Long before the tourists arrived, pre-historic man wandered these islands and ruins can still be found today dating to this period.  Phoenician traders made regular calls to the ports of the Balearics, followed by the Carthaginians, who founded Ibiza city in 654 BC, and made it one of the Mediterranean’s foremost trading ports.  The Romans also came, conquered by the Visigoths, who in turn succumbed to the might of the Moors, who invaded the islands in the eighth century.  Dominating the islands for more than three centuries, the Moors left a lasting legacy which can be seen today in the appearance and customs of the local people, in their local dress and in much of the islands’ architecture.  Like the rest of Spain, the Balearics were conquered by the Christians and in the thirteenth century they became Catalan colonies and important trading centres.  This did not last long though and for close to the remainder of the millennium the islands suffered, sporadically suffering invasion by foreign forces, among them the British who were granted Menorca along with Gibraltar in 1713  (British rule lasted until 1802).

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands (3640 sq km) and it was here that the first tourist flight arrived in the 1950’s. Firmly back in Spanish hands, the islands were once again discovered and since then have become one of the premier tourist destinations in Europe.  In 1995, annual visitors topped six million.  Mallorca is home to a large chunk of the Balearic Islands’ population (630,000), more than half of which live in Palma, the island’s capital.  Palma, with its enormous Gothic cathedral, its grandee mansions, cobbled streets and bustling ports often surprises its visitors with its vibrant beauty.  The historical centre combines tree-lined boulevards, laneways flanked by baroque palaces, designer bars and slick boutiques and a visit is a must when on the island.

East of the capital, stretches El Pla, an agricultural plain dotted with seldom visited country villages and sandwiched between the coastal mountains.  In the North West, the rugged Serra de Tramuntana shelters beautiful coves with pretty beaches, notably Cala de Deiá and Platja de Formentor, and deep sheltered valleys.  Ideal walking country, there are also a sprinkling of picturesque villages, such as Orient and Fornalutx and some historical monuments such as the monastery at Valldemossa.  The east coast boasts the gentler, greener Serres de Llevant culminating in pine-clad headlands and medieval hill towns. 

What now?

Click here to read about the property buying process in Mallorca.

Click here to read about the Mallorca property market.