Famous Visitors of Valldemossa

One of the big attractions on the cultural tourist route of Mallorca is the small town of Valldemossa, which sits in the mountains north of the capital Palma de Mallorca. What makes this place so special is that for a short time in the winter of 1838-39, it became the home of French novelist George Sand and her lover composer Frederick Chopin, who went there to escape the gossip of Paris, and also in the hope that it would aid Chopin’s bad health (he suffered from tuberculosis). Ironically that winter Valldemossa weather was not kind to its new visitors and it remained wet and windy for most of their stay. The celebrities were also apparently given the cold shoulder by the locals as they were not married, and George Sand wrote a derogatory book about their stay called “A Winter in Mallorca” in which she called the local inhabitants savages and thieves. Their visit has still not been forgotten and the book can still be found on sale in the town!

Map of Valldemossa located on the island of Mallorca (Majorca), Balearic Islands, Spain.

Balearic Islands Guide

A popular holiday destination in the Mediterranean Sea, the Spanish Balearic Islands have something to offer visitors of all tastes. The four main islands of the group are Mallorca (Majorca), Ibiza, Menorca (Minorca) and Formentera, the largest of the group is Mallorca. People have been living on the Balearic Islands since about 5,000 BC, possibly coming originally from mainland Spain, although the islands history are shrouded in myth and legend, some going back to the times of the ancient Greeks. Modern day visitors come from all over the world to enjoy the club scene of lively Ibiza, the family resorts of Mallorca, the quiet of Menorca and the charm of unspoilt Formentera.

Historic Mahon Menorca

The elegant town of Mahon (Maó) is the capital of the Balearic Island of Menorca, it is renowned for having one of the best natural harbours in the world, this made it an attractive target for the British Navy, who took the town and the island in 1708, and made Mahon their main port in the Mediterranean. Mahon today is a more peaceful place and is an attractive tourist destination, with many places of interest and a great range of facilities, you are more likely to see a luxury yacht in the harbour these days than a warship although it is still a working port. The town enjoys a wonderful climate and the weather in Mahon is pleasant all year round attracting thousands of visitors both during the hot summer months and also during the agreeable winter months, as a great alternative to mainland Spain, why not try a trip to charming Mahon. Map of Mahon

The Prehistoric Heritage of Menorca

Menorca is without doubt the richest in megalithic sites of all the Balearic Islands of Spain, having hundreds of examples of stone structures from the Talaiotic period (2000 -1000 BC) many still in an excellent state of repair. The bulk of the best sites are located in the south of Menorca (Minorca) below the line of the ME-1, Mahon to Ciutadella road, some are well signposted, other are quite tricky to find, if you are doing the full tour you will need a decent guide book. Some of the best sites on Menorca include Torralba d’en Salort, for the best example of a taula (“T” shaped structure), Naveta d’es Tudons for the finest example of a naveta (upturned boat type structure) and Son Mercer de Baix for the oldest settlement on the island.