| More than five times the size of either Minorca
or Ibiza, Majorca is shaped roughly like a saddle. The Sierra de Tramuntana,
a tough mountain range soaring to nearly 5,000 ft, runs the length of
its northwest coast, and a ridge of hills borders the southeast shores;
between the two lies great, flat plain that in early spring becomes a
sea of almond blossoms, 'the snow of Majorca'.
Having acquired a reputation as a cheap getaway, especially among Britons
and Germans, Majorca gets more than 10 million visitors per year, but
the package-tour industry is confined to a narrow coastal strip. Elsewhere,
Majorca has relatively undiscovered charms, particularly in the mountains
of the northwest and in the interior: caves, bird sanctuaries, abandoned
monasteries, tiny museums, and village markets form a good mixture of
natural and man-made sights.
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