Calas De Mallorca Review - View from Hotel America

Here's a short video showing tha magnificent sea views we enjoyed from our room and balcony when we stayed at Hotel America in Calas De Mallorca.
As you can see, from our room in the annexe, the view could not have been more spectacular, with glimmering Mediterranean sea in every direction, a relaxing and privileged location. You can also just catch a glimpse of part of the footpath below that winds around the cliff tops, perfect for an evening stroll.
Read the full review of Hotel America here.

Majorcan Food

Whether you're keen to sample the true taste of Majorca, or prefer more international cuisine options, you'll find a wealth of options in Majorca, from up-market seafood restaurants to greasy spoon cafes.

There are well over 2000 restaurants on the island of Majorca, with a vast array for international dishes to enjoy when you are on holiday.

The main resorts of the south-west that attract hordes of tourists each year, have streets packed with "British" cafes and restaurants, you don't need to go far to find an all-day English breakfast, or even a Scottish or Irish variation. Chinese and Indian restaurants also abound in the main resorts, along with the occasional Italian or Greek restaurant.

The keyword in Majorca dining is choice: if you prefer to sample authentic Majorcan cuisine, you can enjoy some wonderful dishes.

Majorca's local cuisine specialises in tapas and seafood dishes, flavoured with herbs, olive oil, vegetables, and often featuring almonds, most resorts provide a choice of places to sample the more traditional Majorcan flavours.

Some common Majorcan dishes:

• Tapas - very popular
• Fish - particularly bream and monkfish. A local speciality well worth a try is 'serviola a la mallorquina', a baked fish dish with tomato, pine nuts and raisins.
• Paella - or try the local variation 'fideua', which is a noodle dish, with fresh fish and seafood.
• Spicy meatballs
• Pork is very widely served in Majorca - served in most Majorcan restaurants and hotels on a nightly basis. A particular Majorcan speciality is roast suckling pig.
• Tumbet - vegetable dish not dissimilar to ratatouille with potatoes and peppers
• Bread - served with olive oil, or with tomato, garlic, or ham, Majorcan 'pa'amb oli' bread is a nice introduction to Majorcan cuisine.

Palma Cathedral

Palma Cathedral (also known as La Seu / La Seo) is a spectacular landmark and tourist attraction in the Majorcan capital. Neo-gothical in style, the 14th century cathedral sits atop a hill, above the city walls of the old town of Palma, facing the sea.

Construction began in 1230 on the site of an existing Arab mosque and was not completed until 1601. At over 121m by 55m, the cathedral is an impressive building that attracts many visitors to Majorca. The cathedral was damaged by an earthquake in 1851, and the main facade was later reconstructed.

Features and things to see in Palma Cathedral:

• The bell tower (Campanario)- never completed, stands at 52m has nine bells, including the notable 2m diameter N'Elio bell that weighs over 4.5 kilos
• Trinidad Chapel - where the mummified remains of King Jaime II and a tomb containing the ashes of Jaime III were laid to rest
• Main south door (mirador) - sculptured with ornamental and geometric motifs
• 18th Century Baroque silver candelabras
• Statues of Saint Peter, Saint Paul, The Last Supper and Virgin with Child
• Gold and silver sacred shrines
• Gothic and baroque sculptures and paintings
• Treasury and museum
• Walnut choir stalls.
• Royal Chapel - a church in itself within the cathedral
• Early 15th century religious paintings and vestments
• Rose window - said to be the largest gothic rose window in the world

Palma Cathedral Visitor Information:
Opening times:

• 1st April - 31st May : Monday-Friday 10am-5.15pm. Saturday 10am-2.15pm. Sunday closed.
• 1st June - 30th September : Monday-Friday 10am-6.15pm. Saturday 10am-2.15pm. Sunday closed.
• 1st October - 31st October : Monday-Friday 10am-5.15pm. Saturday 10am-2.15pm. Sunday closed.
• 1st November - 31st March : Monday-Friday 10am-3.15pm. Saturday 10am-2.15pm. Sunday closed.

Admission is €4 (children up to age ten are admitted free of charge)
Guided tours are available.

Contact Address for Palma Cathedral:
Plaza Almoina, s/n 07001, Palma, Majorca
Tel. +34 971723130
website: www.catedraldemallorca.org
email enquiries: info@catedraldemallorca.org

Flights to Majorca from the UK

Flights to Majorca's Palma Airport depart from most of the UK's airports and flight times from the UK are on average around two and a half hours.

UK Airports that serve flights to Majorca:

Aberdeen
Belfast International
Birmingham
Blackpool
Bournemouth
Bristol
Cardiff
Coventry
Doncaster
Durham
East Midlands
Edinburgh
Exeter
Gatwick
Glasgow
Heathrow
Humberside
Leeds Bradford
Liverpool
Luton
Manchester
Newcastle
Norwich
Nottingham
Prestwick
Shannon
Southampton
Stansted


Airlines offering flights from the UK to Palma Majorca Son Sant Juan International Airport (PMI):

AerLingus
BmiBaby
British Airways
Easyjet
Flybe
Flyglobespan
Jet2
Monarch
Ryanair
Thomsonfly

Have we missed one? If you know of other UK airports or airlines flying to Palma from the UK, feel free to comment on this post so we can update the list.

Walking holidays in rural Majorca

The beauty of Majorca's more rural areas is a real attraction to walkers - there are many excellent routes on the island.

Here is our recommended reading for anyone planning a walking holiday in rural Majorca.

A 160-page full colour guidebook containing 44 fully detailed walking itinerarys, complete with GPS waypoints and 1:40,000 colour map sections for every walking route, plus colourful background information.

Walking routes range from strolls up to full 5 Walker ratings for fit, adventurous, mountain walkers.

More details and product reviews:
Walk! Mallorca North and Mountains

Language In Majorca

The official languages of Majorca are Catalan and Spanish.

The local dialect of Catalan is Mallorquí, even though the dialects are different in each island and in most villages.

Typically, young Majorcans are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, with some knowledge of English or German as a foreign language, especially due to the large number of tourists and foreign residents on the island.

Some common phrases in Catalan and Spanish:

Excuse me
Perdona (Catalan)
Perdone (Spanish)

Please
Si us plau (Catalan)
Por favor (Spanish)

Thankyou
Gràcies (Catalan)
Gracias (Spanish)

How are you ?
Com estàs? (Catalan)
¿Cómo está? (Spanish)

Why not try and learn a handful of phrases before your holiday to Majorca?

Currency Conversion For Your Majorca Holiday

The currency in Majorca is the Euro and you should shop around for the best deal before you order your holiday money.

Here's a handy currency converter that you can use to check current exchange rates for the Euro.

Currency Converter

Banks in Majorca are usually open for just a few hours (usually 9am - 2pm), but most resorts have ATM hole-in-the-wall machines that allow you to access your bank accounts directly. Most hotels will also exchange currency for you.