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Minorca

About the island

Minorca is the second largest island in the Balearic archipelago. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea and belongs to Spain. Minorca covers an area of about 690 sq.km. Anyone who visits this island will be surprised by the variety of landscapes and beautiful sceneries. The Romans named this island. The translation of the name means "small” since it was necessary to distinguish it from the nearby larger island-Majorca.

Minorca is often called "Green Island" because it has very lush vegetation due to its high humidity.

History

History of the island dates back to the 3rd century BC. The first inhabitants were immigrants from southern France. In the 2nd century BC there were hunters and gatherers of fruit. The evidence of that is the building without the defensive character. In 123 BC, the island was conquered by Cecillius Quintus Metellus, the ruler of the Roman Empire. Metellus actually gave the name to this island. In 427 BC, it became part of the North African kingdom.

However, Minorca today has influences of various conquerors such as the Vandals, Arabs, Catalans, Turks, English, French and Spanish. The traces can be found in the architecture, names of towns and villages, gastronomy and local way of life.

Biosphere Reserve

In1993, UNESCO World Heritage put the island in their list as unique biosphere reserve. Minorca was declared Biosphere Reserve due to its rich past. Here you will find the oldest known Talaioti building. These objects date from 1,500 BC and even today, they are in good condition.

Tourist Attractions

Among the best preserved megaliths is Torralba d'en Salord. This megalith is 2 meters high and weighs 25 tons. You can also visit other megaliths such as Torellonet Vell Torre d'en Gaumes, Talat d'en Dalt, Trepuco, Torelli, Curnia and many more.

Another attraction is the mountain Monte Toro. It is dedicated to the patron saint of the island. There are a few tourist attractions around the city such as Mahon, Ciutadella, Dragons Cave, Parc Natural de s'Albufera des Grau and Castle of Santa Agueda.

Minorca is also called "the windy island". There is a legend which says that the winds of Minorca change people’s personality. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why tourists always come back to Minorca.

Beaches

The longest beach on the island is the Son Bou.

Minorca is somehow separate and distinct from the other islands. There are many beaches and bays. On the south coast there are beautiful beaches surrounded by pine forests and lush vegetation. North Coast (La Tramuntana) is steeper and rocky, but it has exceptional beauty.

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Magaluf

Magaluf is a city on the island of Majorca. It is a favorite place of the British and Scandinavians. If you are searching for pubs and fun, then Magaluf is your top destination.

If you want a calm family vacation, you better find some other place than Majorca.
Magaluf is one of the places with the best nightlife in the Mediterranean. Although the city is small, it is extremely crowded and there is always a huge selection of events. Packages for Magaluf are always full and the annual visitors are around 1 million.

The place is dominated by a huge tourist hotel complex with buildings of 5-6 and more floors. Hotels resemble classic skyscrapers and they are always packed with guests in the peak season.

Nightlife

Nightlife starts in the afternoon, most people mingle and circulate from pub to pub and after midnight they move into some of the many clubs.

For those who are determined to get the full evening option, there is the Magaluf Club Pass (€ 15) which allows entry into 5 clubs for a night or you can pay € 50 for the whole week.

The main clubs and pubs are located in Calle De La Punta Ballena Street, which is just behind the promenade by the sea.

Beach

Magaluf has its own beach which is 1 km long with white sand and crystal clear water. Along the beach is situated a promenade, which has many pubs, hotels and shops. Above all, the beach has won the prestigious label Blue Flag several times for cleanliness.

If you are a fan of water sports, you can choose Scuba diving, jet skiing or wind surfing.

The beach provides umbrellas and deck chairs for renting, but there are empty parts where you can safely put your towel and open your umbrella.

Isla de Porras or the Isle of black lizard is placed in the center of Magaluf Bay. This island is vacant but it is still visited by tourists, who often swim to it.

Since Magaluf is a party place, the beach is almost empty until 1-2 p.m.

Daily entertainment

Aqualand is one of the two aqua parks in Magaluf with attractions such as the lunatic going down slides called the Boomerang, Tornado, Kamikaze and Black holes. Aqualand usually opens in mid-June and it closes in late August. Cost: adults 20 €, children 15 €.

Western Water Park has similar slides for people who love an adrenaline boost - wild beast, typhoon, mad rivers and four devils. Western Water Park opens in early May and the season lasts until mid October. Cost: adults about 25 €, children 15 €.

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LA PALMA

Island of La Palma has 90 000 inhabitants. La Palma is the most western island in the Canary Islands. La Palma is a small island, but in all other respects, it deserves only superlatives.

National Park

In the central part is placed the national park, dominated by gigantic volcanic Caldera de Taburiente throat. Northern periphery of the crater rises up to 2433m and it is the highest point of the island. There is an astrophysical observatory which is not open for the public.

National Park was formed in a giant explosion 400 000 years ago. The volume of volcanic throat is 28 km, the maximum diameter is more than 9 km. Ecstatic fans believe that the size of the area from which the volcano rises is the highest peak in the world. The area is extremely attractive to botanists, geologists, zoologists and ordinary tourists as well.

Landscape

In the east, west and north of the country, gorges descend toward the sea, while in the south there are smaller reefs. Another striking feature of La Palma is its dominant green face. Dell, which falls steeply to the sea, is covered by dense forests of pine, myrtle and laurel. There are luxurious banana plantations but people also grow avocados and tobacco.

Coastline

The coast is rough with rocky walls and abrupt fall towards the sea and small beaches which are covered with fine black volcanic sand. However, because of the configuration of the ground there are no large tourist facilities.

Tourist Attractions

The island has quite a few things worth seeing. However, you can visit the Ayuntamiento, in Santa Cruz. This is the former palace of cardinals from the mid 16th century. Today, it is the town hall. Furthermore, it is one of historic buildings in the triangle formed by the Plaza de España and Calle O'Daly. At the market on the edge of the Plaza de la Almeda is placed the ship. It is a concrete replica of the Columbus ship, the “Santa María” in natural size facing the sea. There is a regulated maritime museum which is not anything special, but it is interesting. You can walk through two floors where exhibits are displayed and then get on board the ship and in front of you there will suddenly be a sea view.

Barlovento is a major agricultural city in the northeast of the island. Its residents are proud of the church which was built in the 17th century. Approximately 1 km west from Barloventa is the Laguna de Barlovento. It is officially the largest artificial lake on the island.

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Lloret de Mar

General description

This is one of the most popular Mediterranean resorts and certainly the liveliest place for a vacation in this part of the Spanish coast. It is a small tourist place with 17 000 inhabitants and it is located in the province of Catalonia.

This place is very popular among young people from 18 to 30 years because there are plenty of bars and clubs. However, it is also popular as a family resort as it provides plenty of interesting attractions for children such as one of the largest aqua parks in Europe, theme, park Port Aventura and kids clubs.

When you are there, you will be offered with their national drink-sangria (a mixture of red wine and fruit) and national dish- paella (rice with seafood).

Shopping

Lloret de Mar has a wide range of available products. In addition to tourism, another important role of Lloret is commerce. Various exhibitions are held throughout the year such as Botiga al Carrer where local shops sell their products, Fair wedding Un and Un, Medieval fair, etc. Working hours of shops are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. till 1.30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. till 8.30 p.m. During the summer months, many shops are open until 10 p.m. and some of them work on Sundays as well.

Festivals

From June to September the citizens of Lloret de Mar spend their Saturday nights dancing “Aplec dela Sardana”. This is a public-traditional dance and everyone is allowed to join them in this dance. This is the kind of dance where everyone holds hands and in that way forms a circle. This dance symbolizes brotherhood and unity, and during the dictatorial reign of Frank it was banned.

Restaurants

Lloret de Mar has always been a place of connection of different cultures and traditions. This is reflected in the wide gastronomic offers.
Local restaurants offer fresh fish and other seafood, but they have also accepted the global trends and added new flavors and spices from around the world. For the passionate lovers of food, there are two culinary events that take place every year in this city: Rice Festival and Cuina de l'Art Festival.

Closed for lunch

In Lloret de Mar as well as throughout all Spain, lunch breaks are a bit later than in other European countries. Breakfast is somewhere between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and it is usually very easy. Lunch is from1.30 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. and dinner is from 8.30 p.m. until 10.30 p.m.

Money

Euro (€) is the official currency in the EU and Spain. Other currencies can be changed at banks and exchange office. Banks are open from Monday through Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. During the summer months banks are open on Tuesday afternoons.

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Guadalest – The Most Picturesque Ancient Town of Spain

Guadalest is the picturesque pueblo in Spain. Guadalest stands for the Eagle's Nest. Hovering on the mountain you will get the opportunity to have a magnificent view of the neighboring valley and the river of Guadalest situated right below the mountain. The Guadalest town is the most picturesque pueblo and considered Marina Alta’s hidden gem by the side of the Costa Blanca in Spain.

If you are planning your holiday in Costa Blanca, do not forget to visit Guadalest to have a great magical experience. You can reach Guadalest by road. It is a very interesting journey which commences with the maritime picturesque scenery of the Altea village. The roads wind up alongside the Mountain of Sierra de Aitana past the villages of Xorta and Polop right on the Guadalest valley.

Entering the Guadalest village, you will come across the relics of a prehistoric medieval castle erected by Moors more than 1200 years ago. Today the ruins stand alone telling the tale of how it served as a military outpost to defend the inhabitants of Guadalest during the battles. You can enter the castle by means of a tunnel which is carved out from a rock. The debris of the medieval castle today lies on the perilous cliff-top projection which stretches to look out over the Guadalest valley floor beneath it.

The Arrabal village of Guadalest will give you the not so sophisticated, medieval touch with a hoard of bazaar panache kind of métier shops, exclusive cafes and restaurants for visitors to enjoy. When you stroll along the main street in the Arrabal, you shall come across the streets or stop by stalls put up by the locals eager to persuade the tourists to purchase varieties of leather merchandises along with some brilliant paintings. You can have a stunning view of the Costa Blanca scenery or the most enchanting sight of the blue Guadalest Lake that sparkles like an emerald beneath the balmy Mediterranean sun. The lake forms an excellent background and the charming pueblo of Guadalest is seen against the lake.

The town foyer of Guadalest, a masterpiece of the past was engraved out from a rock more than 1000 years ago. You can locate the Virgin’s community church near the town foyer with a tower having a large bell attached which is also carved from a rock. Apart from the citadel, Guadalest has numerous authentic museums exhibiting variety of exhibits like Picasso’s works inscribed on a kernel or the unique Statuette of Liberty and more.

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Ibiza

The Island of Ibiza (in Catalan: Eivissa) is one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. It belongs to Spain and with the island of Formentera it makes Isles pine (Pine Islands). There are five cities Sant Joseph, Sant Joan de Labritja, Santa Eulària des Riu, Sant Antoni de Portmany and Ibiza. Ibiza is also called La Isla Blanca or Island-White (White island).

Ibiza is definitely known as one of the best places in the world for fun. It has become a brand for hedonism and having fun. However, Ibiza offers more. It is also a paradise where you can explore freedom and beauty during the hot summers. The island has incredible nature, crystal blue sea, clear beautiful beaches and the perfect atmosphere and microclimate on one hand. On the other hand it is the perfect factory of fun! After the tremendous parties, you can enjoy the nice water and the sunrise.

The capital of Ibiza Island is Ibiza town or Eivissa in Catalan. It is one of the oldest European cities which were founded by the Carthaginians. It is interesting that they made an important fortress that would later become the capital city of Pine Islands.

It was founded in the 654th-year BC.

Ibiza is divided into the old town called Dalt Villa and modern part-Eixample. Dalt Villa or upper town has five entrances and it is surrounded with stone bastions because it was a fort. In the old days, it was attacked by pirates and its walls were used as protection.

Now there are many romantic, beautiful streets, squares and cathedrals which are visited by thousands of tourists during the summer. This special environment helps tourists to sense the spirit of history. Streets are narrow and winding and they make a little maze of ancient walls which are located in the center of the new town. It is under UNESCO protection since 1993.

It is interesting that the old merchants from Persia and Lebanon came to Dalt Villa to trade in Cedar oil.

Clubbing at Ibiza is incredible! Visitors of the island are mainly experienced clubbers. Party goes on around the clock in the famous clubs such as Space, Pasha, Privilege, Amnesia, DC10, Eden and Es Paradise.

These clubs have become a center of electronic music and they have also brought many of the world’s most popular DJs. Some of them are Roger Sanchez, David Morales, Pete Tong and David Guetta. One of the most prominent is Jose Padilla who issued the compilation of the famous Café Del Mar, named after a bar in which he played music. However, you can have good time at numerous beach bars, disco bars and the island’s events.

Even though Ibiza is recognized as a place for getting wild, you can do many other interesting things as well. You can take part in many sports such as windsurfing, sailing, diving and horse riding. In addition, for those who are searching for more adventure, this island offers parasailing, motorcycles off –road and much more.

On the other hand, Ibiza has quiet resorts which are ideal for family vacations.

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