WALK MAJORCA! TRANS TRAMUNTANA

If it’s slighted by its sun-seeking tourist image, it’s also protected: far fewer people visit Majorca’s wonderful trails than they deserve

M AJORCA IS POSSIBLY bestknown as a package tour destination for Brits trying to get a bit of Balearic sunshine. For the walker, though, the stunning coastline and undiscovered Tramuntana mountains offer some stunning rewards for those willing to put a few miles in. Instead of sun-baked beaches, this walking tour offers sun-dappled olive groves, stunning coastline, mountain passes and tranquillity far from the holiday-making hordes.

Taking in some of the best that Majorca has to offer the walker, this tour starts out at the port town of Port d’Alcudia hugging the coastline, offering views over the Mediterranean and smaller Balearic islands on the horizon. From there the route sticks to the Tramuntana mountains on the northern side of the island. Weaving along rocky paths, passing oaks and olive groves, the trail heads through whitewashed villages, manor houses and castles. Those looking to get a bit of a mountain fix are also in luck. Up at the summit of Es Cornador at 934m, there is a stunning 360˚ panorama of the Tramuntana range and the Mediterranean far down below.

This tour also manages to capture some cultural highlights too, with side trips to visit (and stay in) the monastery at Lluc, the secluded artists’ village of Deja and the historic old town of Palma. Packages include a detailed itinerary of the week’s walk, which includes images helping to pinpoint different places along the way.