DK Travel : Mallorca

Known variously as the “Golden Isle”, the “Wooded Isle” and the “Tranquil Isle”, Mallorca is all of these, despite its decades-long dependence on mass tourism. The island is laden with history and sights, from its castles and enchanted gardens to caves and spectacular mountains. The eastern and southern coasts still sport some of the cleanest, most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean, and the city of Palma is more attractive, culturally alive and fun than ever.

Mallorca (or Majorca) gets its name from the ancient Roman name for the island, Balearis Major, meaning the “biggest Balearic”

Mónaco, Port de Sóller

The ultimate café, right on Port de Sóller’s sandy beach, has friendly service and the quaint Sóller tram (see Tram from Sóller to Port de Sóller) running by at regular intervals. It’s a perfect place to while away a few hours, with your feet firmly planted in the sand, a drink in hand and eyes on the horizon.
Monestir de Nostra Senyora de Lluc

Mallorca’s most ancient holy site is the spiritual epicentre of island life. The monastery houses a sacred statue of the Virgin and Child, and a small museum.
Monestir de Nostra Senyora de Lluc

Since time immemorial, long before the existence of Christianity, this spot has been Mallorca’s holiest pilgrimage point. The heady mountain air and the presence of many groves of oak trees, considered sacred in Neolithic and ancient cultures, combine to create a peaceful, inviting atmosphere for believers and non-believers alike. You can stay in the monastery’s comfortable rooms, and explore the ancient mysteries of the surrounding area.
Montuïri

Built on a hill, the town of Montuïri is famous for its agricultural produce. Nineteen of the original 24 windmills still stand as testimony to the town’s former glory, striking in the landscape. The Ermita de Sant Miquel is nearby, offering good views.
Moorish Conquest

In 902, the Moors occupy the islands and turn them into a fiefdom of the Emirate of Córdoba. Through a succession of dynastic changes, they hold on for the next 327 years and forcibly convert all the inhabitants to Islam.
Mulligan’s, Port de Pollença

A very happening Irish joint, full of cute 20-somethings living it up. Make it the place for drinks before hitting the discos all night long.
Muro

A pleasant, sleepy town full of old mansions and dominated by the church of Sant Joan Baptista. The adjacent belfry has wonderful views (see Sant Joan Baptista Belfry). The Museu Etnológic (see Museu Etnològic, Muro) houses furniture, costumes, tools and instruments.
Museu de la Jugeta

Can Planes, a refurbished mansion in Sa Pobla, has a great Toy Museum with many Spanish antiques. Old comic strips, a doll that spins a hula-hoop around her waist, game boards and elaborate dolls’ houses are some of the exhibits that will fascinate and delight.
Museu de Lluc

An interesting hotchpotch of prehistoric artifacts, Roman finds, ceramics (including some lovely majolica), religious pieces, and an exhaustive array of works by 20th-century Valdemossan artist Josep Coll Bardolet, who liked mountain scenery.
Museu de Mallorca

It’s worth the entrance fee just to see the building, a 17th-century palace built on the foundations of one of Mallorca’s earliest Arab houses. The museum contains some fascinating exhibits, providing a quick overview of Mallorca from prehistory to the 20th century. There are some powerful recreations of Neolithic and Bronze Age tombs and dwellings, and several treasures from Roman times. Some gorgeous examples of Modernista furniture are on the top floor – in particular a console with a daringly asymmetrical design (see aslo Museu de Mallorca, Palma).