Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain, is the beach destination of choice for many Spanish people, Europeans, and anyone looking for warm sand to lay out on. Resorts dot the coastline just waiting for the next influx of visitors to arrive. You can live in the lap of luxury in Mallorca with a reservation at a resort and spa where you can sign up for massages and rejuvenating body scrubs, dine in elegant hotel restaurants, and sleep on a lounge chair by the pool.

The beaches of Mallorca are the most popular attraction of this island and the most beautiful aspect of it. Crystalline white sands ring the island surrounded by azure waters. You’ll want to visit Mallorca when the weather is warm so that you can lay out on these beaches and swim in the clear water that surrounds them.

Hikers enjoy long walks on the beach as well as the mountain trails in the Serra de Tramuntana. Grasslands, pine forest, and limestone rock formations define the mountain range and are worth the effort to climb the steep trails there. If you’re not up for a strenuous hike, consider a scenic drive through the mountains.

While you’ll like only be able to grab quick items like a burger or chicken and fries while at the beach, the cuisine of Mallorca is varied with many delicious surprises worth venturing away from the ocean to eat (at least for a little while). The island has been conquered and overtaken by many different armies through the centuries and all those cultures have left a mark on Mallorcan cuisine. It is primarily peasant food: heavy on staples and hearty enough to fill a stomach after a long day of hard labor, but it includes many spices and traces of other cultures.

A typical Mallorcan dish is lomo con col, a dish of pork stewed with pine nuts. Pork is an essential ingredient in Mallorcan cooking. You’ll find pork sausages, pork layered between slices of brown bread, and a pork paste called sobrasada. Seafood is also a major ingredient for the island. One of the best ways to enjoy a variety of local seafood is in paella, which is a rice dish popular throughout Spain but takes on regional characteristics. Mallorcan paella is heavy on the seafood; shrimp, clams, and other shellfish mingle with saffron spiced rice to create a unique blend of flavors that will satisfy both your hunger and your spiritual need for delicious food.

All images are used via Creative Commons Attribution rights. View the original images on Flickr at: Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4