PALMA DE MALLORCA TOWN

Let's begin this photo report with Palma de Mallorca, the islands capital, and its georgeous Cathedral La Seu. It overlooks the harbour of Palma almost like a bright mountain. It was built in the 13th century after the King Jaime, leading the Spanish troops, freed the island from the invaders. This photo was shot in the early evening, making use of the last warm sunlight.

Another photo of "La Seu", this time captured in the morning. The huge rose window on the eastern wall of the cathedral (with more than 11 meters circumference) is one of its unique features. It illuminates the interior through 1,200+ colored glass pieces.

This huge cross stands in front of the "La Seu" cathedral. - By the way, if you come to Palma with your car, we strongly recommend to use the garage Parc de la Marwhich is conveniently located within walking distance of the Cathedral. It can be accessed easily from the Autopista de Llevant, separating the Cathedral from the harbour.

Next to the cathedral you will find the Palacio de la Almudina, which contains the King's Palace (Palacio Real). When the Spanish King is on Mallorca, he will reside here. The rest is used by the military, and only the museum of the palace is open for visitors today.

Another photo of the Palacio Real, this time seen from the east with a huge water fountain.

Here, the Palacio de la Almudina is seen from Costa de Lase, right behind the main building. From here, you can easily enter the old town of Mallorca, or visit theS'Hort del Rei, a small garden providing shadow and peace.

The S'Hort del Rei also has nice

fountains, and their faint noise adds to the peaceful environment here. I can well imagine that the kings of the past did enjoy this place as well.

But now let's dive into the old town of Palma. A few steps behind the cathedral you will find the Placa Pescateria, surrounded by beautiful, well-maintained houses.

Directly at the Placa Pescateria is the Ajuntament, the City Hall. During the day, many old Majorcines will use the benches in front of the building to rest and chat, or just to sit there in the shadow of the mighty roof and watch the people rushing by.

This is one of the many tiny streets right behind the cathedral. Small shops offer everything from

gifts to wine, from books to clothes.

The Placa Major marks the city center of Palma, with many restaurants and cafes, and a

market (Saturdays). The place is a huge rectangle surrounded by

appartment houses, and a lot of self-appointed artists (like

theZorro in the lower right corner of the photo) can be found here

during high season.

But some of these artists tend to be noisy (for example, the omni-present music groups from Peru). The situation clearly has gotten out of control over time, and the neighbors are voicing their quiet protest with big signs that read

"No Invasiones Barbaras", "Ibasta ya de ruidos", "Aqui vivimos

personas", and "El ayunta miento no comple la ley".

I also prefer the silent arts, like painting. :-) Here, a graphic artist is waiting for customers in the old town of Mallorca, but these keep just strolling by - desinterested.

At the Placa de Marre de Seu, you'll find the Church Sant Miquel.

It is very popular with the Majorcins, as its interior is beautiful and fully intact.

A bit further up the street Carrer Sant Miquel we recommend to visit this beautifully decorated

backyard with changing art exhibitions.

A must-see is the Mercado Olivar, the most beautiful and most

complete market in Palma. This photo shows one of the side

entrances where tourists are just enjoying the come and go of the

shopping crowd.

At the Mercado Olivar you can get any food you can imagine in a

superior quality - be it fresh fish (see photo), meat, bread, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and more.

Plus, the building is fully climatized, so it is a perfect stop

on a hot day.

The Avinguda Jaume III is basically the high street of Palma. Here you

will find many major brands but also smaller shops with very

personal service. If you're into shopping, this is your place! :-)

Shadow is one of the most welcome things during the heat

around noon and early afternoon. People catch a nice table in one of the many street cafes, like here at

the Pl. Weyler...

...or here at the "Cafe De Sa Rambla" at the Passeig de la

Rambla.

Others go straight into one of the restaurants, like here at the

"Bodega La Rambla" (again, at the Passeig de la Rambla).

A waiter writes the daily specials to a blackboard, at the Carrer Oms

in Palma.The alley Passeig des Born used to be a pretty meeting place for the Majorcines. However, since the city cut back on the trees, taking their shadows as well,

theBorn is not too inviting any longer, at least not when it's hot.

Once you proceed from the town center to the harbour, you will

notice the monuments dedicated to the Balearic Marines. The text says: "A Los Heroes del Crucero

Baleares - Gloria A La Marina Nacional - Viva Espana"

Let's walk along the harbour at the Avinguda de Gabriel Roca.

This is one of the beautiful gothic windows of "The Llotja". It is one of the most impressing buildings

of Palma. While it looks like a church, it was the merchants

center in former days.

This is the small green next to the Avinguda de Gabriel Roca,

separating the street from the harbour.

This old windmill can be found opposite Palma's yacht harbour, at

the Carrer dels Gambins, right next to the old city walls.

Palma's yacht harbour, seen from the Avinguda de Gabriel Roca. It's nice to see a number of smaller boats as well and not just big

yachts!

A bit down the Avinguda you will find the restaurant "El Pesquero"

sitting next to the traditional fishnets of the fishers, to be

repaired by them. As you can imagine, the "Pesquero" is a

Tapas bar with a focus on fish, and it sports easily one of the best

locations in Palma de Mallorca. Sitting on the patio, watching the

harbour with the fisher boats coming in - a wonderful

experience! (Daily 10am to 3pm)

The traditional harbour of Palma. Despite all the glitziness of the

celebrity yachts and the tourism, you can feel that Palma is still a

lively city, made for and by "normal people". Which is good.

The "Genie of the Isles" ("El Genio de Las Islas") at the harbour faces

the last sunbeams of the late afternoon. It features a feminine

bronze statue in a somewhat strange position, a bit like a

dancer. Her left hand carries a laurel crown, while her right hand carries a torch. The inscription on

the stone pedestal reads: "The genie of the islands. To all those who with their initiative and work

in the commerce, the industry and navigation have contributed to the progress and the prosperity of our

islands. The Chamber of Commerce, celebrating its first

century, 1886-1986". The inauguration was celebrted on the

28th August 1986. - The statue was created by Spanish artist

Luisa Granero.

The late afternoon casts long shadows across the Avinguda de

Gabriel Roca in Palma de Mallorca. The traffic is slow, while the city prepares for a hot night, once more awaiting the party-

goers of the night.

SOUTH-EAST

And now let's hop over to the South-East of Mallorca, to the beautiful village called Cala Figuera. This is the view across the bay and its protected harbour.

The harbour of Cala Figuera is small yet beautiful. As it is quite narrow, you won't find too many big yachts here, rather the traditional small fisher boats, just like...

...this one. An excellent detail of a traditional small Majorcin fisher boat.

Fishers sit at the harbour of Cala This is the view from the harbour This is the patio of the "Villa

Figuera, repairing their nets in the afternoon sun. The fact that it is still a working harbour adds definitely to its charme.

towards the sea. The village stretches along the coast, with the wonderful Hotel "Villa Sirena" sitting on top of the cliffs. The location of this hotel is fantastic, as three sides offer sea views. If you have a chance, we definitely suggest to go for this hotel! Friends recommended it to us, but it was already fully booked when we inquired. :-(

Sirena". Why not enjoy your drink here, before (or after) strolling through Cala Figuera? Awesome views are guaranteed.

Here are some of the excellent restaurants in the upper part of Cala Figuera, situated on the southern side of the bay. We suggest to try at least theRestaurant Pizzeria Es Port. You will like both the atmosphere and the food!

Another beautiful patio of a restaurant in Cala Figuera.

Two cyclists approach Santanyi on the PM-610. Mallorca is a perfect place for cycling because most of the smaller roads are perfectly paved, yet they do not carry much traffic.

This is the beach of Cala Santanyi, which is actually situated 3.5 km

outside of Santanyi. While it is just a small beach, it offers three restaurants and several nice

appartments and hotels nestled around the beach.

Another photo of Cala Santanyi with its chrystal clear blue-green water. It's a joy to swim here, and it's safe - no big waves, no rocks

on the ground.

Next to the beach you have an area for small ships, mostly used by divers who start their daytrip

here.

View across Cala Llombards, from the southern side of the bay. In the distance (on the right side)

you can see the entrance for Cala Santanyi.

This is the beautiful beach of Cala Llombards. We had our hotel in this village, which turned out to

be a bit of a problem as we wanted to explore the whole

island. Not very smart if you book a hotel in the south-east of the

island!

This is the awesome view from our hotel room at the Hotel Poesia. For some strange reason I woke up at 5 am, right before sunrise, and I stumbled to the patio, grabbing

the camera to capture the scenery. The mountains of

the Serra de Llevant provided a shield for the rising sun. The

result: beautiful contrast, with some nightly fog still lingering between the trees. - About the hotel: The Casa Poesia is rather simple, yet very cozy and quiet.

Plus the staff is very friendly, managing the house in a family style, more like a B&B than a

hotel. So we definitely recommend to consider it if you plan to stay in

the Santanyi area.

Colonia de San Jordi is a modern village in the Campos/Santanyi

area with a small working harbour. But it is not too crowded, and you will not find any tall appartment

complexes. Restaurants line up at the beach promenade (C. Gabriel Roca). We enjoyed delicious food

at the Marisol Bar with views acrss the beach and the yacht harbour.

This is one of the beaches of Colonia Sant Jordi. The sun was

very low already and casted long shadows, but it was still warm,

and the people were only slowly packing their stuff to go home.

This is the beach called Platja de la Rapita. It is part of the long and

unspolit natural Es Trencbeach, located just north of Colonia de San Jordi. You will find tourists only on the first one hundred

meters or so (because this part is close to the bar and the parking lots) - after that you will be more

or less alone on the beach!

But there is more to find in the Santanyi area than just beaches! This, for example, is the Castell

de Santueri, an old castle situated roughly 7 km south of Felanitx. A

curvy road leads up to the top and to the ruins of the castle.

Unfortuately, the castle is closed and can not be visited. But it's a beautiful place anyway, and the view from the top is awesome.

The Santuari de la Consolacion is an old monastery. Its a quiet

place, sitting on top of a hill, just off C-717 between Santanyi

s'Alqueria Blanca.

The main entrance of the Santuari de la Consolacion. Right behind

the massive door you will enter a tiny, yet beautiful inner

courtyard...

...that consists of several palms and trees, all enclosed by the big

walls.

The entrance to the chappel of the Santuari offers nice shadows,

inviting for a short rest. Where else can you can find such peace

and silence?

The small village of Punta de Capdepera offers not only a

perfect touristic infrastructure, like many hotels, shops and

restaurants - but it also offers a

The yacht harbour of Punta de Capdepera adds to the positive

impression of the village.

The beaches of the village are located at Cala Guya, just north of

the village center. The water is clean and warm, with bright green

and blue colors.

rugged waterfront that makes an interesting difference to the

typical setup where the beach is usually close to the city center.

Fortunately, the village has refrained from building any high

rises, so it could preserve its image very well. It's located close

to the Parc Natural de laPeninsula de Llevant which offers

beautiful hikes.

A photo of Cala Guya against the sun. This beach and in fact the whole village is quite far away

from the vibrant Palma de Mallorca - but if you are interested to just "get away" from your daily work, this may be the place to go.

The beautiful town of Arta (pop. 6,000) marks the center of the

region. Its pilgrimage church "San Salvador" and the Arabian bastion

can be seen from the distance (pictured here on the right side of

the photo).

Here is the church inside the Arabian Bastion, which sits on top

of the hill right behind theTransfiguracio del Senyor from

the 13th century.

This is the patio of the Bastion with its huge palm trees. It offers

awesome views across Arta's surroundings...

...as well as views of Arta itself. Here you see that the town is

made up from many small streets.

This is the church Transfiguracio del Senyor, seen from the Arabian

Bastion in Arta.

Now it's time to go to the beaches of Mallorca's east coast. Let's

begin with this beautiful beach in the town center of Portocristo...

Bright sand and clear blue water make the beach of Portocristo one of the highlights. But the town has

much to offer than just an excellent beach!

Portocristo also sports a yacht harbour with several restaurants. Enjoy your meal anytime of the

day while watching the activity at the harbour.

The final photo of Portocristo - the yacht harbour with hotels and

appartment houses.

About 15 km south of Portocristo you will find a series of seven

beaches called "Calas de Mallorca". This is one of them,

Cala Murada, with several villas, some small hotels, and a beach

bar centered around the beautiful and clean beach.

Here is another beach of the "Calas de Mallorca" - Cala

Domingos, a paradise of white sand, blue and green water. There

are some bigger hotels in this area, so the beach might get

crowded during high season. Then again, you have several beaches

to choose from, so finding the right one should not be a problem.

:-)

EAST COAST

Another nice little town on the East Coast is Portocolom. Here,

you see the yacht harbour and the lighthouse Punta de ses Crestes.

We had lunch at the HPC Restaurant, which -despite its

strange name- offers good service and excellent food.

Finally, two photos of Felanitx (pop. 14,000), founded in the 13th

century. The town claims to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, but this has never

been confirmed. The photo shows the Central Placa with a street

cafe.

This is the mighty church Sant Miquel of Felanitx with its long

steps, certainly a must-see when you are in the area.

Sineu is a small town in the center of Mallorca. It is beautiful, yet

unspectacular. But once a week, on Wednesdays, the town gets

flooded by tourists, coming from all areas of the island to enjoy a

very special market: The traditional Market of Sineu.

The market offers all the typical products you would expect, like

vegetables, fruit, ham, and cheese.

The Sineu market merchants are all locals and very friendly. Their products are fresh and tasty. You may ask: "now, common, what

makes this market so special that tourists come in busloads?" The

answer is easy...

On the Sineu market you can buy animals, small and big. It's the traditional trading place for the

whole region, and the local people actually do buy their animals

here!

This dealer has just three animals left, and he is discussing the

latest sale with a friend.

This is a view across the main Placa of Sineu where the animals

are being sold.

I think the best bit of this market is the fact that it is not just

populated by tourists. This is a weekly event, also important for

the locals to get in touch, to meet, to talk - or simply to watch the

action.

Another rabbit has found a new owner, and I am sure that this girl will be quite happy with her new

friend.

This buyer carries away his new caprine. It's interesting to see that the animals -if handled properly- do not defend themselves. This one was just crying badly. But I

assume that it forgets pretty quick.

The Restaurant Sa Placa, situated on the square by the church main entrance. It is quite busy around lunch time, so be prepared for

some waiting. You will want to try the famous dish called "frito

mallorquin" here.

The church of Sineu is a remarkable landmark, regardless by which direction you approach

the town.

The small church of Randa, 5 kilometers south of Algaida. From Randa you can hike (or drive) all

the way up to the top of the mountain Puig de Randa. The

sidetrip is really worth it, as you will encounter several excellent views and three monasteries.

The first monastery that you will come across is the Oratorio de Nuestra Senyora de Gracia. Its entrance is situated in a narrow

curve, so watch out to not miss it. The Oratorio contains a beautiful

chapel (see next photo), but it also offers conference rooms (please call 971 180 479 for

inquiries).

This is the Oratorio de Nuestra Senyora de Gracia - a holy place. Some of the interior is from the original chapel "Santa Ana" that

was built in the 18th century here. Unfortunately, it did not survive.

On the top of the mountain you will finally reach Nuestra Senyora de Cura, a big monastery founded

in 1275.

Nuestra Senyora de Cura is located 540 meters above the sea,

and once the day tourists are

One part of the Monastery is dedicated to an exhibition of

agricultural tools of the past. The The final photo of the garden

ofNuestra Senyora de Cura. If you plan to visit the area, please make

gone, it offers true tranquility and peace. There is even a small hotel

up here, with simple yet stylish rooms.

cat (in the lower right corner) obviously enjoys the place. :-)

sure to visit this monastery as well!

NORTH

This set of 15 photos is dedicated to the North of Mallorca. The most

impressive area here is theFormentor peninsula, and a visit is a "must". Here we are at the first photo stop towards the

"Punta la Nau", just off PM-221. As you can see, the weather was

awesome.

Take your time exploring the viewpoint ("Mirador de Mal Pas") -

it offers fantastic views on a convenient platform.

Unfortunately, there is no big parking lot at the viewpoint, so

you sometimes may have to wait a few minutes before you can

actually park your car - but again, it's worth it!

Another photo of the first viewpoint at Formentor. It's very

steep (more than 200 meters above sealevel), so please be

cautious when walking up to the top!

At the first "mirador" on Formentor you will also find the

monument dedicated to the architect Antonio Paretti Coll, who built the curvy street that leads from Port de Pollenca to the Cap

de Formentor. By the way, he also built the street down to Sa

Calobra which is even more curvy and steep.

A last photo from this viewpoint, across Punta la Nau. Now let's

head on to the Cap Formentor...This lighthouse, built in 1862, is

situated at the end of Formentor, and getting there is a serious

adventure from a drivers perspective! The closer you get, the narrower the road becomes.

We suggest to take a windbreaker if you want to go there, its

exposed location guarantees a cool wind almost at all times.

Between Port de Pollenca and theCap de Formentor you will

findPlatja Formentor, which mainly consists of a hotel (wisely named "Hotel Formentor") and a beach

with restaurant and pier. The water is -as you can see here-

crystal clear and invites for a bath.

The bay is called "Cala Pi de la Posada". In the back you can see

the "Hotel Formentor" shining through the trees. The hotel was built in 1929 by Adam Diehl, who

had the vision of international VIP's visiting this secluded place

to relax. And he got them all: Winston Churchill and Soraya

were here, Audrey Hepburn and Michael Douglas enjoyed the

beach.

Today, the beach in front of the hotel is open to the public, and

while the exclusivity of the hotel is still present, the place is a lot more crowded than in former

times. When you visit Formentor, you should definitely have at least

a brief look at the beach!

Cala Pi is also used by yachts and ferries. Here several short trips

arrive and depart, giving plenty of opportunities to enjoy the sea.

Another beauty in the North of Mallorca is the town of Alcudia. Its old town is simply stunning. The

photo shows the magnificient church Sant Jaume (built in 1248),

next to the roman excavations and the parking lot.

But Alcudia is also a vibrant small town with several shops and

restaurants. Here, you will be able to taste some of the finest foods

of Mallorca!

This is a view towards the old town entrance. Researchers think

that the town was already very active during the Roman empire,

A side view of the old town entrance. Today, there is a small

park next to the entrance.

This is the top of the Mayors' office in Alcudia ("Casa

Consistorial"), where you also find the tourist information office. The

roof and the clock are heavily

when Quintus Caecilius Metellus built the islands capital here,

named "Pollentia". The city walls were erected in the 13th century

as protection against pirates.

ornamented and look stunning. Alcudias' old town is a good place for your stay on Mallorca, as you can easily get to Formentor and

the Cap de Pinar, but also a trip to the West Coast and Palma does

not take too long!

NORD-WEST

Now let's visit one of the most attractive areas on the island of Mallorca - the North West Coast. This is the town of Selva, seen

from the distance. It is one of the entrances to to the so-calledSierra

de Tramuntana, 140 kilometers long, separating the coastline

from the rest of the island. From here, you use the PM-213 towards

Lluc.

One of the definite "must-sees" in this area is the small village of Sa Calobra, with the major attraction being the "getting there". This is

the PM 214-1, and with roughly 12 kilometers length it is certainly

the "Crookiest Street of the World" - outside a city. Inside a

city, this is still claimed byLombard Street in San

Francisco. :-)

Here is another view on the PM 214-1 to Sa Calobra. I did this photo from the top, where the

road suddenly does a 270 degree turn - you will find a restaurant

and a viewpoint there.

On your way, you will come to another wicked place on this road - the street narrows down so that just one car can pass at a time. The traffic from Sa Calobra is

given priority because they are fighting against the steepness of the road. Please note that buses

are typically driving in convoys, so be prepared to see up to 15 buses

in a row!

Shortly before Sa Calobra, you will come across the "Cavall Bernat"

viewpoint. Here, you have a fantastic view across Cala de Sa

Calobra and the village itself.

To be honest, Sa Calobra is not really a village. It just contains of a number of restaurants and one

hotel (which must be beautiful and ultimately quiet once the day tourists are gone). Other than that, there is a pier for tourist

ferries and a tiny beach.

View across Sa Calobra and its tiny beach. It is certainly big

enough for the few tourists that come here with the intention of going to the beach - most come here to take the ferry to Port de

Soller.

Here, we see the ferry for Port de Soller at the tiny pier...

...and this is a fearless tourist, swimming right next to the ferry, well knowing that it will not yet

depart. But he is aware that he is the center of the attraction for the

passengers on the ferry! :-)

But Sa Calobra has one more attraction - the Torrent de

Pareiswhich can be reached by a short five-minute walk through

several narrow tunnels. The walk will offer you awesome views on the Cala de Sa Calobra (just like this one and the next couple of

photos).

This yacht is visiting Cala de Sa Calobra and is moored at

theTorrent de Pareis. The crew is -after an exhausting sailing trip- preparing to take a refreshing

bath in the clear water of the bay.

Tourists are taking a bath in theCala de Sa Calobra close to

theTorrent de Pareis, the secluded beach on the north-west of

Mallorca. It takes some time to get there, especially if you consider the drive to the village itself, but we are certain that you will enjoy

this place as we did when we were there!

This is a view back into theTorrent de Pareis, the canyon and small

river that ends in the sea. You can hike the canyon, but watch out for rain! When it rains, the river may

swell quickly and you have no

That's why we recommend to stay at the tiny beach. It is very

crowded, but you get used to it! :-)

A final photo impression from our sidetrip to Sa Calobra: the

mountains close to the village. But now let's move on to see some of

Mallorca's culture...

chance to get away from the flood.

Between Sa Calobra and Selva you should visit the Sanctuary of Lluc ("Monestir de Lluc"), built around

1250. From the exhibition: "Lluc is, above all, a place of prayer, the words of the heart spoken aloud.

Pere-Joan Campins, Bishop of Mallorca between 1898 and 1915,

was a great protector of the Sanctuary. His statue (see photo) represents his prayers that mingle with those of the humble people of Mallorca, who communicate with

the Virgin with the votive candles..."

"... In this square, in front of the church building, the commotion of

the outside world starts to fade away and is replaced by a sense of worship. At Lluc, the living God calls out to all men and turns no

one away." - Indeed, the Sanctuary is still a quiet place,

despite all the tourists that come here to experience the silence. :-)

Next to the main square, you will find a restaurant and a small

hotel, offering simple rooms (the hotel is run by the Sanctuary).

This is the beautiful church of Lluc. Each year on September 9th (or

the following Sunday), the biggest religious ceremony of Lluc is being celebrated here. 20,000+ people from all over Mallorca march to

the church (by foot)!

The main attraction at the Sanctuary in Lluc is the original "Black Madonna" La Moreneta, created in the 13th century and

still in a very good condition. You will find it in a smaller back room

behind the main church.

The last photo from Lluc - the interior of the Sanctuary with high ceilings and several paintings on

the walls.

On your way from Lluc to Port de Soller, you should leave the C-710 for a brief stop in Fornalutx. This is the main plaza (Placa d'Espanya) with restaurants, cafes and shops.

Fornalutx is home to some 500 people, and the village is

beautifully situated within Lemon- and Orangefarms. And this beauty has already won prizes, the most

important one being "Most Beautiful Village in Spain" (three

times!).

Another photo of Fornalutx. It is remarkably clean, and the small

streets invite for further exploration of the village. You

should plan for a minimum stay of 90 minutes to see it all without

stress (they have paid parking, so this information might come

handy). :-)

The surrounding hills of Fornalutx, some go as high as 1,000 meters

up which is quite remarkable, because you are almost at sea

level here.

One of the restaurants close to the Placa d'Espanya - when we

were there (on a Thursday), it was not too busy, but we have been

told that during high-season it can get quite crowded here!

The last photo of Fornalutx - a visitor relaxes in the shadow of one of the old houses. Now let's

head on to Port de Soller...

Port de Soller is a beautiful town situated at the Bahia de Soller. But its unique feature is the old public transport tram from 1913 that connects Soller and Port de Soller. The friendly drivers even

The ride between Soller and Port de Soller does not take long, but

the historic coaches attract visitors whenever the trains

arrive. The end point is at the harbour, where you can

The Es Repic Beach of Port de Soller is a small, yet quiet and clean place, even during high

season. The harbour protects the beach from any bigger waves or

currents, so it's quite safe to swim

wait for a photo or two and keep smiling (now compare that to your

hometown!). :-)

conveniently sit in a cafe to wait for the next train.

here.

Another photo of Es Repic, this time photographed towards the harbour. The harbour is pretty

active. Of course there are yachties, but you will also find small ferries for day-trips and

fisher boats.

Here, a boat owner gives a new paint to his boat in the harbour

ofPort de Soller.

The next stop on your trip along the north-west coast should be Deia, another beautiful small

village (pop. 600), built around a hill with the church Sant Joan

Bautista.

Due to its exposed location, the village of Deia has been the target of pirates in the past. Today, the pirates are long gone (and have

been replaced by real estate agents). By the way, if you meet a

lot of Germans here, don't be surprised - a German public

broadcaster filmed a TV series here ("Hotel Paradies"), and since it aired, Germany collectively has

"discovered" this lovely spot.

A bit further down the road C-710 you will come across the Punta de

sa Foradada, a small peninsula pointing straight to the sea. If you

have the time, you may walk down from the parking lot to the peninsula. This may take up to

one hour.

Alternatively, you may just enjoy the view of the sunset from the

parking lot of the Son Marroighouse like this couple

does. The house was built in the 16th century and is used as

museum today. When we were there, the restaurant was closed

under re-construction, but we hope that they will re-open soon. It would be a pity if they didn't.

WEST

On our last day, we explored the West of Mallorca, between Sant

Elm and Palma. This is the beautiful village of Sant Elm, at the very end of PM-103. White

yachts are moored on crystal clear blue-green water, the sky is blue,

and the bench is waiting for someone to enjoy the scenery.

How much better can it possibly get?

Sant Elm could preserve its charme just because the village

can be reached only through some curvy, narrow roads. While

there are a few bigger hotels, these do not disturbe the overall impression of a peaceful place for a vacation. The village was first mentioned in the 13th century, and the Castell de Sant Elm can

still be seen today.

Another photo of Sant Elm (or, as it is called in Castellan -Madrid Spanish-, San Telmo). You have access to the beach and to the

rocky coastline from almost anywhere in the village - stairs

lead from the main street down to the water. But we actually prefer

their beach... :-)

This is the central beach of Sant Elm (San Telmo), and you can see one of the very few bigger hotels on the left side. The view must be fantastic. Just imagine sitting on

the patio in the evening, watching the sun go down, and having a

nice red wine!

Another photo of the central beach in Sant Elm. The beach is

clean, wide enough for everyone, and has all the facilities,

restaurants and shops nearby.

The final photo of Sant Elm. The village is a good starting point for hikes into the surrounding hills. Or take a boat trip to the Parc Natural

de Dragonera, an island right in front of the bay. The island is fully dedicated to the Natural Park, and

is a paradise for nature lovers!

Now let's hop over to Port d'Antratx, a stylish and chic yacht harbour. I bet the two girls on the photo enjoy the view as much as I

Port d'Andratx may not be best known for its beaches, but for its

excellent restaurants at the harbour. They will be happy to

There not just yachts in the harbour of Port d'Antratx, but also

traditional fisher boats like this one. A walk along the piers is

do. :-) cater you almost any time of the day, and the awesome views will be included (and yes, they have tables in the shadow as well).

quite enjoyable.

Now, there is a small beach at Port d'Antratx, but if you are coming to Mallorca to go to the beach, you

will probably want to look somewhere else for your hotel.

Port d'Antratx is all about yachts and restaurants (see next

slide). :-)

Another photo of the awesome location the restaurants in Port

d'Antratx offer to the tourist. There are several restaurants lined up at the

harbour, and each offers such wonderful tables on the patio.

On your way back to Palma, we recommend to use the PM-102

and watch out for those awesome views of the Platja de Camp de

Mar. Villas with yachts in the clear water - one starts to wonder what you actually have to do to live in

such a nice place?

Camp de Mar, seen from the distance. The village has a

number of big hotels, and the beaches are quite crowded. Yet

these hotels blend with the beautiful location surprisingly well.

Another photo of Camp de Mar. This beach is located right next to the

hotels, so you do not need a rental car. However, if you want to explore the island further, then we strongly

recommend to get one for a few days.

This is the Cala de Santa Ponca, seen from Sa Caleta (west of

Santa Ponca). While this photo shows the impressive shoreline, the bay is lined with some big hotels on the other side of the

bay, so be careful when booking a hotel in Santa Ponca or Costa de

la Calma.

Sa Caleta also has a yacht harbour with all facilities for the sailor. It's

beautifully situated and is definitely worth a stop on your

trip.

This is the wide beach of the village Peguera. The village is quite

faceless, but providing a good infrastructure for the mass tourism,

like shops and restaurants. We recommend to stay away

from Peguera.

Well, having said that, the wide and clean beach of Peguera is well worth a visit. In any case, do not forget to bring a sun umbrella! :-)And that basically concludes our trip report. On the next couple of

slides I put together a few impressions of Mallorca that did not fit anywhere else. Hope you

like it!

A young lady dreams, floating on the clear water of Cala Llado, Sant

Elm, Mallorca, Spain.

One of the typical windmills of Mallorca, found in Cas Coix close to Es

Trenc.

A sailing yacht makes its way through the Mediterranian Sea in the afternoon sun. Photographed

from Son Marroig, off PM-111.

Harvesting begins early on Mallorca. Most of the fields are

already done in June, like this field in Cas Coix in the South-East.

Oranges are a typical produce of Mallorca, Spain, and appear to be

much fresher and juicer than what we get in our supermarkets in Northern

Europe. I photographed these oranges on the Sineu market.

Peaches are also a local produce of Mallorca, Spain. These peaches were on sale on the Sineu market

at 1.50 Euro per kilo.

Street signs of Mallorca. I found these in the beautiful village of

Fornalutx in the North-West.Many old houses on the island of

Mallorca are simply that - old. The closed windows and dominance of

grey and dark colours provide a good impression of how it is in a typical town during Siesta. Found in Arta.

A street sign pointing the way to Palma de Mallorca.

This is the last photo of this set, but if you want to start over with

our photos from Palma de Mallorca, please click here.