Page 520 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

518  SP AIN ’ S ISLANDS

Mallorca

Mallorca is often likened to a continent rather than an island.
Its varied nature never fails to astonish, whether you are
looking for landscape, culture or just entertainment. No other
European island has a wider range of scenery, from the fertile
plains of central Mallorca to the almost alpine peaks of the
Tramuntana. The island’s mild climate and lovely beaches have
made it one of Spain’s foremost package tour destinations but
there is a wealth of culture, too, evident in sights like Palma
Cathedral (see pp524–5). Mallorca’s appeal lies also in its charm
as a living, working island: the cereal and fruit crops of the
central plains, and the vineyards around Binissalem are vital
to the island’s economy. Terraced orange grove in the
Sierra Tramuntana
7 Andratx Mallorca behind and simply
enjoy it for what it is – a chic 9 Valldemossa
Baleares. * 10,500. @ n Avenida
de la Cúria 1, 971 62 80 00. ( Wed. and affluent resort. Baleares. * 2,000. @ n Avenida
_ San Pedro (29 Jun). Palma 7, 971 61 20 19. ( Sun.
This small town lies amid a 8 La Granja _ Santa Catalina Thomás (28 Jul),
San Bartolomé (24 Aug).
valley of almond groves in Carretera de Banyalbufar km 1.5,
the shadow of Puig de Galatzó, Esporles. Tel 971 61 00 32. @ Open This pleasant mountain town
which rises to 1,026 m (3,366 ft). daily; Feb–Oct: horse dressage shows is linked with George Sand, the
With its ochre and white 3–4:25pm Wed & Fri. & 7 French novelist who stayed
shuttered houses and the old ∑ lagranja.net here in the winter of 1838–9
watchtowers perched high and later wrote unflatteringly
on a hill above the town, La Granja is a private estate of the island in Un Hiver
Andratx is a very pretty place. near the little country à Majorque. Dearer
The road southwest leads town of Esporles. to Mallorcans is the
down to Port d’Andratx 5 km Formerly a Cistercian Polish composer
(3 miles) away. Here, in an almost convent, it is now the Frédéric Chopin
totally enclosed bay, expensive property of the Seguí (1810–49), who
yachts are moored in rows along family, who have opened stayed with Sand at
the harbour and luxury holiday their largely unspoiled the Real Cartuja de
homes pepper the hillsides. In 18th-century house Jesús de Nazaret.
the past, Port d’Andratx’s main to the public as a kind “Chopin’s cell”, off
role was as the fishing port and of living museum. the monas tery’s
harbour for Andratx, but since Peacocks roam the main courtyard, is
the early 1960s it has gradually gardens, salt cod and Bust of Frédéric Chopin where a few of his
been transformed into an hams hang in the at Valldemossa works were written,
ex clusive holiday resort for the kitchen, The Marriage and still houses the
rich and famous. When visiting of Figaro plays in the ballroom, piano on which he composed.
Port d’Andratx, it is a good idea and the slight air of chaos just Nearby is a 17th-century
to leave all thoughts of the real adds to the charm of the place. pharmacy displaying outland ish
medicinal preparations such as
“powdered nails of the beast”. In
the cloisters is an art museum
with works by Tàpies, Miró and
the Mallor can artist Juli Ramis
(1909–90), and a series of
Picasso illustrations, The Burial
of the Count of Orgaz, inspired
by the El Greco painting of the
same name (see p36).

R Real Cartuja de Jesús
de Nazaret
Plaça de la Cartuja de Valldemossa.
Tel 971 61 29 86. Open daily. Closed
1 Jan, 25 Dec, Sun in Dec & Jan. & 7
A view across the harbour of Port d’Andratx ∑ cartujavalldemossa.com
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp574–5 and pp602–4

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm