Mallorca, a small, historic island just 50 miles off the east coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea, easily ranks as one of the great cruising and chartering destinations in the world. It offers an appealing mix of history, with the walled main city of Palma and its massive Moorish-inspired cathedral (started in 1229), boutique shops, waterfront cafes, glistening water, secluded beaches, hidden coves and soaring mountains. And don’t forget the vineyards, or the paella.
You can take a first-hand look of what Mallorca offers on the water, from the vantage point of a chartered Moorings 434 four-cabin power catamaran in the video below. It will make you want to book a flight.
And there’s much more. Considered Mallorca’s crown jewel, the Palma Cathedral was started by King James 1 of Aragon in 1229 on the site of a Moorish mosque, and it wasn’t finished until 1601. Largely a Gothic design, the cathedral’s central nave is 144 feet high, which is higher than the nave in Notre Dame in Paris. For extra tourist appeal, it overlooks a park and the Med.
On the other end of the urban/history spectrum, you can visit the Isla de Cabrera National Park, a group of small islands just south of Mallorca, where you can hike along mountain trails to an old fort and a lighthouse, with stunning views of bays and steep cliffs along the way. Cabrera is the main island but there are six smaller ones and a dozen islets.
If you’re still looking for things to do, you can take a hot-air balloon ride, a wine tasting tour, a paella tour, or a three-hour bike tour through Palma. Then there’s the Vintage Train that passes through 13 tunnels as it winds its way through the Tramuntana mountain region. For more:
