Majorka – od Palmy do Cap de Formentor

Majorka – od Palmy do Cap de Formentor

Mallorca, from Palma to Cap de Formentor In this episode we will visit several attractions of Majorca, the largest island in the Balearic archipelago. We start our tour of Majorca from the capital of the island – Palma. In Palma, we can walk through the narrow streets of the old town, as well as walk along wide avenues with lots of shops and cafes. Here is the cathedral. The most important and characteristic monument of the city is undoubtedly the cathedral. The soaring Gothic architecture is impressive both day and night. The interior is also worth visiting. During masses, entry is free, but then security is very careful to ensure that no one takes photos. The building is huge. Its vault is at a height of 45 m. At night, the building is beautifully lit. The construction of the cathedral on the site of the old mosque was started by King James I in 1229 and completed by King James III in 1346, although numerous finishing works lasted until 1601. At the foot of the cathedral there are Roman and Renaissance city walls. You can walk along them and see the park below and the sea and the nearby port behind it. Near the cathedral stands another important attraction of Palma – the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, which is the official summer residence of the King of Spain. The current castle, of Roman origin, is a modification of a Muslim fortress begun in 1281. Inside you can see a collection of tapestries, paintings, furniture and other artifacts. Santa Ana Chapel. This is Her Majesty the Queen’s study, where the monarch conferred with his advisors and dined. The room of the manager of the royal house was built in the 16th century, when the Royal Stairs were built. Its decoration is a Renaissance coffered ceiling. The king’s office, where the surrender of the Muslim emir to James I was signed in 1229. View of the cathedral and Park de la Mar at its foot. The modern form of the Museum of Contemporary Art contrasts with the historic walls. This work of art reminds me of a cable car and I don’t understand what the author had in mind. On the street there is a work by Joan Miro, colloquially called the egg and in fact the title of this work is "Monument a la dona", ", i.e. "Monument to a Woman" from 1972. La Llotja is a commodity exchange building built in the 15th century. It is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture on the island. Inside, it is worth paying attention to the vault and spiral columns. Castell de Bellver is a round Gothic castle from the early 14th century located on a hill. In the past, it was a royal residence and also a prison. The name of the castle means "beautiful view", which should not be surprising. Valldemossa is an atmospheric town located in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. A typical tourist, intimate town with well-kept tenement houses, narrow streets and lots of eating places. The origins of Valldemossa date back to the 14th century. We’re rushing along at a snail’s pace. Will we go out here? First turn. And the second turn. There is a square. In the square there is the entrance to the Charterhouse in Valldemossa, the main attraction of which is cell number 4, the place where Fryderyk Chopin and the writer George Sand lived from December 1838 to February 1839. Carthusia was built as a palace complex, which was handed over to the Carthusian Order in 1399. The monastery was secularized in 1836. This is probably why a pair of lovers could live here without any problems. Chopin and Sand had a beautiful view after leaving their cell. I don’t understand how Chopin could complain about the weather and food. Here is the Pleyel et Cie piano on which the famous pianist composed his Preludes op. 28, while the fruits of the writer’s stay in this place are autobiographical travel diaries titled "Winter on Majorca". The neoclassical church was built in 1751 on the site of an old temple from 1446. In the complex you can see the former Carthusian pharmacy. Mirador Del Colomer is a viewpoint on the Formentor peninsula. Here you can admire the rocky cliff rising above the sea surface. You have to climb stairs to get to the highest point, but it’s really worth it. To get to Cap de Formentor, the northernmost tip of the island, you need to pass through a barrier, which may be closed in the summer season. We managed to pass this point, so we could get right to the lighthouse at the end of the island. To say that the road is attractive is not enough. She is very attractive in places. The road was built in 1925. After a short visit, it’s time to go back. Part of the way back at an accelerated pace. We arrived in Soller. The city’s main attractions include the tram line connecting the center of Soller with the seaport. Initially, the route runs through the city streets, then runs through fields, crossing citrus orchards. The line was opened in 1913. Its length is 4,868 m. There is no shortage of people willing to ride the tram. The landscape outside the window is changing very quickly. Agricultural fields in mountain valleys give way to a seaside beach with an adjacent marina. I don’t know of any other tram line that is separated from the seaside beach only by a sidewalk. Fish swim. Nobody catches them. Hundreds of boats moor in the port. The picturesque Port de Soller is a very friendly place where you feel like you are on holiday. But even on vacation you don’t have unlimited time, you have to come back. Alcudia welcomed us with medieval walls built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, which protected access to the city. Church of St. James built into the walls also had defensive functions in the past. Time passes slower in the narrow streets. While walking on the walls, we have a perfect view of the city and the mountain range stretching on the horizon. This is the town hall building. In the center, as in every tourist place, there are numerous restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. You can take shelter from the strong rays of the sun in the shaded streets. In addition to the historic center, Alcudia also has a port and a bay with a wide sandy beach. A beach holiday under palm trees, without necessarily going to Zanzibar. Peace all around. There are few beachgoers at the moment. We’re going to explore the cave. There are numerous caves in Majorca due to karst processes taking place in limestone rocks. We went to Coves de Campanet. The cave is distinguished by its abundance of dripstone formations: stalagmites, stalactites and stalagnates. We leave the cave. The next city on our route is Pollenca. On the main square of the city, Placa Major, there is a monumental church built by the Templars in the 13th century. 365 steps. We’re going up. There is Calvary on the hill, whose origins date back to the 13th century. The stairs are crowned with a chapel. There is a viewing point near Kalwaria from which you can see the entire panorama of the city and the neighboring port. The little one is not afraid. You go up one of the stairs and go down the other. We reached the Roman bridge, one of the main attractions of Pollenca. You could say it’s a tiny bridge, not a bridge. Here is a river that does not exist. It’s the same on the other side. After heavy rainfall in the mountains, water fills the river bed. Playa de Palma is located right next to Palma. The tourist bustle and nightlife flourish in the bars and restaurants located along the promenade. Majorca surprised me with its richness of nature and highly diversified landscape. Relaxation on the island does not have to be just sunbathing combined with an evening browse of bars. During the day, we see a completely different face of the city, e.g. an idyllic and rural landscape with horses. The airport is located close to the capital, so access is quick. The frequency of takeoffs and landings is high and the airport itself is very large considering the number of inhabitants of the island which is just over 850,000.

W filmie zobaczymy stolicę Majorki Palmę z monumentalną gotycką katedrą i pałacem #Almudaina, oficjalną rezydencją króla Hiszpanii. Następnie odwiedzimy miasteczko #Valldemossa, a w nim słynny klasztor, w którym mieszkali George #Sand i Fryderyk #Chopin. W drodze na półwysep Cap de #Formentor wejdziemy na punkt widokowy #Mirador Del #Colomer skalisty klif z przepiękną panoramą. Zejdziemy pod ziemię do jaskini #Campanet. Pojedziemy tramwajem z #Soller, którego linia przecina sady cytrusowe, a kończy bieg przy samej plaży w #Port de Soller. #Alcudia przywita nas średniowiecznymi murami, a w #Pollensa wejdziemy na 365 schodów XIII wiecznej kalwarii. Jeszcze tylko nocny spacer po #PlayadePalma i czas wracać. Zapraszam na wspólne oglądanie. #Majorka to niesamowite miejsce.