Mallorca is one of the Balearic islands off the eastern coast of Spain. Mallorca's coasts are mainly rocky, shaped by tides over centuries, with many enchanting caves and secluded bays. Mallorca is primarily mountainous with the Tramuntana limestone mountain range extending over 100km in the north. The highest peak on Mallorca is Puig Major (1450m). Mallorca's physical geography is shaped by the sea, which is deep, calm and relatively warm, with surface temperatures that reach 26ºC in August and stay above 14ºC in winter. There are three sweeping bays in Mallorca - those of Palma, Alcudia and Pollensa - but the real gems are the countless smaller inlets and coves that are scattered all around the coast. The varied geography of Mallorca offers a wide range of walking opportunities and outdoor activities.

Northern Mallorca
The fabulous scenery of Mallorca's north coast, including the stunning villages of Deia and Soller, is the result of the dramatic descent from the mountain peaks to sea level. On Mallorca, the towns and villages in the valleys that penetrate the Tramuntana (such as Puigpunyent, Esporles and Alaró) plus those on the edge (Andratx, Calvìa, Soller and Pollensa) are considered the most attractive and desirable places to visit on the island.

Central Mallorca
The central zone extending from Palma de Mallorca is a generally flat fertile plain known as Es Pla, once considered the bread basket of Spain. The Es Pla is a gently rolling landscape of extensive farmland and picturesque Mallorcan villages. At one end of this plane is the bustling city of Palma de Mallorca (with almost half a million inhabitants) and at the other end is the bay of Alcudia.

Southeast Mallorca
To the south east of the plain is the area of low hills and jagged coastline (known as the Calas of Mallorca) with its picturesque sea villages such as Cala Figuera and Porto Cristo. The south east of Mallorca has a parallel upland area, the Serres de Llevant, with peaks up to about 500m; this region is famous for its limestone caves and subterranean lakes. The main towns here are Arta, Manacor and Felanitx. This is the area of Mallorca favoured by German residents and tourists.

Rural Mallorca
In between are numerous rural Mallorcan towns and villages such as Inca and Sineu. These are the more affordable locations on Mallorca should you be looking to buy property. The rural area of Mallorca tends to be in the inland part of the island. When walking along an country back road near a town like Sineu, it is very easy to forget that this is an island at all.

Other Facts
Mallorca lies off the eastern coast of Spain with a surface area of 3,650 square kilometres and the coastline extends to almost 550km. Despite the low rainfall, much of Mallorca is surprisingly green, thanks to the subterranean aquifers from which water is pumped.

Geology
Geologically, Mallorca is part of Africa (not Europe!) and is the boundary between the African and European tectonic plates. Most of the rock on the island is some sort of limestone and hence very porous. Due to the porosity, there are virtually no rivers or streams that have water the whole year around or whose waters ever reach the sea before seeping into the rock.

Recommended Books

Wild flowers of Majorca Minorca and Ibiza A colourful and informative hardcover guide that details the very interesting flowers available on Mallorca and in the region.