If you needed an excuse to visit the majestic island of Mallorca this spring, then excuses don’t come much more ‘valid’ than this. 2012 will see the 29^th Palma International Boat Show bob on the waters of Palma’s stunning harbour.

The Palma de Mallorca International Boat Show 2012 is a nine day event has become a major point of reference on the international sailing scene, and given that more than 700 craft on land, 280 in the sea, and the swelling accumulation of superyachts, many more than 45-feet long, it’s no wonder the Palma International Boat Show is a hub for everyone whose anyone in the international sailing circuit.

Not only do buyers and sellers accumulate in Mallorca’s capital in late April / early May, but the event, being held at one of the best regatta courses in the world, provides a sensational opportunity for many sea trials to take place, which are almost as exhilarating to watch as they are to participate in – well almost!

This exclusive, highly profitable and exceedingly entertaining event could not be held at a more deserving destination. The port of Palma is considered to be one of the most prestigious boating centres in, not only Europe, but the world.

Asides watching this incredible exhibition of floating boats, visitors to the show can take the opportunity to explore the winding cobbled streets and browse the quirky craft shops that surround the harbour, and witness Palma de Mallorca’s unique architectural combination of its vibrant history of African and European control.

If you are a boating enthusiast or even if you are not a boating enthusiast but are looking for a memorable spring getaway with a difference, a trip to the Palma International Boat Show is highly recommended – A show that is at the very heart of the Mediterranean and where boating is one of the most important social and economic activities.

And if that’s not reason enough to visit Mallorca, have a look at Vintage Travel’s impressive collection of luxury villas in Mallorca.

Being the twelfth day of Christmas and traditionally the day we take the Christmas decorations down, the day the kids usually go back to school, the adults back to work, we start the post-Christmas diet and realise just how much money they have spent during the festive season, the sixth of January has to be one of the most depressing days of the year, in the UK at least.

However, in many parts of Europe January 6, or Epiphany, is celebrated with a similar vigour as us Britons celebrate Christmas Day, making it one of the most anticipated, celebrated and joyous days of the year.

This is the case on the island of Mallorca, where each year, the day of Epiphany is celebrated across the island with colourful, flamboyant and spectacular Christian parades of the Three Kings. Mallorca in January 2012 will certainly lift your spirits.

The biggest and grandest Epiphany Parade is put on in Palma, where the Three Kings begin their journey on the Sagrera Promenade in the old port of La Llonja.

The Tree Kings and a following procession then walk down Palma’s streets, throwing sweets as they pass the crowds lining the paths and avenues. The procession consists of musicians, dancers, ‘royal pages’, a Santa’s sleigh where children deliver their Christmas wish lists, and a train providing gifts for the children – As you can gather Christmas is still very much alive on January 6 on the island of Mallorca.

So if the depressingly cold and miserable weather, the thought of having yet another turkey sandwich for your lunch and the general post-Christmas gloom that hangs over Britain in early January isn’t enough to make you book yourself on a plane to sunnier climes early next year, the prospect of celebrating this highly important date on the Christian calendar in such a traditional, spectacular and joyous manner, should be enough to persuade you to make Mallorca a top contender for a how to avoid the post-Christmas-blues-early-year escape!

The report investigated and compared the cost of 16 common purchases from supermarkets, such as milk, eggs, bread, water and vegetables, in 13 different popular European holiday destinations. The research found that Mallorca was the most cost-effective destination where 16 supermarket items cost £44.23.

The Algarve proved to be the second cheapest country for food and drink, with the 16 items costing a marginally more £44.36. Whilst third place went back to Spain with the Costa Blanca’s supermarket forage totalling £47.28.

Vintage Travel’s outstanding portfolio of self-catering accommodation includes many villas, ranging from the magnificent and modern to the traditional and rustic and includes many properties in Mallorca, the Costa Blanca and Portugal. For example, in the Algarve, a beautiful region in southern Portugal, we have plenty of villas offering sensational views, first-rate accommodation, all with their own private pools.

One such property is 2 bedroom Algarve Villa Gazeio, a beautifully maintained large detached house less than five kilometres from the interesting and historical maritime town of Lagos. Gazeio has been decorated and furnished to an extremely high spec and this welcoming and unpretentious villa is the perfect place to enjoy a ‘budget conscious’ self-catering holiday.

Whilst over in Mallorca, the most economical destination for a self-catering holiday according to the report, Vintage Travel’s portfolio of villas covers many of the stunning island’s diverse towns and villages.

For example, the two bedroom Mallorca villa of Serelleta (pictured) tucked away in the wooden and tranquil slopes of the Ca’n Bosc valley, provides the perfect accommodation for a peaceful, rural getaway in the least expensive European holiday self-catering destination. Serelleta is blessed with sensational panoramic views of some of the most varied and picturesque landscapes on Mallorca.

This two bedroom, two bathroom villa is located several kilometres from the town of Pollenca which is plentiful of bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets, enabling guests to take advantage of buying the most inexpensive produce in European holiday destinations.

Not only is the island’s vibrant restaurant, bar and nightclub scene in full swing in July, but a series of festivals also take place, making visitors of the island literally spoilt for choice of things to do and places to go.

Here is just a snippet of the festivals occurring in Mallorca this July.

Sa Mostra International Folklore Festival, Soller 19 July – 24 July 2011

Since its inception in 1980, the Sa Mostra Folklore Festival has been uniting folklore groups from around the world. Founded by the ‘Aires Sollerics’, a local group committed to the commercialisation and decimation of traditional folklore dances, the International Folklore festival of Soller has grown in popularity and prestige, and is one of the most internationally-recognised festivals of this genre in Spain, Europe and beyond.

The week-long event sees many public group and individual performances put on, with many sessions dedicated to promoting cultural interchange between different groups and cultures.

To participate in this unique and cultural event, make sure you are in the picturesque harbour town of Soller from July 19 until July 24.

Sant Jaume Night fair, Manacor 23 July 2011

Night fairs, with their pretty lights dazzling the night sky and sweet smelling aromas wafting down the streets, never fail to create a magical and exciting atmosphere. And this is most definitely the case with the Sant Jaume Night Fair, taking place on 23 July 2011 in the town of Manacor. Not only will the fair be brimming with stalls selling interesting and quirky items but it will heavily feature arts and crafts of the local area, with various art and craft activities and classes put on.

The town of Manacor is famous for its markets, having one of the busiest street markets on the island. But it is the Sant Jaume Night Fair, held in July, that is particularly mesmerising, captivating and wonderful.

Dia de Virgen de Carmen 15 July – 16 July 2011

The Dia de Virgen de Carmen is held all over the Balearic Islands, and is an exceptionally vivid and lively religious celebration. Practically every town and village on Mallorca has some kind of celebration the mark the event, with the bigger towns putting on colourful parades and many families having a feast in celebration of the patron saint of sailors.

Passejada dies Bou I Carro Triunfal 27 July – 28 July 2011

Held in the town of Valldemossa, the Passejada dies Bou I Carro Triunfal is a huge celebration, which sees a unique procession of carts roll through the town, followed by a convoy of bulls. If you are in Mallorca this July then make sure a trip to the Passejada dies Bou I Carro Triunful in Valldemossa is on your itinerary.

And another reason to visit would be the very special 5 bedroom villa in Mallorca, ‘En Rafal Nou’ pictured above.

For pianists, classical music enthusiasts and even folk dance fanatics yearning for some musical inspiration in the most inspiring of locations, a stay at Villa Valldemossa on the island of Mallorca may be just the ticket?

With Mallorca not boasting the most obvious classical music history, you may be asking yourself what connection does this beautiful Balearic island have with this particularly assuaging genre of music.

The Carthusian monastery of La Cartuja, home to the Polish pianist and composer Frederick Choplin during the winter of 1938 – 39, of course!

Nestled close to the historically iconic and scenic town of Valldemossa on Mallorca’s north coast, is the quaint and picturesque Carthusian Monastery La Cartuja. In respectful celebration and remembrance of the great composer, the monastery hosts daily piano recitals of Chopin’s work as well as fortnightly folk-dancing performances.

With views towards this culturally and musically significant monastery, the outstanding Villa Valldemossa would be a delectable choice of accommodation for anyone who holds Frederick Choplin in awe.

Although being decorated and furnished to an extremely high spec, comprising of an exquisite sun terrace, swimming pool and covered balconies, all of which provide sensational views of the luscious landscapes surrounding the property, Villa Valldemossa is by no means exclusively crafted for classical music-lovers and passionate pianists.

On the contrary, Villa Valldemossa is an attractive retreat for anyone seeking sun, tranquillity and a touch of class.

Being one of the “great masters of romantic music” it seems uncannily appropriate that such as romantic rural retreat is located ‘a stone’s throw’ from a monastery where one of the finest composers the world has ever seen temporarily lived.

A week’s rental at this Luxury 4 bed villa in Mallorca, Villa Valldemossa, which sleeps eight, costs £595 in April and rises to £2395 in peak season.

Whilst the whole of Mallorca boasts awe-inspiring views, it is the countryside surrounding Serelleta that really impresses.

Blessed with a diversity of a ruggedness that would rival the moorlands of Scotland, a verdant fertility that could be mistaken for a remote valley in Wales, and a Mediterranean sparkle some of the exclusive resorts the Cote d’Azur have become renowned for, the Pollenca area of Mallorca blends the very best natural of European beauty.

Built high on a peninsula, the views from Serelleta’s windows and its extensive grounds are both panoramic and spectacular.

The villa is exclusively accessed from the traditional Mallorcan village of Pollenca, which owes much of its popularity to maintaining its rustic charm, via a winding country lane, which twists and ascends into the foothills of the Tramuntana Sierras.

The twisting climb is rewarded by arriving at Serelleta. This beautiful villa boasts an open-plan design and with soft and comfortable furnishings surrounding an open fireplace, Serelleta exudes homeliness, comfort and style.

Whilst this property comprises of many remarkable features, it is perhaps the large, stone-cladded terrace which is especially outstanding.

These sweeping views are as breath-taking in the day, when the natural diversity of the area and beyond can really be appreciated, as they are at night, which, when on a clear night, the lack of light-pollution creates a star-gazer’s paradise.

If you manage to pull yourself away from spending the day at the shrub-tinged pool of this heavenly rural retreat, various sandy beaches are just a 15 minute drive away, and naturally make for a fantastic and relaxing day out.

Alternatively a more active day can be easily accomplished with a multitude of walking trails, shared, of course, by the impressive natural wildlife the area is home to.

This luxury 2 bed villa in Mallorca sleeps four and a week’s rental in May costs £850 rising to £1895 in high season.

Want an excuse to sample as many local wines as possible for free on the island of Mallorca this May? Then look no further!

Simply step into the Santo Domingo Cloisters opposite the tourist information office in the town of Pollenca on Saturday 7 May 2011 or Sunday 8 May 2011 and sup some of the best wine the Balearic Islands have to offer.

The Pollenca Wine Festival 2011 is a highly exalted wine event which draws wine cellars from all over Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca to promote their winery skills and delights to a more than obliging crowd of wine enthusiasts.

For just a £5 entry fee, guests are given an empty glass of wine and can taste as many of the huge and diverse mix of wines from each of the Balearic islands.

Traditionally the island of Mallorca has been associated with beautiful sandy beaches, vibrant nightlife and some stunning vistas rather than its local wine, leaving top-class wineries producing some top-notch vino to mainland Spain.

This commonly perceived perception of Mallorca is rapidly becoming a misconception as the number of wineries producing quality wines to rival the likes of Torres, are rapidly increasing. The most widely planted on the island are Manto Negro, Giro Blanc, Prensal Blanc and Fogoneu, which, by all accounts, make up a unique and emphatic flavour.

Given this renewed sense of zest for wine production, Mallorca is attracting a new kind of traveller – the wine enthusiast.

The Pollenca Wine festival is open to the public between 10am – 8.30pm on the Saturday and from 10am – 2pm on the Sunday.

Vintage Travel warn that due to a likely shortage of at the Santo Domingo Cloisters, visitors are likely to find parking spaces at the Rooster roundabout and the sports centre.

And after all that wine tasting (!), you need the best luxury villa in Pollenca, Vintage Travel’s Ca Na Xidoia is the perfect oasis of calm.

Holiday sales to German and British tourists to the beautiful Balearic island have increased by 20 percent, with more than 650,000 German tourists and 120,000 visitors from the UK expected to travel to Mallorca this summer.

After a difficult winter, which saw the number of visitors arriving at Palma Airport in decline, Thomas Cook has announced it has increased reservations to Mallorca this summer by as much as 30 percent, and budget airline Jet2.com has also considerably increased availability to Palma Airport.

The significant rise in the number of reservations made to Mallorca this summer, has been pinned on to the recent riots in Egypt, although the island’s exceptionally mild winter this year is also believed to have caused significant rise in flight and hotel bookings to the island.

Despite the inevitable dips and fluctuations in the amount tourists visiting any given holiday destination, since the 1950s, the dawn of mass tourism to Spain, Mallorca grow into one of Spain’s top tourist destinations, which subsequently attracted many workers from mainland Spain to the island’s capital Palma.

Being one of Spain’s tourism ‘hot spots’, more than one half of the population of Mallorca works in the tourism industry, which accounts for approximately 80% of the island’s GDP.

Given its prolific and thriving tourism industry, it is hardly surprising that this stunning island, whose perimeter is dominated by fine white sandy beaches, caves and rocky coves and whose interior is carpeted with over four million almond and olive trees, boasts more than 2,400 restaurants and bars – thus leaving tourists with the arduous decision of which restaurant to eat in.

Vintage Travel is also ready for this surge in popularity and has some great Mallorca villa deals.

Whilst airlines are pulling out of many European destinations, including Ryanair terminating its Granada and Valencia flights, Mallorca is to have eight new routes, five this winter and three next summer. A total of three weekly scheduled flights will go from London Gatwick and Manchester to Mallorca, as well as connections to Paris, Basel and Amsterdam. Next summer flights will go directly from Mallorca to the East Midlands, Glasgow and Venice.

According to Joana Barcelo from Mallorca’s tourism department the new scheduled flights to Mallorca will be “valid in some cases for two years.”

Ms Barcelo assures that the additional routes to Mallorca will not expire at the end of next summer, asserting, they will “continue negotiating with the airlines next year to improve the connectivity of the next tourism season and winter 2011.”

Being blessed with unspoiled sandy beaches, a multitude of tourist attractions, an interesting history, amazingly spectacular vistas, a year-round mild climate and friendly and welcoming locals, it is not difficult to understand why Mallorca remains one of the most popular European travel destinations.

Enjoy a Mallorcan sunset with a cocktail... or two!

Given Mallorca’s blatant charms together with the announcement of the National Statistics Institute’s recent findings that the Balearics’, particularly Mallorca’s tourist industry has flourished and prospered in 2010, it is hardly surprising that astute airline bosses will be wanting to cash in on the island’s seemingly ‘recession-proof’ success.

Check out our wide variety of villas with pools in Mallorca.

Procession of the Blessed, Mallorca

If being on Mallorca in October, with the gentle breezes from the Mediterranean cooling the island down from months of relentless heat, and the flocks of hedonistic youngsters arriving at Palma airport during high summer, in search of sun, sangria and all-night parties gradually fading wasn’t fulfilling enough, then attending the Colcada de la Beata and engulfing yourself with some religious zeal will certainly satisfy any yearnings for a touch of Spanish tradition.

This particularly vibrant and pulsating occasion takes place on the third Saturday in October and includes an important sermon held in the Santa Magdalena Church in Palma. The sermon is followed by a colourful parade, in which the young, old and middle-aged join in with a shared enthusiasm that is lifted into the atmosphere along with the music, aromas and tastes, as bands, bonfires, fireworks and feasts merrily fill the streets of Palma.

Saint Catalina Tomas was born in 1531 in the town of Valldemossa in the northwest of Mallorca. She died at the Santa Magdalena Covent in Palma in 1574. Also known as Saint Catherine Tomas, Catalina Tomas is the Patron Saint of Valldemossa. But it was where the Patron Saint passed away that is the focal point of the Procession of the Blessed.

In typical Spanish fashion, the festival goes on into the night and early morning and it is not until after dusk when the procession of floats leaves the Santa Magdalena Church and makes its way down Palma’s many charming and interesting avenues. Rarely hindered by the onset of late night fatigue the fiesta finally finishes with folk dancing and a feast in the open air at Placa de sa Feixina.

Keep an eye out for the fantastic battle reinactments

Mallorca’s reputation for being an island of excess and pleasure-seeking is certainly lived up to on the third Saturday of October each year, but in the most sacred, inspirational and spirited way possible.