Sun, sea and sand holidays on the Balearic island of Majorca have been drawing millions of tourists from the chillier regions of Northern Europe since the 1950s, when the dream of cheap Mediterranean flights became a welcome reality. The island grabbed the opportunity to become a number one destination with both hands and, by now, has every possible visitor amenity in place as well as the best beaches in the region.

Most visitors will arrive at the capital Palma de Mallorca’s international airport and head straight for a dose of sun and fun on one of its famous beaches. Stunning but crowded white sands and azure seas backed by towering hotels run the length of the coastline here, with the five kilometre Playa de Palma stretching from s’Arenal to Can Pastilla and boasting fine sand and shallow waters perfect for families. Water skiing, jet skiing and paragliding are the sports here, with the busy beach backed with palm tree shaded eateries.

To the west of the capital is Cala Major, another major destination during the summer season, with its shallow crystal waters safe for children and pedal boats for hire. A true urban beach two kilometres from Palma’s downtown district is Playa Ca’n Pere Antoni, backed by a wide promenade with cycle paths and beach restaurants. The shore slopes away to a good depth of clear water although no water sports are offered and it’s less safe for children.

The north of the island is its mountainous area, with the resort of Alcudia a favourite destination for its glorious beach and shallow sea, the best for families on the entire island with even a children’s playground set along the sands. Paragliding, water skiing and jet skiing are popular here. The child-friendly beach at nearby Port de Pollensa is less crowded, with spectacular views of the mountains and a wider selection of watery activities than its neighbour. Quieter Port de Soller hugs the foot of the mountain range in beautiful Bahia de Soller bay with Playa d’en Repic, the lovelier of its two beaches, a narrow, natural sandy strand steeply sloping to deep water.

Majorca’s east coast is rockier, with small sandy beaches set in narrow coves, crowded in summer although the resorts here are less touristy. The best-known is Cala d’Or with its five fabulous beaches and great snorkelling below the cliffs. Isolated Cala Mondrago, flanked by two headlands, has pale turquoise waters, with neighbouring s’Amarador beach 400ms away and far less crowded even in high season.

Majorca’s south coast holds Es Trenc beach, one of the island’s loveliest, unspoilt and carefully preserved. Nearby Colonia Sant Jordi has a few hotels and Cala Pi beach is surrounded by pine trees and set in a romantic cove with just a few small guesthouses. On the island’s western peninsula is Magaluf – party central with noisy nightlife in its over 100 bars and clubs. The beach is good, with a great selection of water sports facilities, but used mainly for recovery from riotous nights out! Adjacent Palma Nova is the family-friendly equivalent, with three pretty beaches.

For more information on Majorca, including the latest money saving deals on Majorca holidays and Majorca villas check out our website www.YourMajorca.net.

Popular as a Roman colony and later conquered by the Vandals, followed by the Byzantine empire, the Moors, invaders from North Africa and finally the forces of King James of Aragon in 1229AD, the island of Majorca’s present incarnation is as holiday heaven for sun-starved northern Europeans. The largest of the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, Majorca has been a hub for tourism since cheap flights ushered in the package holiday era in the 1950s. Nowadays, over eight million visitors arrive for their summer getaways each year, with the coastline of the entire island given over to resorts, hotels and facilities for fun in the sun.

Majorca’s endless white-sand beaches and their crystal-clear waters are the main attraction, with the busiest and most popular strands the closest to the charming, historic Balearic capital of Palma de Mallorca, famous for its long heritage and delicious food. Other popular resort towns include Magaluf, a favourite with Brits escaping chilly, wet summers, and the smaller beach resorts of Ses Illetes, Cala Major and Puerta Pollensa, popular with families. Beaches, of course, equal water sports, with a fabulous selection on the island including windsurfing, snorkelling, diving, sailing, fishing, sea-kayaking and water-skiing.

Outdoor sports on the island aren’t just confined to watery activities, with a huge choice of land-based sports including hiking, biking, horse-riding, golf, rock-climbing, caving, hang-gliding, canoeing and hot-air ballooning. Hiking and walking trails across the island’s mountainous northwestern region may be challenging at some points, but offers spectacular views and a chance to get to know the real Majorca, away from the tourism hotspots. For serious golf aficionados, courses here are set in magnificent surroundings and maintained to a high standard.

Given the island’s impressive history, it’s no surprise to find glorious heritage sites scattered across Palma de Mallorca and the many small towns and villages along the coast and inland. History and heritage buffs are in heaven here, with much to explore from all eras of Majorca’s chequered history. The massive, magnificent cathedral in the capital is a good place to begin, and the medieval Castell de Bellver, looming over the city in its unique circular design, holds a fascinating museum as well as superb vistas across the bay. The 13^th century Valldemossa Monastery set high in the mountains was originally a royal palace and now holds the Musee Municipal Art Contemporani.

For most holidaymakers, shopping and dining out in exotic locations are essential enjoyments on a foreign holiday, with Majorca holidays scoring high on both. Palma de Mallorca is a shopaholic’s dream destination, with everything from factory shops offering fashions at budget prices, specialist stores selling traditional local products for the home including colourful ceramics, embroidery and basketwork to wines, local foods and delicious pastries. The weekly markets held in towns and villages across the island give great opportunities for people-watching as well as stalls selling jewellery, leather goods, souvenirs and much more at great prices. A sunset supper sampling Majorca’s delicious seafood and its local wines is the perfect end to your day.

There are a number of operators who offer fantastic deals to sunny Majorca, Thomson Holidays and Thomas Cook Holidays are two of the main agents with a range of package holidays and flights for you to enjoy this beautiful island.

Majorca

Before the advent of the internet and access to all, the standard practice for many families was to place a deposit on a holiday in January and pay some off each month, so by the time the summer holidays came along everything was paid for.

It made financial sense as holidays were factored into household expenditure, and a trip to Majorca or elsewhere could be looked forward to during the cold dark winter months.

It was good as well for the travel industry as they could see months before the peak season booking trends and volumes compared to previous years, with reps deployed to the favourite destinations, with some research time between being employed for the summer months and arrival.

For travel agents it made for good business financially. The start of the year was a boom time, and ensured cashflow for the next six to seven months as families faithfully paid the next installment of their annual holiday each month. It worked it seems for everyone.

But prices were higher than today in real terms, and a family holiday abroad in recent years as a percentage of annual household income had fallen over the last twenty years. Often the savings were put into more holidays, and the once a year fortnight often turned into two, three and sometimes four trips a year.

But another travel trend has become stronger recently, enabled by consumers access to travel sites once the preserve of a travel agent, and since the banking crises in the autumn of 2008 and the continued recession value for money has become more important to many – and often the best value for money is booking last minute.

Last minute bookings have been around for some time now, and spawned the name of one of the most famous travel sites which allowed for example flights and Majorca hotels to be booked at discounted rates if people were able to travel with a few days of booking.

Today it isn’t just those with time on their side who are booking last minute – increasingly the population as a whole are booking as late as possible, even if they have fixed annual leave time, to ensure they can still have their Majorca holidays – but at a price they can hopefully afford. And with fewer people taking trips abroad this year than anticipated there is usually a good amount of availability, so the risk factor of booking last minute and finding there isn’t anything suitable is greatly diminished.

For those who like Turkey last minute bookings are specially favourable, as bookings have dropped considerably compared to recent years, with much of the blame for the decline put on political unrest in neighbouring countries and in the region as a whole earlier this year.

But what about perenially popular Majorca? Can couples and families leave their booking to the last minute to secure a great deal – and find decent hotels in good areas with Majorca flights included as well?

Taking the tour operator Thomson Holidays as an example, for their late deals they have an aparthotel in Magaluf available, for two adults and two children to include flights at a total cost of under a thousand pounds for a seven night trip in early September.

Magaluf isn’t for everyone, and probably not best suited for familes, and more suitable could be Santa Ponsa which has a good reputation for being family friendly. It’s more expensive at one thousand three hundred pounds, again for a family of four with flights from Gatwick, but it still represents a good value last minute break.

There’s plenty of other tour operators apart from Thomson Holidays who include Majorca, so with a little research it shows that even on popular islands like Majorca a last minute holiday is possible, with different locations available.?

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If British tennis fans were disappointed to see the country’s top player lose in the semi-finals again, the final was good enough to make up for their disappointment earlier in the week.

Rafa Nadal came in as slight favourite, having won the tournament before, but new world number one, Serbian Novak Djokovic put away any nervousness of the big occasion by winning three sets to one.

It was Nadal who was making the uncharacteristic unforced errors which allowed Djokovic to take a two set lead, before Nadal seemed to realise he was on the brink of defeat to take the third set and with it the possibility of winning Wimbledon again.

But the fourth set was much like the first two, with more errors from the Majorca born Spaniard, and his Serbian opponent maintained his level of play to wrap the set – and the championship – up in impressive style.

24 year old Djokovic now lives in Monaco, the well known tax haven, and is an official resident after buying a Monaco property.

Rafa Nadal hails from the Spanish Mediterranean island of Majorca, and spends most of his time when not playing tennis there with his family and girlfriend. The island is well known among Europeans who take Majorca holidays.

Speaking on court to the appreciative audience after the game, Novak said that he had managed to achieve his lifetime goal (of winning Wimbledon) and had managed to make his dream come true.

He added that winning was an incredible feeling that he would never forget and that it was the highlight of his tennis career. He started tennis seriously as a twelve year old when his parents enlisted him at a tennis academy in Germany.

Looking back on the twelve years between starting the academy and winning Wimbledon he said that it had all been worthwhile, and his victory was watched in the stands by his country’s President as well as his girlfriend and close members of his family.

Meanwhile Nadal looked understandably disappointed, he has won Wimbledon twice before in 2008 and last year, and seemed to know his performance was below the standard he produced for his two winning years. But at 25 years old there will be more chances to add a third Wimbledon title to the two he has won already.

It was a good day for the Czech Republic as well as Serbia, as their players won the women’s tournament through Petra Kvitova while other players secured victory in both the women’s doubles and also the mixed doubles.

But don’t be surprised if it’s Majorca celebrating Rafa Nadal winning the men’s final next year for a third Wimbledon title.

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