25 Very Interesting Mallorca Facts
After our Menorca feature it’s time for you to learn some interesting Mallorca facts.
1. Mallorca name meaning
Similar to Menorca, the name of the island comes from a Latin word. The original word for it was ‘insula maior’, which translates to ‘bigger island’. This is in fact quite a fitting name, as Mallorca is the largest island in all of Spain.
As usual with these Latin words, the writing style has evolved over the past. This is why today we have Mallorca as the official name of the island.
2. There is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island
In June 2011, UNESCO has selected the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range as a World Heritage site. It’s an area of great physical and cultural significance. You can travel to Mallorca and enjoy visiting such culturally rich attractions.
3. The sea is always clear around Mallorca
One of the stunning features of Mallorca is the amazingly clear sea. Everyone who comes here seems to notice, just how blue and clear the water is. This phenomenon is by alga on the seabed. Due to these organisms, we have some of the clearest seawater around Mallorca.
4. There are 14 lighthouses on the island
One of the fun activities you can do on Mallorca is to try and visit each lighthouse. You will have a lot of ground to cover as there are a total of 14 lighthouses on the island.
They range from ancient to newer ones. We love visiting any lighthouse that we can come by. They always pose as an impressive structure and provide picturesque views around them.
5. Palma is a great city to live in
In 2015, world-renowned magazine The Times has selected Palma as the best city to live in. This is a huge achievement. Although many years have passed since 2015, we can assure you that Palma is still a great city. Whether you are visiting for a holiday, or plan a longer stay, it is a good choice.
6. Artists love Mallorca
Poets, painters, and writers all love Mallorca. The impressive landscape, laid-back lifestyle, and crystal clear Mediterranean inspired many people. Among the favorite cities of artists is Deia a small mountain town.
7. Almost half of the residents live in Palma
The capital city of Mallorca is home to almost half of the residents on the island. When you visit during the tourist season, you will find people and tourists everywhere. However, during less popular months, most of Mallorca is pretty empty.
8. Mallorca is the perfect cyclist training area
Little known fact, that professional cyclists love Mallorca. The varied and hilly terrain proves to be an excellent place for training. Many big teams train here to get into the best form for Tour de France.
9. A lot of sunshine
The island of Mallorca enjoys a comfortable amount of sunshine throughout the year. To be exact, there are on average more than 300 days of sunshine. This is due to the excellent location and climate.
10. It’s the birthplace of Rafael Nadal
Anyone who has ever heard of tennis knows Rafael Nadal. He is not only a professional tennis player but a very successful one as well. He is from the town of Manacor, where he has opened his own tennis school to discover new talents.
11. Mallorca is great during the winter
Did you know that Mallorca can be the fun winter getaway you are looking for? Due to the nice climate temperature remains mild even during the winter months.
You can go sightseeing in the major cities, hike without getting too hot and walk around the island. Although you will miss out on the beaches, there are still many things to do during the winter.
12. Always a favorite of tourists
Mallorca has always been a favorite for tourists. Even in the early days, stars and people who could afford to travel visited the island. The real tourism boom was around 1950. After that, each year saw an increase in tourist flow. Today the tourism industry accounts for around 75% of the island’s economy.
13. You have a wide variety of restaurants
According to the Tourist Board of Mallorca, there were more than 3400 restaurants in Mallorca. Of course, the most popular are local cuisine and seafood. However, you have a lot of international options to choose from as well.
14. A local pastry item
In Mallorca, you have a local pastry item called ‘ensaimadas’. It’s only made on the island. When you have a vacation in Mallorca, make sure to try them out.
15. One of the biggest underground lake in the world
The island of Mallorca has a huge underground cave system. Among the natural beauty of the caves, you will also find one of the largest underground lakes here.
16. There is a circular castle on Mallorca
Did you know that circular castles are rare? It is so rare, that there are only a few in Europe today. Here in Mallorca, you can not only visit one but check out one that’s in amazing condition. It’s called the Bellver Castle.
17. Love Island was filmed here
There is a TV show in Britain called Love Island. This show was filmed in Mallorca, in a private villa. This particular villa has the largest privately owned swimming pool among the Balearic islands.
18. It has a well known vegetarian pizza
There is a particular local pizza type called ‘coca trampó’. It’s a vegetarian pizza, that’s worth trying out on your Mallorca vacation.
19. Mallorca is loved by foreigners
Apart from locals, there is a bigger population of foreigners in Mallorca. There are people who choose to move to this amazing island for the way of life it offers. It’s also a popular choice for people, who wants to move somewhere nice once they are retired.
20. People take the beach home
Okay, not literally, but the most popular beach on Mallorca, Es Trenc, is losing sand. People take it with themselves. They don’t take it as a souvenir though. The sand gets into clothes, bags, and pockets. The beach loses around 25 tonnes of sand each year due to this.
21. Hiker’s Paradise
We have already mentioned that Mallorca is great for hiking during the colder seasons. It’s only fair that we also mention that there are more than 400 kilometers of hiking trails available for you on the island.
22. The biggest foam machine
A little-known fact is that nightclub BCN on Mallorca boasts the biggest foam machine in the whole world. Unsurprisingly, they love to throw foam parties where they can immerse you with their impressive foam machine.
23. People love a long vacation here
While there are some cities in the world that are perfect for weekend trips and short vacations, Mallorca is great for a longer one. The average time spent on the island by tourists is more than 7 days.
24. Lots of beaches
Although, as we have already pointed out, Menorca has more beaches than Mallorca and Ibiza combined, there is no shortage here either. In Mallorca, there are more than 260 different beaches waiting for you.
25. The 3rd oldest functioning lighthouse in the word
The lighthouse at Porto PÃ is one of the oldest in the world. Not only that but among the ancient lighthouses that still work today, it’s the 3rd oldest in the world.
More Inspiration Awaits
Now that you know the facts, you are ready for a Mallorca vacation. To get the best experience make sure to follow our hidden gems in Mallorca guide.
