Balearic Islands July 31-August 5, 2021
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Spain.
Mallorca. The largest of the Balearic Islands, and a classic among European travel destinations, with beaches, nightlife and spectacular mountains.
Menorca. The second largest island is the least overrun and most tranquil of the Balearics, with an unspoilt beauty, it allows the more adventurous the opportunity to discover new charms and experiences.
Ibiza. It is world-famous for its intense nightlife and huge clubs, and attracts top DJs from all over the planet.
Formentera. The smallest island is flat and sandy with magnificent, unspoilt beaches. It is perfect for cycling, walking, snorkelling and sailing.
I flew from Las Palma on Gran Canaria to Mallorca on Iberian Express (86E Including one large piece of luggage 50E, 3 hours). The Mallorca Airport near La Palma, was unbelievably busy with 75 arriving flights every 3.5 hours and seemed to continue without a break except for a few hours in the middle of the night. Wherever Ryan Air and the other budget airlines fly, there are many tourists.
I arrived about 6pm and decided to sleep in the airport on the soft rubber of an indoor playground near the only electrical plug on the entire landside part of the airport. There were 10 others with the same idea.
Spanish airports are notably deficient in the basics like plugs, restaurants and bathrooms in landside. Things improve airside.
MAJORCA
From the Palma Airport, I took the airport bus (5E) into the city getting off at the closest point to the scooter rental shop. I had specifically asked for a phone holder, but the owner had a one-tract mind unable to understand. As it turns out, his life involves only driving from his home and shop using the same 1km route. I doubt that he could navigate the old city of Palma, even on a scooter. All he says is “Don’t go to the east, see the mountains, follow the signs.” What a joke. I ended up checking Google Maps 5-25 times for each site I wanted to visit and probably drove 150kms basically lost. The key was to check your route at every roundabout – or in Palma, at every corner sometimes. Signs were only of value to find towns (unless you wanted to find a hotel, always well signed). No individual sites had any signs.
It took me at least 45 minutes to find my way out of Palma having checked Google Maps at least 20 times. The issue with GM is you lose scale and the map is always upright irrelevant of direction.
PALMA. Capital with bars, restaurants and shops, a beautiful harbour and a historical centre.
Driving in the historic centre is a true nightmare complicated by endless one ways that seem to form no pattern. The only way I could find the scooter rental on my return (much easier walking), was to go the wrong way down one-ways.
Museu de Mallorca. This municipal museum had only the first floor open – mostly religious art. Free
La Almudena. (Alcázar (fortified palace) of Palma. Rebuilt in 1309 by James II of Majorca, and then successively by the Aragonese monarchs and Spanish monarchs, the current structure corresponds to the one from the 14th century – the palaces of the King and of the Queen and the chapel of Saint Anne or the baths, are the most outstanding..
It is the official summer residence of the King and Spanish Royal Family, who also reside in the Palace of Marivent and the Palacio de la Zarzuela in Madrid.
Palma de Mallorca Cathedral. (Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma – Cathedral of St. Mary of Palma, La Seu) is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral built by the Crown of Aragón in 1229 on the site of a Moorish-era mosque. The cathedral is 121m long, 40m wide and its nave is 44 metres tall (Notre Dame de Paris 33m, Reims 38m, Notre-Dame d’Amiens 42m and in Saint-Pierre de Beauvais 48m, the highest of all Gothic cathedrals).
Begun by King James I of Aragon in 1229 atop the former citadel of the Roman city but only finished in 1601, it overlooks the Parc de la Mar and the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1901, fifty years after a restoration of the cathedral had started, Antoni Gaudí did some minor cosmetic changes. It is an imposing edifice as the flying buttresses are crowned with towers. Free but closed on Sundays!
Castell de Bellver. is a Gothic-style castle on a hill 3 km to the west of the center of Palma on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Majorca, and is one of the few circular castles in Europe. First serving as the residence of the Kings of Majorca, and afterward long used as a military prison throughout the 18th to mid-20th century, it is now under civilian control, being one of the main tourist attractions of the island, as well as the seat for the city’s History Museum.
The castle’s plan, a circular floor with round towers attached while the principal one is coupled to the complex by a high bridge over the surrounding moat.
The castle originally served as a residence for the Kings of Mallorca and was subsequently seldom used as a residence. As a fortification, it was seized by Aragon, and in 1391 during an anti-semitic peasant revolt. It fell once in 1521 during the Revolt of the Brotherhoods.
It combines a palace with defensive elements. The most notable feature is its circular shape of the surrounding wall and the inner yard, the three minor towers and the donjon (separated by a moat).
Climb the long flight of stairs up to the building. Free on Sundays.
Porto Pi lighthouse dates to 1300, the 3rd oldest working lighthouse in the world, after the Tower of Hercules (A Coruña, Galicia) and the Genova Light. It marked Palma and promoted it as a trade route. The lower part of the torre was originally a signal tower, defending the harbour entrance and signaling the arrival of incoming boats. In the 17th century, the upper part was relocated to a close-by safer spot, its height raised in 1613 and since used as a lighthouse. The tower is a square ground plan and the lamp sits on two octagonal bodies 41m above sea level with the reach of its light is twenty-two miles. In its interior is a small museum with a permanent exhibit regarding the lighthouses of the island, lighting systems, and maritime signals.
During the 2nd century, Mallorca criminals used the lighthouses to attract ships to the coast, then looted them when they became shipwrecked.
Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park is located just west of La Palma. Puig de sa Morisca (translation: “Moorish Peak”) is a hill, preserved in 2002 as an archaeological park. The park is 35 hectares and contains more than 15 sites and nine architectural elements that are ethnologically interesting. One of these sites, the Son Ferrer tomb, was excavated from 2000 through 2009, In addition, it includes Balearic flora found within a 10 km (6.2 mi) radius.
From Mallorca, I continued my drive basically encircling the Serra de Tramuntana. The Ma-10 highway north of A is one of the more stunning drives in the world. The range is rugged with dramatic mountains.
Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana WHS. Located on a sheer-sided mountain range parallel to the north-western coast of the island of Mallorca. Millennia of agriculture in an environment with scarce resources has transformed the terrain into agricultural terraces and inter-connected waterworks – including watermills – as well as dry stone constructions and farms terraces for the management of water revolving around farming units of feudal origins. Several villages, churches, sanctuaries, towers, lighthouses and small dry-stone structures contribute to its actual character.
Harvesting and management was introduced by the Christian conquerors, who took over Mallorca in the 13th century AD – orchards, vegetable gardens and olive groves – initially organized around small farm holdings, and later in large estates
Waterworks for collecting and storing water featured qanats (underground channels to harvest and transport water), canals, ditches, storage basins, and terraces supported by dry-stone walls with a sophisticated drainage system to avoid soil erosion.
Their land distribution and use pattern, comprising rocky areas on the tops of mountains, strips of woodland, slopes with terraces, extensive grazing land, fields for reaping, vineyards or fruit crops on flatter land, ensured over time the full exploitation of the existing resources. The Tramuntana pays testimony to the evolution of human settlement in a rugged and steep area of the island.
This impressive range of mountains covers the west and north side of the island. They
are rugged and appear to be limestone.
As you drive around the park, there are ancient, stone-fronted terraces. The best examples are seen around the towns of:
Estellencia
Banyalbufar. With the best terraces, most of the frequent cisterns were dry in August.
Valldemossa is a tourist hotspot with narrow lanes lined by stone houses topping out at a square with the George Sand and Frederic Chopin Museum.
Above Vallemossa, the highway climbs to its high point at Clarinet Pass (485m) with distant views of Palma.
SOLLER*
Around Soller were many olive groves with massive trunks.
I had a great Indian meal in Soller.
Soller tramway line. This old-fashioned tram has two green cars and is a nice ride through the town. 3E
Sóller Botanical Garden Fornalutx. This small garden has many indigenous plants of most of the Mediterranean islands plus a nice alpine section of Mallorca plants.
Fornalutx. Village NE of Soller
After the short drive to Fornalutx, I slept at the lovely mirador above Soller with views down to the Port of Soller at night. Up early, I passed many bicycles, many more than cars. This is a world-class bicycling area.
The drive continues through lovely country passing two large reservoirs that supply La Palma with water.
Platja de Formentor Beach. On a peninsula on the NE corner of Mallorca, and part of the Transmutana NP, it was a lovely drive here. One mirador provided panoramic views of the rugged coast. The yellow sand beach was quiet and had mostly families.
Ruines Romanes de Pollentia, Alucudia (a walled town). The Roman conquest of the island began in 123BC and was the beginning of urban life in Mallorca. The Roman town of Pollentia was built at a strategic location between the Bays of Alucudia and Pollenca. It was the most important city in the Balearics during the Roman period – between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD.
the present site has little interesting to see with a residential area of low walls and a few columns, a small theatre and a forum.
S’Albufera de Mallorca Nature Park. Birdwatchers come to this wetland in Mallorca from all over Europe to see rare migrants here like Montagu’s harriers and Eleanora’s falcons; species breeding here include stonechats, mustached warblers and the long-eared owl. Ospreys leave their breeding sites on the cliffs to come here to fish; peregrines and hoopoes live here all year round.
The name derives from the Arabic for ‘lagoon’, but the site has been exploited since Roman times. Pliny writes of night herons, probably from S’Albufera, being sent to Rome as a gastronomic delicacy. The wetlands were drained for agriculture in the l9th century by a British company that subsequently went bankrupt; the network of canals dates from this time.
Rice was introduced in the early 20th century, paper was manufactured from the reeds and sedge, and it is only since 1985, following fears that tourist development was damaging the area’s fragile ecology, that S’Albufera has been a protected nature reserve. There are footpaths, cycle trails, birdwatching hides and a visitors centre (about 20 min walk from the car park) with an audiovisual display room where you can listen to birdsong.
Playa de Muro beach. This large family, golden sand beach is part of a huge bay, all with beaches. It was relatively crowded. Several African men were struggling to make a living selling blankets on the beach.
Talayotic Culture They embrace the arrival of man on the island to the Medieval Islamic era. “Talayotic” refers to buildings in the form of a tower. Large blocks of stone were used in the island’s prehistoric constructions. Country houses and buildings were designed for raising cattle and sheep livestock. Thousands of kilometers of dry-stone walls form a grid.
Talayots: A truncated cone tower built with a dry cyclopean technique and located at the highest points in settlements.
Naviforms or Dwelling Navetas: Dwelling with an upturned boat floor plan because of its shape. Walls are covered with wood, stone and earth and rarely with stone slabs.
Hypogeums are artificial caves excavated from the subsoil with an access corridor, chamber and a bench.
Navetas: Collective funeral buildings originally circular and later, an upturned boat.
Settlements: Urban plan with integrated dwelling, defensive, artisanal and religious structures.
Wells: Can reach depths of 50 meters with zigzag steps strewn out of the natural rock to reach the aquifer to collect water.
Walls: Free-standing to surround the settlement.
Hypogeums: Artificial funeral caves, some compartmentalized with façades decorated with architectural motifs. In the walls of gullies and cliffs that look out to sea.
TheTalayots seen on Majorca were seen in this order. All are in the NM Vestiges of the Past series.
Ses Paisses, Arta. There was a large 320m wall with an imposing entrance formed by 3 great blocks. The talayots had a good roof. 3E
Talaiot de s’Heretat. (Claperdes Gigantes or Giants Quarry was the actual name). There were many structures and stone walls here surrounding the roofless talayots. Located next to a golf course, it was a short walk on a trail to the “village”. Free
Mestre Ramon archaeological site. Occupied from 1000-50 BC, this was hard to find as the faded sign was on a tree hidden by weeds. The structure was on a small hill visible from the highway but access was prevented by a lot of tall weeds. There was no trail and it appeared no one ever came here. Free
Closos de Can Gaià. Several small walls of U-shaped residential buildings of large white stones called navetes. On the side of the road. Free
Ses talaies De Can Jordi. Talayots are all intact and built using round stones. Free
Talaiot Capocorp Vell. Enter at the bar to see 3 round and 2 square largeTalayots, thought to be 2 or 3-stories high. The huge white stones have no mortar. They were thought to have a defensive purpose. Many walls scattered around the area, several with trees growing out of centre. 3E
Talaiots de Son Fornés. Has one of the better-preserved houses and two talayots. Free
Cuevas del Drach, Porto Cristo. Unfortunately the boat ride was not available (but the price was the same). Nice formations in the cave seen. 16E.
Mondrago Natural Park. A juniper forest with 5 short trails all less than 535m.
Molí d’Algaida, Algaida. The windmills on Mallorca are round, tall, stone windmills, with a conical roof and 6 vanes. It is uncertain that it was still working.
Sineu Windmill. Also round, tall, stone and with 6 vanes, it is also uncertain that it is working. It is occupied by the Restaurant Moli d’en Pau.
I stopped for gas in Sineu. I was not used to making sharp right-hand turns and accelerated into a palm tree, damaging the right front of the scooter and sustaining more abrasions on my right arm, inner right knee and left ankle – nothing very serious and would heal. The rental company charged me 400E.
I returned to the airport and caught my flight to Verona.
Mining Historical Heritage. Tentative WHS: (27/04/2007). The Mining Historical Heritage is a serial proposal consisting of 21 locations in nine provinces and regions spread over the entire country. The majority of the mining sites are coal and iron ore mines, but metals such as copper, silver, lead, gold and mercury were also mined. Among the selected sites are also stone quarries and salt works. In the oldest of these sites, mining activity dates back to the Neolithic period. Quarries excavated stone for use in all types of construction from the earliest settlers in the Talayotic Period to the present.
Extraction is in the form of blocks which are subsequently broken into smaller pieces for different applications in construction. Traditional quarrying was b the use of hand tools which left unique marks on the quarry wall. Mechanisation of the work resulted in a flat quarry face with deep cuts.
Get In. Airports: Palma de Majorca (one of the busiest airports I have been to with 75 flights every 3.5 hours, Ibiza and Mahón. Boat. Barcelona is an 8-hour night-crossing.
Get Around. Visit the centre of Palma on foot or hire scooters and bicycles. One railway line departs from the main station in the Plaza de España in Palma, to a number of villages on the island through a mountain range to the quaint village of Soller.
Where to next. Verona to pick up my VW California that has been parked there since January 2020.
Experiences
Tapas-hopping
Watch a Flamenco performance
NOMAD MANIA Spain – Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza)
Borders: Balearic islands (sea border/port)
XL: Cabrera
World of Nature: Cabrera Archipelago
Islands
MAJORCA
World Heritage Sites: Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana
Villages and Small Towns: Fornalutx
Festivals: Grape Throwing Festival, Mallorca
Beaches
Platja de Formentor
Playa de Muro
Planetariums: Mallorca Planetarium
Museums: Valldemossa: Frederic Chopin & George Sand Museum
Windmills
Algaida: Molí d’Algaida
Sineu Windmill
Caves
Cova des Pas de Vallgornera
Cuevas del Drach
Vestiges of the Past
Closos de Can Gaià
Mestre Ramon archaeological site
Ruines Romanes de Pollentia Ses Paisses
Ses talaies De Can Jordi
Talaiot Capocorp VellTalaiot de s’Heretat
Talaiots de Son Fornés
World of Nature:
Mondrago Natural Park
S’Albufera de Mallorca Nature Park
S’Albufera des Grau Nature Reserve
Windmills and Wheels
Algaida: Molí d’Algaida
Sineu Windmill
PALMA World City and Popular Town.
Airports: Palma (PMI)
Museums
Es Baluard
Fundació Pilar I Joan Miro
Museu de Mallorca
Castles, Palaces, Forts
Castell de Bellver
La Almudena
Religious Temples: Palma de Mallorca Cathedral
Entertainment/Things to do: Auditorium de Palma de Mallorca
Aquariums: Palma Aquarium
Lighthouses: Porto Pí Lighthouse
SOLLER*
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Soller tramway line
Museums: Can Prunera Museum of Modernism
Botanical Gardens: Sóller Botanical Garden
IBIZA World Cities and Popular Towns
World Heritage Sites: Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture
Airports: Ibiza (IBZ)
Beaches: Ibiza: Ses Salines
Aquariums: Sant Antoni de Portmany: Aquarium Cap Blanc
IBIZA (town)
Museums
Museu d’Art Contemporani d’Eivissa
Museu Puget
MENORCA
Tentative WHS: Talayotic Culture of Minorca (29/01/2013)
Airports: Mahón/Menorca (MAH)
Museums: Mahón: Museo de Menorca
Beaches
Cala Mitjana
Es Grau
Lighthouses: Cap d’Artrutx Lighthouse
FORMENTERA
Beaches: Cala Saona