july-2011

PALMA ON THE GROUND
FLY TO PALMA MALLORCA FROM 26 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING ALICANTE | DÜSSELDORF (WEEZE) | MANCHESTER | VISIT WWW.RYANAIR.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION
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AN ENDURING FAVOURITE
MEMORY WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
As the plane swoops over the sea on the
approach to Palma airport, it’s the memory of a
particularly amazing hamburger that catapults
me back in time. That burger was cooked by a
guy called Miguel in a bar in Cala Millor, and I
must have been fi ve when I sank my teeth into
it. A few years on from that, I remember walking
into a cafe in Alcudia, in the north of the island,
phrasebook in hand, and shyly ordering a cola
in Spanish for the fi rst time. Exploring alone and
talking to people in a different language seemed
impossibly exciting. Thinking about it, Mallorca
was probably where I caught the travel bug.
If you grew up in northern Europe in the 1970s
or 1980s then the chances are that you, too,
might have already had some holiday adventures
in Mallorca. It was tourism that slowly
transformed Mallorca into one of the richest
parts of Spain. With the coming of democracy,
Spaniards moved to work here from other parts
of the country, and the city of Palma became
ever cleaner and more modern. Families began
to book package tours here because it was
cheap, beautiful and offered guaranteed sun. It
was and is a wonderful place to bring your
children, who’ll be doted on by all and sundry. In
Spanish culture, children are venerated. I’ve got
stacks of memories of waiters and local women
fussing over me and my brother. No wonder we
were always desperate to go to Mallorca.
In those days, people used to bypass Palma
for the costas; today Palma is the focal point of
the island. New bars, excellent restaurants and
boutique hotels all lure short break visitors to
the capital, and the new metro line looks
suitably shiny and futuristic. But it’s still easy
to stumble across the island’s historic riches,
such as Bellver Castle, the Cathedral and the
quaint streets of the Born district.
As ever, on Palma’s fringes you’ll fi nd beautiful
beaches, mountains and a hidden side to the
island. Take the old train up to Sóller and see
yachts stacked up in the harbour and villas
dotted around the bay. Now the stars come here:
Paris Hilton, Woody Allen, Boris Becker – they’re
all fans of Mallorca. Michael Douglas owns a
house here. It’s getting a bit jet-set. I wonder if
Miguel still cooks those burgers in Cala Millor?
42 WWW.RYANAIRMAG.COM
quaint expectations
Navigating Palma’s
historic streets