"Leave your preconceptions at home and explore!" Majorca Island by kit_mc

These pages are meant to act as an opener to my main pages on individual towns and resorts that I've visited in Mallorca. We stayed over in the east coast, near to the laid back, slightly less touristed, or at least less built up, Porto Cristo. Out on the east coast are some of the worst tourist excesses of the 70's and 80's hotel boom, such as Cala Millor, but you can also find some gems such as hill top Petra and arty Arta, in my mind, possibly the best place for decent food in this part of the island.

Capdepera

I'd been intrigued about Mallorca for a while as many of my friends in Barcelona were from here and they had a great pride and affection for the place. I was determined not to leave only having seen the usual stereotypes of sun loungers and English Breakfasts...

I'd recommend that if you get a guidebook to Mallorca, make sure to take things with a pinch of salt. Of course they're always notoriously unreliable, but what annoyed me the most was how some places were really talked down, but I ended up so glad that I'd made the effort to visit them, despite The Guidebook's dreary commentary.

Felanitx

Mallorca is really a place to go to if you find a cheap budget package including a car, hotel and flight. I'd certailny recommend hiring a car to reach the less accessible, but more interesting parts inland, such as Arta. I doubt very much that I'll return to the east of the island, but having glimpsed parts of the capital, Palma, I'd certainly love to spend a long weekend there in the future.

What I'd say of Mallorca is that it will be what you make it. Stay in your resort and enjoy the sunbath by all means, but without making an effort to explore the island you'll leave with the same preconceptions you came with - and that would be a great shame.