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Mallorca has mild, humid winters, and hot, dry summers. Expect daytime temperatures in winter to be above 12°C (53°F), and in summer not to fall below 30°C (86°F).

Summer is high season in Mallorca. Autumn is thus a better time to visit, when the weather is still great, the water at its warmest and prices lower. Hiking and cycling are best in April. Nature lovers should come in spring or autumn, when birds are on the move and wildflowers are blooming.

EU citizens can enter Spain with just their valid ID card. Britons, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians need only a valid passport for automatic permission to stay 90 days. All other nationalities must get a visa from their consulate. Some hotels will request your ID card or passport.

Spanish embassies or consulates in your home country can provide information about visiting, studying, working and retiring in Spain.

This service will load you up with maps, pamphlets and brochures upon request. Contact them in your home country or, better still, pay them a visit if possible.

The Foment del Turisme in Palma is staffed by multilingual people who are a fount of knowledge about the island.

Mallorcans are not heavy users of the Internet, but there are some good multilingual web guides, as listed in the Directory.

The local language is Mallorquí, a dialect of Catalan, but Castilian (Spanish) is also spoken everywhere. Signs can be a confusing mixture of both. Many islanders who work in the tourist industry can also speak German and English, and often French, Italian and more.

It is a good idea to take out private medical insurance, even if your country has reciprocal medical arrangements with Spain. Then, should you require treatment while on holiday, you will simply pay for the care, keep the receipts, and be reimbursed according to the terms of your policy. General travel insurance to cover flight cancellation and theft is also strongly recommended.

Casual dress is generally acceptable, so bring lightweight, loose-fitting linens or cottons. A hat may also be useful, and don’t forget your favourite sunscreen and other pharmaceutical items. At least one dressy outfit is a good idea if you plan to visit an upmarket restaurant or club.