Mallorca Maps

More than five times the size of either Minorca or Ibiza, Majorca is shaped roughly like a saddle. The Sierra de Tramuntana, a tough mountain range soaring to nearly 5,000 ft, runs the length of its northwest coast, and a ridge of hills borders the southeast shores; between the two lies great, flat plain that in early spring becomes a sea of almond blossoms, 'the snow of Majorca'.

Having acquired a reputation as a cheap getaway, especially among Britons and Germans, Majorca gets more than 10 million visitors per year, but the package-tour industry is confined to a narrow coastal strip. Elsewhere, Majorca has relatively undiscovered charms, particularly in the mountains of the northwest and in the interior: caves, bird sanctuaries, abandoned monasteries, tiny museums, and village markets form a good mixture of natural and man-made sights.