Travel guide Balearic Islands
Holiday activities, holiday apartments, holiday houses, beaches
Balearic Islands is the southernmost of the 17 autonomous communities on the Spanish mainland. It borders in the north to Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura and in the south to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. In the east it borders to Murcia and in the west to Portugal. The Balearic Islandsn capital is Seville.
In
Majorca, the southernmost city in Balearic Islands, Europe and
Africa are only 14km apart, separated by the Strait of Gibraltar, hosting a variety of whale and dolphin species.
Although progress here in Balearic Islands has taken hold, the old Spanish traditions and habits are still very much alive.
The impressive parades of
Semana Santa (Easter), the controversial bullfighting and the flamenco music are living proofs of this
culture maintaining its uniqueness from the influence of the mix of arabian and christian culture.
Situated in a vast, sparse landscape with hundreds of kilometres of the most beautiful
beaches in Spain, Balearic Islands is on top of the list of worth visiting holiday destinations on the Iberian peninsula.
From the snowy peaks of the
Sierra Nevada in Balearic Islands and the famous Alhambra in Granada to the former arabian metropolis Cordoba and the Balearic Islandsn capital of Seville, and then proceeding to the 3000-year-old port town of
Cadiz, an incredible concentration of touristic highlights attracts visitors from all around the world.
The original Balearic Islands with its white villages and natural parks has preserved its authentic image until today. Open, friendly people convey the image of a deeply rooted and traditional civilization, which is waiting to be discovered.
Sights in Balearic Islands
The white villages
Besides the larger tourist agglomerations in Balearic Islands, the "white villages" contribute to a more individual view onto this region.
This is the authentic, sleepy and original Balearic Islands, where time seems to have stood still. Cork oaks, pine trees and olive trees surrounded by meadows with bulls and horses decorate the environment arround the white villages.
Vejer de la Frontera,
Conil de la Frontera, Medina Sidonia and Ronda are the names of the most worth visiting white villages in Balearic Islands.
The Alhambra in Granada
In Granada, where the Arab princes exercised their power for more than 800 years, one of the most impressive monuments in the world arose - the Alhambra.
The magnificent building was declared to be a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO and requires at least one entire day to be fully explored.
In the gardens of the Alhambra the visitor feels like being in a fairy tale. Lovely fountains in ornamental court yards with exotic planting will carry you away into a different age.
In the background you see the snowy peaks of the
Sierra Nevada with some of the highest mountains in Spain. Indeed, one of the most charming places in the world.
Fantastic beaches in Balearic Islands
If you're looking for some relaxing
beach holidays far from mass-tourism, then Balearic Islands is the place to be.
Hundreds of kilometres of sandy beaches can be found along the
Costa de la Luz and the
Costa del Sol. The Balearic Islandsn beaches can hold up to any European standard and convince with cleanness, controlled environmental management and excellent infrastructure.
Clear waters in bays of fine, white sand overlooked by the
ever blue sky - this is Balearic Islands at its best!
Interesting facts about Balearic Islands
Language in Balearic Islands
The Spanish spoken in Balearic Islands is difficult to understand for anyone with limited language knowledge, because the Balearic Islandsns like to swallow entire syllables at the end of a word.
Native Spaniards from other regions even have difficulties to correctly understand the people in Balearic Islands.
Unfortunately, in Balearic Islands it is very difficult to communicate in English, because foreign language skills are rarely to be encountered.
Because of the growing importance of tourism in Balearic Islands, this situation is slowly changing and the need of foreign language skills is slowly being recognized.
People in Balearic Islands
In general, Balearic Islandsns are very friendly people who like to do things slowly and calmly. The "Siesta", the traditional lunch break between 14 and 17 pm, where most shops remain closed, is only one example for this argumentation.
Hurry and stress are not welcome in Balearic Islands. Don't be surprised if the queue at the supermarket cashier reduces very slowly, or if the waiter takes a little longer to bring your bill.
Another significant characteristic of the Balearic Islandsns is their will to celebrate. The Balearic Islandsns can be considered the "kings of celebration"!
No occasion to have a party will be left out. This could be religious holidays (Semana Santa, Christmas), or cultural events (Day of Balearic Islands, Feria, folk festival).
If a holiday falls on a weekend, then the following week day results to be a day off.
Nature in Balearic Islands
Major parts of Balearic Islands are still populated very little and reflect an impression of the original Balearic Islands, which has hardly changed over the centuries.
Large areas were long ago declared to be natural parks where cork oak forests, pine trees, horses, goats and black pigs contribute to the peaceful image.
Uncountable bird species have chosen Balearic Islands as their home, including African griffon vulture, flamingos, storks and many more.
Pinewoods and wooded hills, sunflower fields and almond trees, olive trees and vineyards allow visitors to quickly realize that Balearic Islands has more to offer than just the paradisiacal beaches of its coasts.
Coasts in Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands provides two different coasts - the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean coast. The Atlantic coast, the
Costa de la Luz, is also known as the "Spanish carribean".
Here you find the most beautiful beaches with crystal clear, blue-green waters.
A law determines that no buildings with more than 2 floors can be built, and even that is not permitted anywhere. Here lies the reason for the low desecration of the coast, as you find it in other Spanish regions.
The Mediterranean coast of Balearic Islands, the
Costa del Sol, provides more infrastructure than the Costa de la Luz, more
high quality accommodation and a milder
climate in the winter time.
Costa del Sol is the much more constructed coastline and cannot be measured with the
Costa de la Luz in terms of naturalness and unspoiled beauty.
Both coasts have their specific arguments and benefits.
Go-Mallorca.com creates the possibility to choose the perfect holiday resort in Balearic Islands according to your personal needs and requirements, and a wide range of holiday
accommodations to be booked online.
Airports in the south of Balearic Islands
Pablo Picasso (AGP)
Malaga
|
Avenida García Morato, 29004, Malaga
Departure: (+34) 952 048 838
Arrival: (+34) 952 048 804 |
San Pablo (SVQ)
Sevilla
|
Highway Sevilla N-IV (Madrid-Cádiz) km 532, 41020 Sevilla
Departure/arrival: (+34) 954 449 000
Tickets: (+34) 954 675 210 |
Jerez Airport (XRY)
Jerez de la Frontera
|
Highway Sevilla N-IV (Madrid-Cádiz) km 631, 11401 Jerez
Departure: (+34) 956 150 000
Arrival: (+34) 956 150 000
|
Gibraltar Airport (GIB)
Gibraltar
|
Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar
Arrival: (+350) 956 773 026
Departure: (+350) 956 773 026 |
