‘Mallorca time’ is set to a clock which is a little slower than the rest of the worlds. There is no need to rush to work on this relaxed island. The sun always shines, the beer flows constantly and the incredible Mediterranean food just keeps coming on the Balearics; for this reason thousands of tourists flock to this Island every year. The Mediterranean pace of life has take hold here and I doubt will ever leave. Take your time, enjoy long relaxed meals, whether by the sea or in the mountains there’s no need to rush or be stressed. Escape from the hectic world, sit in the shade and enjoy a book or siesta the afternoons away in the warmth of the summer sun.

Mallorca airport in Palma is close to the main city of Palma being just 8 kilometers away. This is the third busiest airport in Spain and when you consider how relatively small Mallorca is this fact is quite shocking. During the summer months when flights are dramatically increased to meet demand Palma actually becomes the busiest airport in the whole of Spain!

With more and more people arranging their own flights to take advantage of the cheaper budget airlines, the best way to avoid expensive airport transfers at the other end of your journey is to hire a car. If you simply want to explore Mallorca or want to be able to transport your group around at your own pace and see more a hire car is the best option. Hire cars come in literally all shapes and sizes of vehicle. If you are travelling with a large group, hiring a mini van can often mean saving money that could be spent on other things. You will also avoid having to use multiple taxis and you will also avoid having to use Taxis during your stay.

Once you have the car you will be looking for places to go. Here are a few suggestions:

A good stating point when you first arrive would be Palma Old Town great for a night out or just exploring some of the interesting historic monuments Palma Old town has it all. The attractions which draw most people are found near to the port. The Royal Palace, The Castle of Bellver and the Stock Exchange are worth looking at. The castle has been a huge feature of Palma since the 14th Century and is a bold statement on the city skyline, once a royal holiday home it was transformed into a prison look out for graffiti carved by French prisoners of war!

The locals are extremely proud of the Cathedral which stands tall in the town. It is classed as one of the worlds most significant and finest examples of gothic architecture. The Cathedral is huge so take your time exploring, if you visit during the high heat of mid day its ok as it stays relatively cool inside the gigantic stone building.

The twisting narrow streets and secret squares are lead of from the central point of the Cathedral. Palma was recently voted the best place to live in Spain so make sure you give it a chance and see it all. By night it is a busy bustling cosmopolitan city during the summer some 600,000 people live here. Make sure you experience the incredible vibrant scenes all around town in the bars and clubs.

A trip on the Edwardian era vintage train to Soller winds it’s way through the beautiful Tramuntana mountains, the miniature railway climbs the mountains and passes trough narrow tunnels offering some of the best views on the whole Island. The last gorge on the way to Soller is simply stunning. The original solid mahogany coaches rattle and bump for an hour until your reach your destination. Stretch your legs and explore the pretty village. Don’t worry about getting back though as all the trains return to Palma just jump on the first one you see. Don’t forget the camera on this trip. It’s well worth taking some snaps!

Over 300 days of the year are 100% sunshine in Mallorca because of this beaches do tend to be rather crowded but that has just become expected here. The advantage of having a car is that you can escape the crowds and visit some of the less frequented coves.

One such quiet spot is the Cape de Formentor at the very most northern tip of the Island. This wild peninsular is often much quieter than other areas, you will be spoilt for choice of white sandy beaches and perfect bathing. This journey in your hire car takes you along some twisting roads occasionally on 400 meter high cliffs where the pine trees appear to be growing from the solid rock! This trip is not for the nervous passengers!

This is known as Mallorca’s most sacred site, and has been the main pilgrimage since the 13thcentury. The story behind the site begins when an Arab boy discovered a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary in the rocks. The boy brought the statue back to the church; although upon returning to the church the locals discovered the statue was missing. The Arab boy again found the statue in the same place, this happened on 3 separate occasions where upon the locals decided it was a message from god and built a church to house the statue. When you visit the church today the statue can still be seen, and is now covered with precious stones. There is also a museum displaying artifacts and telling the story of Lluc.