Majorca - The Spanish Island
By Kim Clarke

Majorca, also spelled Mallorca (the Spanish and Catalan spelling), is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea. It is the largest island of the Balearic archipelago. The other islands within the Balearics are Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca (or Minorca).

Since the 1960's Majorca has been a popular choice for holiday-makers, particularly the German and English. It is generally regarded as a prime package holiday destination due to its Mediterranean climate which guarantees hot summers and mild winters which prove to be much warmer than northern Europe. The past 40 years has seen the islands infrastructure grow to this huge tourist demand and there are bars, restaurants and holiday accommodations galore to be found including cheap hotels in Majorca.

Majorca's capital is Palma which can be found on the western coast of the island. The Son Saint Joan Airport lies just 8km from Palma itself and is the islands international airport. Flights from the UK take just 2 - 21/2 hours to reach here. The official languages on the island are Spanish and Catalan, however due to its variety of visitors, many of the locals also speak English.

The North East has much history to be discovered. The East is renowned for its caves and beautiful beaches, whilst the North and Western parts are famed for their mountains and rural, tranquil villages. The South consists mainly of tourist resorts and package holiday groups. Although there is some public transport it is still well worth, hiring a car to explore the rest of the island, for convenience and to give you the opportunity of seeing what variety the island has to offer - even if you only have a week, it is still such a size that you will be able to experience the diversity of the area, the beaches, the mountains, and the villages within this time.

Along with the usual sunbathing, amusements and clubbing there are also plenty of the following activities. Walking, hiking, biking, golf, train excursions, watersports and spectator sports such as horse racing, cricket and football. Weekly food, craft and art markets can be found in most villages nowadays and traditional Fiestas and Carnivals throughout the year are a common sight.

The traditional Majorcan dish is Arros Brat, a little like Paella but the rice comes with saffron, chicken, pork and vegetables instead of seafood. In fact, most of their fish is imported, despite the location of the island. Traditional Spanish desserts are few and far between and usually consist of ice cream or the delicious creme caramel. The Spanish are well known for their late meal times which are much later than what we are used to. Many restaurants do not even open until 8.30pm, with many of them getting full around 11pm. Drinking is part of each meal. The house wines tend to be made on the island whilst other bottled wines are generally imported from the mainland.

This is an island that is so diverse, it can prove to be the perfect destination for everyone, young or old. There are plenty of activities on offer to make this a terrific family holiday destination whilst at the same time, it can prove a knockout holiday for watersport enthusiasts and golfers as the island boasts 11 official standard golf courses. As a general rule the northern half of the island has the more mountainous quieter resorts whilst the southern half of island consists of those lively resorts designed for the younger holiday-goers seeking a sun, sea and sand holiday with an active nightlife.

If you have been tempted to visit Majorca after reading about all this fabulous island, then visit http://cheap-hotels-majorca.info for the best cheap hotels Majorca.

Kim Clarke writes for http://cheap-hotels-majorca.info, where visitors can get information about Cheap Hotels Majorca.