780
Irish Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 436 4093
New Zealand Embassy, Madrid: +34 915 230 226
Emergencies: 112/061

Currency

EUR

Attractions

Mallorca has a plethora of attractions from Cathedrals to palaces, beaches and natural marvels like caves and mountains. In the city of Palma, the Gothic Cathedral which took above 500 years for construction and the Almudaina Palace. Bellver (meaning "beautiful view") Castle dates from the 14th century and is unique amongst Spanish castles thanks to its circular design. The island of Mallorca has outstanding beaches along its entire coastline. Standing at 1445 meters above sea level, Puig Mayor is the highest point in Mallorca. The monastery at Lluc is another important stop and one will love all the villages they pass through en route Banyalbufar and the beach resort of Sant Elm with the island of Dragon era. Mallorca has some spectacular caves at various locations around the island; the most spectacular are the Caves of Drach at Portocristo. Today they are one of the island's top attractions with four spectacular chambers and thousands of stalactites and spectacular lighting arrangements. Two other impressive caves are the Caves of Hams and the Caves of Arta. Valdemossa is the idyllic town in the Tramuntana Mountains just 18km from Palma, which was written about by George Sands in the book "Winter in Mallorca", when she was having her affair with the composer Frederic Chopin.

Language

Spanish

Language Description

The official language is Spanish, but English is widely understood in main tourist areas. Galician, Catalan, and Basque are spoken in the some areas.

Tipping

It is customary to tip 5-10% for most services rendered. 15% tip at restaurants is the norm, although bills are inclusive of service charges. 10-15% of the bill amount is paid as tips to drivers of metered taxis.