Chris Coplans weighs up the pros and cons of Majorca’s development as a holiday hotspot….
What we miss
When I first visited Majorca, there were just four villas at Cala Serena and no development on the adjoining bay Cala Ferrera. Today, there is hardly a square inch of land that hasn’t been developed and you would be hard pressed to find one of those deserted coves of my youth.
The laid-back coastal lifestyle has been replaced by a 24-hour party culture, which is at odds with the slow pace of the rural interior. Palma was a lot more relaxed before all those cruise ships disgorged their noisy, retail-ravenous passengers to wreak havoc for a few hours.
What we don’t miss
Our family used to drive from the UK to Barcelona and catch the night ferry to Majorca because flights were expensive and scarce. Now, 17 airlines fly from all over the UK, often for less than the price of a decent bottle of vino tinto.
Whereas once it was a choice between uninspired beach hotel and uninspired beach hotel, now there is a bewildering array of chic modern designer hotels, historic inns and beautiful family-orientated beach hotels.
You can still find the one-star hovels but thankfully they aren’t the mainstay of operators’ brochures.
Some things never change
Not happy with buying our biggest tour operators, the Germans still love to pinch the best sun beds. The towel war will never be over, just fought over better quality loungers.
