Resort: Cala d'Or area

Located on Majorca's pretty south eastern coast is Cala d'Or, a carefully developed resort whose streets and squares are home to an elegant mix of waterfront cafés and restaurants overlooking a colourful, stylish marina and a busy commercial area. The town takes its name from its many beautiful golden 'calas' or coves, the prettiest of which are Cala Ferrera and Cala Llonga, linked to the main resort by the ever-popular mini-train. Inland from Cala d'Or are a myriad pretty Mallorquin villages, surrounded by miles of wonderful unspoilt countryside. One such village is Es Carritxo, a tiny hamlet which is home to a few houses, a cafe-bar, a garden centre and a surprisingly huge cathedral-size church. A few kilometres away, nearby S'Horta boasts a bank, a bar, a church and a supermarket.

Region: Majorca

The History
Like all the Balearic islands, Majorca has welcomed, or at least attracted, many a foreign visitor over the centuries, from the Phoenician and Cartheginian traders of the seventh and eighth centuries who stopped here en route to neighbouring Ibiza, to successive occupation by the Romans, the Moors and the Spanish, interspersed by regular raids by North African pirates. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Napoleonic wars on the mainland drove many Catalan refugees to Majorca, resulting in huge social and economic change. Today, the island tradition of hospitality, albeit sometimes reluctant, has encouraged its people to welcome with open arms the birth of tourism. Mallorcans are a warm and sociable people who are fiercely proud of 'La Isla de la Calma' (the Peaceful Island) and work hard to promote and encourage its reputation as Europe's favourite holiday island.

The Island
Glorious sun-soaked sands stretch for miles all around the coast of Majorca, shelving gently into clear blue sea and indented by many a soft sandy cove for more secluded sunbathing. Inland, the island boasts an unexpectedly dramatic natural splendour as towering mountains sweep majestically down into pine-clad valleys. The picturesque countryside around the old town of Pollensa on the north coast is a colourful patchwwork of fertile fruit orchards and lightly wooded glades, bordered by gently rolling hillsides to the south and the dramatic soaring rocky outcrops of Majorca's northern mountains. Then suddenly the countryside changes to rolling fields and rippling wheat fields, dotted here and there with working windmills and occasional rocky outcrops, often with a monastery or shrine built at the top.

The Resorts
From the beauty and tranquillity of the stylish resorts along its northern shores, to the more hectic lifestyle of the west coast and the golden sand-fringed coves of the south, this wonderful island offers a holiday resort to suit all ages and inclinations. Not content with some of the best and softest beaches in the Mediterranean, Majorca offers everything under the sun for holiday entertainment too, whether it be the bright lights of Magaluf and Arenal, the family appeal of towns such as Cala San Vicente and Cala d'Or or the cosmopolitan sophistication of the island's s capital city, Palma.

The Nightlife
Evening entertainment on the island is legendary, with mouthwatering restaurants, friendly bars, tempting cafés and stylish nightclubs in all the main coastal towns. Some resorts are quieter, with after-dark activities revolving around eating out and a few drinks at a local bodega, but others enjoy a more colourful, non-stop nightlife. the island's eating places cater for every taste, from fast food to haute cuisine. International dishes are served everywhere, whilst local specialities include pizza, seafood dishes and fresh fish or, of course, paella.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Average flight time: 2 hours
Language: Spanish
Currency: Euros
Tourist office: Spanish Tourist Office, PO BOX 4009, London W14 6NB
Telephone: 0845 940 0810
Website: www.tourspan.co.uk