More books on Majorca

Walk! Mallorca ~ Charles Davis

Looking for one Mallorca guide book that has all the walking adventures you could want? New for 2014 is Walk! Mallorca. 53 fully detailed walking routes ranging from easy strolls to serious mountain hikes packed into 160 pocketable pages. Charles Davis has selected 53 walking adventures, from Peguera in the west, across the Tramuntana to Cap de Formentor in the northeast and down to Playa Alcudia to produce his new (2014) Walk! Mallorca. From family friendly strolls through energetic leisure walking up to big mountain hikes, there are adventures for all walking abilities. Every route has Route Summary; Ratings for Effort, Time, Distance, Ascents/Descents and Refreshments; Fully detailed description, frequent timings to aid navigation; full colour 1:40,000 scale Tour & Trail Map of the route; GPS waypoints for key points.

For Garmin users Tour & Trail Custom Maps are available as digital downloads from Discovery Walking Guides website dwgwalking.co.uk for use in Garmin gps units, Garmin Basecamp and Google Earth. Walk! Mallorca walking routes are highlighted on these maps complete with their walk numbers and direction arrows to give you real time mapping on your Garmin as you enjoy these walking adventures.

Buy this book along with its companion map:
Walk Mallorca Tour & Trail Map

Discovery Walking Guides Ltd; First edition (14 Jan 2014)

Mallorca: The Finest Coastal and Mountain Walks - 70 Walks with GPS Tracks ~ Rolf Goetz

Mallorca is not only a primary holiday destination for sun-lovers, but also a true hiking paradise with lovely valleys, wild, romantic gorges and countless panoramic summits.

The 'other' Mallorca is a surprise for the visitor with a well-developed network of trails, and offers a variety of routes for all demands and levels of difficulty, starting from simple beach walks, to adventurous cliff tours and challenging mountain hikes, up to a spectacular canyon crossing.

This is the 4th edition published in 2015. 232 pages, 70 height profiles, 70 maps in 1:50,000 / 1:75,000, 1 overview map in 1:500,000. 70 walks.

Rother; 4th Revised edition (2015)

Mallorca: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes) ~ Valerie Crespi-Green

This was the first walking guide for Mallorca, the guide that won Sunflower the Sunday Times "Oscar" for best travel guide - and eventually made the island one of the most popular walking areas in Europe (and a favourite destination for bird-watchers, too). The author has lived on Mallorca for 30 years and knows the island intimately.

This completely revised 8th edition features several newly drawn maps, for instance to show the area north of Valldemossa that is now restricted to walkers who have the relevant pass, and the recently inaugurated GR221 ('Drystone Route') – a long-distance walk which is covered almost in its entirety by the 60 long and short day walks in the book.

There are also 10 car tours with accompanying fold-out touring map, as well as plans of Palma and Soller, bus, train and boat timetables and panels of information on Mallorcan customs and features of the landscape. A free online update service informs users of any route-change information.

Sunflower Books; 8th Revised edition edition (16 April 2015)

GR221 Mallorca's Long Distance Walking Route ~ Charles Davis

WALK! GR221 MALLORCA S LONG DISTANCE TRAIL - THE DRY STONE WAY If you want to get away from it all , there is no surer way than strapping on your boots, shouldering your backpack, and embarking on a long distance path; and there are few long distance paths more beguiling and more crammed with adventure than Mallorca s GR221, La Ruta de Pedra en Sec or The Dry Stone Way.

Anybody who has visited Mallorca will appreciate the justice of the GR221 s title. Following ancient bridleways along the length of the Tramuntana range, from Port d Andratx in the southwest to Pollença in the northeast, the GR221 touches on dry stone in its every manifestation, from the raw rock of the peaks and sweeping fields of karst to the tailored stones that have always been the island's building material of choice.

Discovery Walking Guides Ltd; 1st edition (30 May 2009)

Trekking Through Mallorca: GR221 - the Drystone Route ~ Paddy Dillon

An excellent guide to trekking the GR221, Drystone Route, or Ruta de Pedra en Sec - a complete traverse of the Serra de Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain.

The Drystone Route is a dramatic 140km trail so new that waymarking has still to be completed on the ground. It follows old paths and mule tracks that link delightful mountain villages, crossing rugged mountainsides, running through forests and passing amazing cultivation terraces. Over half the route is fully signposted and waymarked, with access already available for most of the remaining distance and this pioneering English-language guide to the GR221 contains all you need to be one of the first to complete this exciting route. This compact guide includes inspirational photographs and full route descriptions with contoured colour maps and profiles; full information about accommodation and services along the way, as well as public transport options; and also a second section covering alternative starts, finishes, variants and one extension to climb Puig de Marïa at the end of the route.

Also available on Kindle.

Cicerone Press; 1 edition (11 Nov 2009)

Walk & Eat Mallorca ~ Valerie Crespi-Green

Recommended - For walkers who also love food. This excellent pocket-sized full-colour guide, illustrated with hundreds of photographs, is designed for short-break holidays. It describe 10 walks and 2 excursions recommending restaurants/hotels en route (with sample menus). All the restaurants and menus feature traditional Mallorquin food. Following each restaurant entry is one or more of their recipes, to be made in self-catering accommodation or at home. Other sections include: planning your trip, logistics on arrival, shopping for self-catering (including health food shops), local markets and specialities, glossary of local food terms, etc.

UPDATED for 2015!

Sunflower Books; 4th Revised edition edition (26 Nov. 2015)

Walking in Mallorca ~ June Parker

"Walking in Mallorca" quickly established itself as the most comprehensive guidebook to the island, with particular emphasis on the rugged Serra de Tramuntana. June Parker's routes have been walked afresh, carefully checked and amended where necessary, and are now presented with new mapping and plenty of colour pictures. This book will entice walkers well off the beaten track, enabling them to explore the most diverse terrain around the island. Rugged mountain walks contrast with remote valleys, while waymarked trails give way to long-forgotten mule tracks and hidden mountain passes. Some walks run close to breathtaking cliff coastlines, while others pass through sleepy villages where welcome refreshment can be obtained. Birdwatchers, geologists and historians will find abundant interest throughout Mallorca, and a full introduction explains about facilities around the island. Language notes are given in native Catalan and Castilian Spanish, enabling visitors to pass the time of day with local people and make the most of their visit to the island.

Kindle version available!

Cicerone Press; 4th Revised edition edition (11 Oct 2006)

Bike Mallorca - Majorca bicycle map wp

Mallorca at 1:100,000 on a double-sided cycling map from Editorial Alpina printed on light, waterproof and tear-resistant plastic paper. Roads are classified according to density of traffic and six route profiles are included. The map is double-sided, dividing the island east-west with a small overlap.

Alpina Editorial SL (15 April 2010)

Mallorca: Rockfax Rock Climbing Guide to Mallorca

The Mediterranean island of Mallorca is now well-known as a sport climbing destination. Since the last Rockfax in 2006, it has also established itself as the home of Europe's best deep water soloing. This latest edition of the "Mallorca Rockfax" (our 6th Mallorca publication in 15 years!) brings together all the sport and DWS into one book. The sport section includes seven crags that haven't appeared in our previous books, and the DWS section combines the work from the Rockfax book Deep Water, and the Rockfax PDF MiniGuide Mallorca Deep Water Soloing. The style is in the new glorious full-colour format and features many new crag and action photos. "The Mallorca Rockfax" is the essential companion to your holiday visit to this wonderful island.  Rockfax is now the default guide for Mallorca.

Rockfax Ltd (Feb 2011)

Scuba Diving in Majorca ~ Juan Poyatos, Anibal Alonso

This text should appeal to all those who want to contemplate the undersea beauties of Majorca. It describes 50 of the best dives around the island, with plans to locate them, charts, aerial photographs and useful advice such as: level of ability, average and maximum depth, and recommended seasons.

Editorial Moll
Hardcover - March 2000

Donkeys on my Doorstep ~ Anna Nicholas

The dream is near completion. Anna is loosening the reins on her London PR company to spend more time in Mallorca with her family, cattery, chickens and goats, and insists their menagerie will only be complete with not one donkey, but two. She attempts almond harvesting in the countryside amid summertime ant and wasp infestations in the finca, and attends a traditional wedding and the spectacular Sant Juan horse festival in Menorca. Meanwhile, she befriends an elderly poet whose love letters to his fiancé during the Spanish Civil War waft into her field, unveiling a poignant story of bravery and sacrifice.

Brimming with humorous and loveable characters, Donkeys on my Doorstep is a charming take on the simple and rewarding life of rural Mallorca.

Summersdale (4 May 2010)

A House in the High Hills: Dreams and Disasters of Life in a Spanish Farmhouse ~ Selina Scott

I was warned by all those who knew me that to take on a project like this was madness.' At the peak of her fast-paced career, presenter and interviewer Selina Scott bought a house in the Tramuntana hills of Mallorca. It was a dilapidated old farmhouse without even mains electricity or water, but she had fallen in love with the beauty and peace of the surroundings, and the promise of an escape from her high-pressured job and unwelcome tabloid attention. Selina begins to settle into Mediterranean life and spends time renovating the house. However, she soon realises that making the old house her home is going to be more difficult than she thought. From the unwelcome wildlife that insists on sharing her house, to dubious building work, locals both friendly and hostile, and a forest fire that threatens the whole valley, Selina's new life is full of unexpected challenges.

In this funny, elegantly written account of her Spanish years Selina tells us about the house that captured her heart, the neighbours that became friends, and those that didn't, the hills and wildlife that enchanted her, the building work that nearly broke her and, crucially, the dog that found her, and changed every single one of her best laid plans! An uplifting story of escape, change and friendship. 'A terrific read, beautifully written' Richard Madeley.

Available on Kindle

Ebury Press (1 July 2010)

A Mishap in Majorca ~ David Shepherd

Detective-Inspector Raynes is persuaded to take a much-needed holiday and travels to Majorca with his infinitely corruptable friend, Mrs. Debbie May. For rest and refreshment, the Hotel Aphrodite in Puerto de Pollensa seems the ideal place - with the traditional ingredients of sun. sex and sangria being enjoyed to the full. But soon the idyll is shattered by a brutal murder on Seahorse Island, during a cruise on the pirate ship - the Jolly Rioja. 

A must-read for all those who travel to Marjorca - although the Spanish farmhouse night is definitely to be avoided! No wonder these stories have been described as 'Agatha Christie with a hefty dose of testosterone!' Well written, carefully constructed and as always with a few subtle digs at other detective writers, the plots have been described as 'the apotheosis of the red herring!' Ideal holiday reading.

Meadowside Publications; 1st Edition edition (Nov 2000)

Goats from a Small Island: Grabbing Mallorcan Life by the Horns ~ Anna Nicholas

Life is never simple for PR consultant Anna Nicholas as she attempts to cut loose her ties with London for a more manana existence in rural Mallorca with her family. Despite nearing her dream to open a cattery, she is thrown off course by the abduction of her beloved toad, a scorpion infestation, getting lost in the hills and a growing fixation with ancient goats. Meanwhile in London she's coping with loopy new clients - an amorous rock climber, a Bulgarian transvestite couturier and a couple of warring designers.

Witty, pithy and brimming with memorable characters, "Goats From A Small Island" is Anna's third book about working between two places and a delightful tribute to Mallorca's rich and varied way of life.

Summersdale Publishers (6 Jul 2009)

Cat on a Hot Tiled Roof: Mayhem in Mayfair and Mallorca ~ Anna Nicholas

Having moved with her family to rural Mallorca to escape the stresses of London life, PR consultant Anna Nicholas continues to commute back to her glitzy Mayfair agency to earn a crust. Meanwhile she is harbouring a bizarre dream to open a luxury cattery on the island – unbeknownst to her long suffering Scottish husband, Alan, and son, Oliver.

Life in the mountains is never uneventful as the author gets to grips with phantom sheep, midnight snail hunts, Catalan lessons, ghosts, floods and flighty hens. London also has its challenges, as she juggles eccentric, rich and often neurotic clients between Mayfair and Manhattan and is hotly pursued by lucrative deals. But increasingly Anna finds herself craving the simple life of her Spanish idyll because as she discovers, you can take the girl out of Mallorca, but you can’t take Mallorca out of the girl.

Wickedly irreverent, laugh out loud funny and lovingly observed, Cat on a Hot Tiled Roof celebrates the wonders of Mallorcan rural life.

Summersdale Publishers (4 Aug 2008)

Wild Olives: Life in Majorca with Robert Graves ~ William Graves

As a five-year-old child, William Graves is taken in 1944 from England to a mountain village in Majorca, where his father, the poet Robert Graves, had returned with his new family to the place where he had lived before the war with Laura Riding. Young William grows up in the writer's shadow, while experiencing the way of life of the Majorcans which have hardly changed for hundreds of years, and participating in the day-to-day activities of the village. William Graves conveys the texture of life in Majorca - the food, the pattern of the seasons, the camaraderie and rivalries within the village, and the growing sense, from the 1960s onwards, that his fragile paradise was under threat. The book is also a portrait of Robert Graves, his "Muses" and his entourage, and a study of how the son of a famous father finds his own identity.

Pimlico; New edition edition (2 Aug 2001)

The Mallorca Connection ~ Peter Kerr

Bob Burns is an old-fashioned kind of Scottish sleuth, more interested in catching villains than brown-nosing to get promotion. So, when his enquiries into a brutal and bizarre murder are blocked by his bosses, should he risk losing his career by carrying on his investigations? Encouraged by an attractive-though-maverick forensic scientist and assisted by a keener-than-bright young constable, Bob does it his way. The trail leads the trio from Scotland to Mallorca, where intrigue and mayhem mingle with the crowds at a fishermen's fiesta. A rare combination of suspense and comedy, with a real twist in the tail.

Accent Press Ltd (7 Aug 2006)

Bread and Oil: Majorcan Culture's Last Stand ~ Tomas Graves

Coarse bread rubbed with tomato or garlic and then bathed in olive oil, is common to all the Mediterranean cultures. On the island of Majorca, it is known as pa amb oli, bread and oil. Tomas Graves takes this healthy peasant staple as a starting point to explore not only Mediterranean cooking, agriculture, and traditions but also the historical events that have rescued this simple dish from disappearing along with a way of life that had remained essentially unchanged since Roman times. In "Bread & Oil Tomas" Graves celebrates the Majorcan character as reflected in its eating habits. He makes the sights, sounds, scents and people of the Spanish island spring to life so brilliantly in this creative triumph. 

About the Author
Tomas Graves, son of celebrated British poet Robert Graves, was born and raised in Majorca, where he still lives. He is a master craftsman of typographic design and letterpress printing and he also plays in a rock band.

Grub Street; illustrated edition edition (30 Jun 2006)

A Lizard in My Luggage: Mayfair to Mallorca in One Easy Move ~ Anna Nicholas

Anna had never liked the idea of Mallorca, thinking it was for the disco and beerswilling fraternity. That was until her sister hired an au pair from a rural part of the island who said it was the most beautiful place on earth.

On a visit, Anna impulsively decided to buy a ruined farmhouse. Despite her fear of flying, she kept a foot in both camps and commuted to Central London to manage her PR company. But she found herself drawn away from the bustle, stress and the superficial media world towards the tranquil life. She soon realised that her new existence was more enriching and fulfilling. She was learning to live life for its moments rather than race through it in the fast lane.

"A Lizard in My Luggage" explores Mallorca's fiestas and traditions, as well as the ups and downs of living in a rural retreat. It is about learning to appreciate the simple things and take risks in pursuit of real happiness. Most importantly, it shows that life can be lived between two places.

Summersdale Publishers (5 Mar 2007)

Problem at Pollensa Bay ~ Agatha Christie

A collection of short stories featuring some of Agatha Christie's best-loved detectives - Hercule Poirot, Parker Pyne, Mr Satterthwaite and Harley Quin...All great crime writers have their favourite creations. Similarly, every great sleuth has his, or her, own preferred method of deduction. Take the charming Parker Pyne, who relies upon an intuitive knowledge of human nature to solve the Problem at Pollensa Bay. Or Mr Satterthwaite, who seeks inspiration through his collaboration with the enigmatic Mr Quin in The Harlequin Tea Set mystery. Then, of course, there's Poirot, whose measured analysis of motive and opportunity is tested to the full in Yellow Iris, when he receives an anonymous call about a matter of life and death.

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; Masterpiece ed edition (7 Jul 2003)

From Paella to Porridge: A Farewell to Mallorca and a Scottish Adventure ~ Peter Kerr

The Kerr family say goodbye to their orange farm in Mallorca, and put it up for sale after three years of hard work. The Mallorcan experience comes to an end with a farewell fiesta for neighbours and friends, full of comic shenanigans but tinged with sadness. But now begins the return-to-Scotland adventure, and what a cultural shock is in store. Welcomed back by family, the Kerrs make plans to start a deer farm on a remote hillside, the beginning of a period of challenges and change, of buying and restoring houses in the lovely Scottish countryside. Meanwhile, Peter explores Scotland with fresh eyes, visiting such places as the 'Biarritz of the North' where Robert Louis Stevenson used to holiday, and giving us an insider's view of the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo. There's never a dull moment in the Kerr household.

Summersdale Publishers (1 May 2006)

Tuning Up at Dawn ~ Tomas Graves

A loving portrait of the other Majorca, and of a life there revolving around music and manana, that is as paradaisical as could be -- a book to savour, perfect for escaping those crowded beaches. 'I've used what's left of my eardrums to describe the culture I was born into, and to contrast it with the British culture I was educated in.'

Tomas Graves was born in and belongs to Mallorca (even if he did go to boarding school in England as a teenager). His father, the great love poet Robert Graves, famously ended up in the beautiful Mediterranean island pretty much by accident, but it is the happiest accident of Tomas' life. His love and respect for the special beauties of Mallorcan culture shine on every page of this infectiously happy book.

<B>Hardcover</B> 208 pages (November 1, 2004)

Viva Mallorca!: One Mallorcan Autumn ~ Peter Kerr

"Winter spring" finds Peter, under the sharp eye of his long-suffering wife Ellie, struggling to shake off the relaxed Spanish tranquiloness that he has now mastered all too well. Old friendships have been established and new ones are found as the Kerrs are introduced to Mallorca's champagne-swilling filthy rich set and their eyes are opened by just how the other half lives. Mosquito-repellant vinegar baths, delicious Mallorcan food and with background support from dogs, donkeys, geckos, parrots and canaries, this is an autumn such as they've never known.

Summersdale Publishers Paperback - (April 22, 2004)

A Maze of Murders ~Roderic Jeffries

A drinking binge aboard a boat on Mallorca has sinister consequences as Sheard, a young British tourist, finds out when he wakes up with a hangover to discover only his friend Lewis's clothes. Inspector Alvarez eventually (and reluctantly) becomes involved in the investigation.

Allison & Busby
Paperback - 31 May, 1999

Manana Manana ~ Peter Kerr

Having battled and succumbed to the ma ana pace of rural Mallorca, spring sees Peter Kerr and family relaxing into a supposedly simpler way of life, growing oranges on their little valley farm, Ca's Mayoral. However, even after the trials, tribulations and triumphs of their initiation, Spain has not yet finished with them. Embarrassing subtleties of the language, brushes with the local police, the unfortunate outcome of a drinking session . . . surprises are aplenty to test the resolve, stamina and, perhaps more importantly, the sense of humour of this venturesome (some would say foolhardy) !"migr!" family. Their eccentric and colourful new friends are always on hand to help out - for better or worse - and add spice to this engaging account of tranquilo life from the author of Snowball Oranges. All the charm of Mallorca: where you seldom do today what can be more judiciously put off till ma ana!

Summersdale Publishers
Paperback - 5 July, 2001

Snowball Oranges - One Mallorcan Winter ~ Peter Kerr

It's the stuff of dreams. A Scottish family give up relative sanity and security to go and grow oranges for a living in a secluded valley in the mountains of Mallorca. But dreams, as everyone knows, have a nasty habit of not turning out quite as intended. Being greeted by a freak snowstorm is only the first of many surprises and "experiences", and it isn't long before they realise that they have been sold a bit of a lemon of an orange farm by the wily previous owners. However, laughter is the best medicine and a colourful set of Mallorcan neighbours (including an eccentric old goat-herd who eats worm-ridden oranges to improve his sex life) restore the family's faith in human nature and help them adapt to a new and unexpectedly testing life in this deceptively simple idyll of rural Spain. This book is hilarious - read it!

Summersdale Publishers
Paperback - 31 May, 2000

Moving to Majorca ~ Robert F. Burgess

Moving to Majorca is the true, humorous story of an American couple who motor scooter 700 miles across Europe one winter in search of the sun. Their quest takes them to the island of Majorca. Moving into a coastal villa with no running water but loads of helpful friends. This book is great fun.

Writers Club Press.
Paperback - May 2000

Folk Tales of Mallorca ~ David Huelin(Editor)

This text contains 50 folk tales from "L'Aplec de Rondaise Mallorquines" which was produced to preserve the rapidly disappearing country tales and seafaring legends of Mallorca.

Editorial Moll
Paperback - March 2000

A Woman Unknown ~ Lucia Graves

Lucia Graves, daughter of the poet Robert Graves and his wife Beryl, grew up in the beautiful village of Deia on the island of Majorca. Neither Spanish nor Catholic by birth, she nevertheless absorbed the different traditions of Spain and felt the full impact of Franco's dictatorship through the experience of her education. Lucia found herself continually bridging the gaps between Catalan, Spanish and English, as she picked up the patterns and nuances that contain the essence of each culture. Portraying her life as a child watching the hills lit up by bonfires on Good Friday, or, years later, walking through the haunting backstreets of the Jewish quarter of Girona, this is a personal memoir which provides a first-hand account of Catalonia, where Lucia lived and raised a family. It is also a perceptive appraisal of a country burdened by tradition yet coming to terms with political change as the decades moved on.

Virago Press
Paperback - 6 April, 2000

The Lemon Grove ~ Helen Walsh

Each summer, Jenn and her husband Greg return to Deia, on Mallorca's dramatic west coast. This year the arrival of Emma, Jenn's stepdaughter, and her new boyfriend Nathan threatens to upset their equilibrium. Beautiful and reckless, Nathan stirs something unexpected in Jenn. As she is increasingly seduced by Nathan's youth and the promise of passion, the line between desire and obsession begins to blur. What follows is a highly-charged liaison that puts lives and relationships in jeopardy. For Jenn, after this summer, nothing can ever be the same.

Tinder Press (19 Jun 2014)

Hasta La Flip Flops ~ Louis O'Brien

Hasta La Flip-Flops! is the hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, story of Louie 'The Lip' O'Brien, a face on the club scene of Palma, Mallorca from 1967 until the early 90s and, in his own way, a legend. Louie's story begins when young people tasted freedom in the sun for the first time and a revolution was quietly taking place in Majorca. But it ends in darkness, when, for Louie who believed he'd found paradise in the sun forever, the party is over. A real pageturner, Hasta La Flip-Flops! also uncovers a side of Majorca and Spain never really explored before.

Audio Books Ltd (27 Sep 2011)