Do you only associate Majorca with baking hot summer, sunbathing and refreshing dips in the sea? This island offers so much more to visitors than just beautiful coves, sand and water. The seasons of autumn and winter are the perfect time of year to explore the interior of the island, visit the sights and do some sports without suffering from the intense summer heat. Winter in Majorca offers mild temperatures, sunny skies and quiet streets. See what winter attractions await you on this unique island!
Palma de Mallorca
The largest city and capital of Mallorca is Palma de Mallorca. You will fall in love with this climatic city that offers visitors everything they could possibly want: a charming harbour with a promenade, a palm tree-lined avenues, the Old Town, museums, galleries, churches, exclusive shops, parks, bars, good restaurants serving local cuisine and spaces and centres to practice a variety of sports. The symbol of the city is the cathedral of La Seu, which is a must-visit and is best viewed from the sea. The Paseo Maritio or the Plaza de Santa Catalina is where you find find nightclubs and parties and the city is filled with activities for children, including a visit to Palma Aquarium. The Aquarium offers 55 tanks, 700 species and the opportunity to dive with sharks. This is just a taster of what Palma offers, come and see for yourself!
Walking on the Beach
During winter, the busy beaches and coves of Majorca do not lose their charm and they are definitely a lot calmer and the milder temperatures encourage visitors to enjoy long walks along these empty beaches. Choose the east coast - Alcudia, Playa de Muro and Can Picafort - which is famous for its long, sandy beaches surrounded by pine trees. Here you can enjoy the fresh air, the scent of the sea and the view of the beautiful landscape.
Valldemossa
Valldemossa, considered one of the most beautiful and most visited towns on the island, is located 17km from Palma, in the panoramic Tramuntana mountain range. A quiet neighbourhood, narrow streets and charming alleyways will beckon you to lose yourself in this little town. The main attraction of the town is La Cartuja, the Carthusian monastery and museum, which exhibits a collection of items commemorating the stay of Frederic Chopin and George Sand. It is here, in Valldemossa, that Chopin created his “Rain” prelude. A visit to King Sancho´s Palace and it´s beautiful gardens is also a must-do.
Horse riding
Do you enjoy horse riding? Or perhaps you would like to learn? You will find many clubs and riding schools across the island and the opportunity to see Majorca from horse back is a real highlight! You can choose to either take lessons in an arena or a trail ride down one of the islands beautiful beaches. You will find riding centres in Can Picafort, Cala Millor, Bunyola, Palma and Alcudia.
Caves
If we venture underground in Majorca, you will be surprised to find numerous caves with fascinating rock formations. The most well-known are the Cuevas del Drach or Dragon Caves, in the area of Porto Cristo. Inside these caves you will find Lake Martel, one of the largest underground caves in the world! Boat rides across the lake are available and the caves are also often used as a classical music concert hall. Another popular cave is the Cuevas de Campanet which is filled with wonderful stalactite and stalagmite formations, there is also the Cuevas de Artá, Cuevas del Hams and Cuevas de Génova.
Sóller and the Railway Line
One of the biggest attraction of this island is the historical train ride which travels the route from Palma de Mallorca to Sóller. During the one hour journey, you can admire the idyllic views of orange and almond groves, picturesque mansions and beautiful mountains while you pass through tunnels and over bridges.
The old wooden train shaking along the narrow tracks will ensure an unforgettable trip to Sóller. The town has its own unique atmosphere of narrow stone streets and Art Nouveau buildings, as well as the Gothic Cathedral. Take a trip the the Sa Fábrica de Gelats a order a delicious orange sorbet - Sóller is famous for it´s oranges.
From the city of Palma, the little wooden train will arrive at the Port de Sóller, a little port and town hidden in a cove. It´s a charming sight, where you can enjoy the view of the anchored boats floating in the clear waters and the breathtaking high cliffs of the coast.
Hiking
Hardly anyone expects to see the high mountain range on this island, famous for its beaches and blissful laziness. But, here lies the mountain range of Serra de Tramuntana with dozens of hiking trails, amazing scenery and fresh air. From from autumn months until February or March is the perfect time to hike these beautiful trails. There are routes of varying difficulty, for both amateurs and more advanced hikers. Popular routes include: Torrent de Pareis (experienced), Castell de Alaró, Camino del Archidque, El Camí des Correu, Puig des Teix, El Cap des Pinar, Alcudia or wandering the gentle Deià to Sóller track.
Alcudia
If you are spending some time in Majorca, it´s definitely worth taking a day to visit Alcudia. The attractive little town is situated in the Northeast part of the island, near to the Roman city of Pollentia and its historic medieval walls. There is a beautiful port here and a weekly local market.
Cycling on the island
A perfect climate, varied terrain, breathtaking views and more than 1,200km of roads make Majorca a paradise for cyclists. Both amateurs and professionals come here to train for competitions. When the heat recedes and the sun still shines brightly, many tourists choose cycling as the best way to explore the island, there are also numerous cycling groups across the island. Some of the best routes are: Palma to Andratz, Palma to Puerto de Sóller, Palma to Santelm, Petra to Arta and Sa Pobla to Pollença.
The Fiestas of Sant Antoni and Sant Sebastià
January is the month of fire and demons in Majorca and many towns celebrate their patron saints and demons with festivals and street parties. The fiestas not to be missed are of the patron saints, Sant Antoni in Sa Pobla and Sant Sebastian in Palma. These celebrations are accompanied by numerous performances, fireworks and dimoni (demon) performances from local groups dressed as fire-breathing devils.
Almond blossom
Did you know that Majorca is famous for its production of almonds? And, is secondly only to California as a global manufacturer? The mild climate assists almond production, thus you can see almond trees growing everywhere all over this little island! The first trees bloom in late January, when snow still lies on the peaks of the Tramuntana range. In February however, the almond tree blossoming is in full swing and tourists are treated to unusual and beautiful landscapes of pink.