Take A Trip To Old Town Alcudia In Magical Mallorca

Markets of Mallorca

Spain is known for its markets and the sunshine island of Mallorca is no exception. There are lively markets all over the island almost every day of the week. One of the biggest and best is in Alcudia on Tuesdays and Sundays. There is an amazing selection of fabulous fresh fruit and vegetables displayed with typical Spanish flair. There are gorgeous cheeses, cured meats and sausages. All kinds of nuts, herbs and spices compete with Spanish nougat and other sweet treats for your attention. Apart from things to eat, there are also lots and lots of other goods which will undoubtedly tempt you to part with your money. Beautiful Mallorcan pearls are quite expensive, but there are lots of more affordable jewellery options as well as leather goods, arts and crafts, lots of lovely summer dresses and bright and colourful ceramics which are a particular favourite of mine. Mallorcan markets are great fun and if you aren’t in Alcudia, there’s pretty much a market somewhere going on every day in a town near you. Try Inca market on a Thursday, which specialises in leather goods, or the Wednesday agricultural and livestock market at Sineu right in the centre of the island. The capital Palma has a range of markets from fresh fish to organic food. Markets start at 8am and run until 1pm so get there early or you could miss all the action!

Beach life in Mallorca

Mallorca has the best beaches in the Mediterranean and indeed one of its beaches, S’Amarador, was selected as the ‘Best Beach of Europe’ in 2008. Port d’Alcudia has an incredibly long stretch of perfect sand and is shallow for such a long way out that it is really ideal for families with children.

Just along the coast from Alcudia is Puerto Pollensa, which also has a lovely beach but is less crowded. Cala Formentor is one of the most beautiful beaches in Mallorca on the Formentor peninsula but is easy to reach by car.

Beach life on Mallorca has the usual beach front cafes and bars, water sports and straw umbrellas for hire with their rather cute straw ‘quiffs’ dotted along the beach. Just off the beaches are the usual shopping, eating and drinking places – everything you could want for the perfect seaside holiday.

Fabulous restaurants in Alcudia

As well as the usual eateries catering for the English near the beach front hotels, there are lots of delicious Spanish alternatives. In the old town we had some fantastic meals. Gazpacho, cod with pureed potato and scallop broth, salmon with roasted vegetables and chicken and dill pasta with cream. Of course, Tapas restaurants are common, and there is always the accompaniment of fresh bread with aioli, garlic mayonnaise, which is impossible to resist. One restaurant we tried was the Satyricon in old Alcudia town which had an original Roman mosaic on the floor and had been an old theatre with beautiful frescos on the wall and ceiling and classical statues adding to the ambiance. If you are still feeling peckish, you could try one of the many types of ice cream and sorbets on offer. My watermelon sorbet was absolutely delicious. You won’t go hungry in Mallorca, that’s for sure.

There is also an excellent choice of wine here and it’s much cheaper to buy than in the UK. There is now a huge amount of wine produced on the island, which has improved in quality and I particularly enjoyed a Tempranillo Rose called Vina Albali. Of course, there is also lots of classic Spanish Cava available for those who like a bit of fizz.