The Interior of Mallorca
Step back in time and experience rural life. The interior of Mallorca is surprisingly
green, with wonderfully fertile land dotted with tiny villages that have resisted
the passage of time. That's not to say there is nothing to do here. Many of the
villages host quirky festivals and fairs each year, mainly celebrating their local
agricultural produce and the local patron saint.
Around Binisalem are the vineyards which make most of Mallorca's wine, Santa Maria
del Cami, Sineu and Inca have wonderful markets, and beautifully restored manor
houses throughout the area give glimpses into how the nobility lived a couple of
centuries ago. Properties Mallorca: Fincas, Villas and more.
Little lanes criss-cross the landscape, ideal for cyclists looking to explore at
a leisurely pace. Hilltop sanctuaries & monasteries, and prehistoric ruins point
to Mallorca's past. Glass making factories and the cultured pearl industry line
the road leading to Manacor - Majorca's second city and home to tennis ace Raphael
Nadal. (Properties Mallorca - The most beautiful landscapes.)
The choice of fincas and small luxury hotels is impressive and offer better value
than those closer to the coast. If villa rentals are more your thing, then you'll
be surprised at the quality and price of what's on offer here. During the peak season
of July & August, you may be better off with a place in the centre of the island
with your own pool, in "splendid isolation". Properties Mallorca - your private
paradise.
South Mallorca
In the south east corner of Mallorca you will find agricultural land & unspoilt
beaches, the land flattens out and windmills start popping up into the landscape.
This is where you will find the salt flats, home to the gourmet flavoured salts
"Flor de Sal", and Mallorca's best known undeveloped beach, Es Trenc , which stretches
for miles and has a caribbean atmosphere. (Mallorca Properties: If you fancy
the Mediterranean Lifestyle) For many the prettiest natural park of Mallorca - Cala
Mondrago - is also here, with it's aquamarine seas and luscious white sand beaches.
Beautiful walks through pine-filled coastline can add an extra dimension to your
day at the beach.
You can take boat trips from Colonia St Jordi to the only maritime natural park
in Mallorca, the Cabrera Islands. There are a number of well-priced fincas and luxury
rural hotels in the area, plus a range of villas for holiday rentals. Properties
Mallorca: Your investment at the right place - Keep going around the southern
coast towards the Bay of Palma to find undeveloped agricultural land and a scattering
of luxury hotels. You perhaps lack local beaches here - instead you'll find cliffs
and rocky coves - but you'll have sea views and sunsets to die for. Properties Mallorca:
Your new home at the Mediterranean.
As you come to the Bay of Palma itself, with the fantastic Playa de Palma beach,
we arrive back in purpose-built land, with the popular resorts - particularly with
the German community - of S'Arenal & Can Pastilla. This whole area has been earmarked
by the government for a facelift - some of the apartment blocks are showing their
age - and there is hope that the end result will be more Miami Beach than anything
else.
Mallorcan Wine
Wine making has been part of the culture of Mallorcan living for centuries. It was
the Romans who first brought vines to the island. The industry prospered from the
14th century right up until the end of the 19th century, when the vines were attached
by a plague of phylloxera. The wine industry was wiped out, and much of the agricultural
land was replanted with almonds. A small number of vines were re-introduced but
only enough for local consumption. During the 20th century, the wines produced on
the island lacked finesse, and a great deal of the wine consumed in Mallorca was
imported from mainland Spain. - Properties Mallorca: Amidst the Mediterranean Culture.
However, during the 1990's, a group of determined local winemakers decided to invest
in their businesses in order to improve the quality of the wine. This included such
measures as better planting of popular grape varieties (like merlot, carbernet sauvignon,
syrah, chardonnay and viognier), the use of stainless steel tanks and equipment,
good irrigation systems and greater use of oak barrels. The traditional grape of
the island is Monastrell, which in itself isn't the best single varietal red wine,
but when it is blended with other grapes, the results can be superb. (Properties
Mallorca: The right choice.) The white wines and roses have also drastically
improved in quality, and all three sell at very competitive prices when compared
to Rioja or Crianza from the mainland.
Vine-growers throughout the island have continued their quest for high standards
and in 2007, a quality standard was introduced by the Balearic Councillor for Agriculture
and Fisheries, which can only be used by wines grown, produced and bottled in Mallorca.
Similar to the French AOC designation, the 'Denominacio d'Origen' classification
ensures the quality of Mallorcan wines.
The ancient coastal towers of Mallorca (part two)
The Tower of Souls (Torre de Ses Aimes), also known as Torre des Vergers was constructed
in the mid 1500s and is probably the most ancient tower remaining on Mallorca today.
Located on the C-170, 1.5 kilometres out of the village of Banyalbufar, in the direction
of Estellencs, it was built on a promontory to detect possible invasions by enemy
flotilla. Properties Mallorca: The most beautiful place in the Mediterranean.
Standing majestically on the coast line, it is one of the most emblematic landmarks
in the area and, arguably, offers the best panoramic view in Mallorca.
Records show it went to auction in 1875 and sold for just 78 pesetas. Some years
later it was acquired by the Archduke Lluis Salvador de Hasburgo-Lorena i Borbon.
Following ownership by the archduke it fell into disrepair. It was restored in 1995
by the Balearic Government and you can now visit it. Properties Mallorca - your place
in the Mediterranean. The interior contains a simple, narrow stone stairway
that takes you to the highest point. This is the spot where you can enjoy the stunning
views out to the Mediterranean.
A number of mysteries and legends surround the tower. It is said to be encircled
by an invisible force at night which has the power to entice and entrap any passerby
who dares to approach during the night, in wintertime.
Below the tower is a pathway that leads to the tiny fisherman's port called the
Pedra de s'Ase ('the stone of the donkey') so-called as, when viewed from the sea,
these rocky asymmetrical protrusions appear to resemble the ears of an ass or donkey.
It is along this pathway that ghostly apparitions have reportedly been sighted.
Legend has it that a nobleman once spent the night at the tower to verify the stories.
He came back with tales of tortured voices, screams, unexplained footsteps and the
sounds of keys turning in lock...
A new logo for Palma de Mallorca
The idea is to re-invent the island as year round holiday destination and promote
Palma as a weekend break destination. Palma's new Tourism Foundation is planning
to promote the island as a place that has more than just beaches, sun, and sea but
an island that can offer activities for all ages.
A competition was held to find a logo that captured the feel of Palma. Over 300
international entries were submitted to the panel of judges and presented the winner
with €12,000.
So, there is a new initiative to highlight the year round possibilities of the island,
the luxury choices in hotels and restaurants and the choices for short weekend breaks
in the capital.
Ryanair base in Palma
Ryanair has announced the opening of a new European base at the Son Sant Joan airport
in Palma, Majorca. The base will with four aircrafts operating 47 routes. Seventeen
of the planned routes are to new destinations, including Cork, Marseille and Stockholm.
CEO, Michael O'Leary, also pledged to increase the number of winter flights to and
from the UK. In total the airline anticipates flying 2.8 million passengers to and
from Palma annually. The good news comes after the airport saw double digit growth
in passenger numbers during key months last summer.
