Ffestiniog Travel

Monday 15 April to Monday 22 April 2013

Majorca, largest and most diverse of the Balearic Islands, is home to an extensive flora, seen at its best in Spring. We shall stay on the quiet and beautiful north coast, visiting a wide range of natural habitats, encompassing marshland, mountain valleys, rocky shores and sand dunes, as well as formal gardens and Neolithic sites. Some plants are familiar, being native to Britain. Some exhibit features adaptive to the Mediterranean climate. Others are unique, their characteristics and distribution bearing witness to the thirty million year old history of the western Mediterranean.

The tour is led by Dr. Robert Callow who is a specialist in this subject and, whilst it is not a strenuous tour, we should mention that it is an educational experience as well as a holiday.

Please note that the U.K. departure is from Manchester Airport.   

Day 1

Fly from Manchester Airport at 0640 to Palma Majorca with coach transfer to the Illa D'Or Hotel on the famous "Pine Walk" along Bahia de Pollensa www.hotelillador.com
A light lunch is included today.

Day 2

Alcudia: Roman Pollentia, Market, Old Town
C'an Picafort: Dune systems
Albufera: Conservation Centre, Migratory Birds

Day 3

Formentor Peninsula: A limestone escarpment at the northern tip of the Tremontana Range. Stunning scenery and endemic plants. Churchill and Roosevelt conferred at the Formentor Hotel in 1943 whilst, in the 50s, the peninsular provided the film location for "South Pacific".
Cala Figuera
Cala Boquer: A popular valley with bird watchers, especially for birds of prey such as the Black Buzzard and Eleanora's Falcon. It also houses interesting populations of endemic plants.

Day 4

Arta: Ses Paisses Neolithic settlement. The Arta Peninsula is home to woodland dominated by Aleppo Pine and several endemic shrubs. Cala Estreta: Woodland and endemic dwarf shrubs, coastal fortifications.

Day 5

Alfabia: Home of the last Moorish governor who converted to Christianity after the Spanish invasion. Set high up on the mountainside, the house and gardens are cool havens away from the heat of the summer.
Soller: Magnificent botanical gardens and picturesque port
Deia: Home of Robert Graves
Son Marroig: One of the homes of Austrian Archduke Luis Salvador who spent years studying the natural history of the Balearic Islands. The endemic buckthorn is named after him.
Valdemossa: Retreat of Chopin and George Sands.

Day 6

Lluc: Benedictine Monastery
Massanella: Woodland Maquis and Garigue

Day 7

Pollensa: Old town, Calvari (stations of the cross), lunch at II Giardino, a fine Italian restaurant in the centre of old Pollensa (included).

Day 8

Transfer to Palma Airport for flight to Manchester, arriving 13.05

Includes: Flights from Manchester to Palma with Jet2 Accommodation with private facilities at the Illa D'Or Hotel Breakfasts plus evening meals and two lunches All coach travel on Majorca Entrance fees as appropriate Services of tour leader Dr Robert Callow, Botanist and former lecturer at Manchester University Detailed Study Tour notes
PRICE PER PERSON:
In twin share room:	£1300
Single room supplement:	£50
Deposit for this Study Tour:	£200
Rates of exchange used are as at 1st August 2012