When you go to Majorca for your summer holiday it’s tempting to spend the whole fortnight on the beach near your hotel basking in the sun but if you do get tired of staring at the sun kissed bodies playing Frisbee or just lazing about on the sand then you may want to investigate some of the island’s history.

In Puerto Pollensa holidays are mainly spent by the Mediterranean, days on the beaches followed by evenings eating at the best restaurants on the island, nights clubbing away but just 5 or 6 kilometres inland is the old town of Pollensa itself, established in the 13th century but mainly built in the 17 th and 18 th centuries a little inland to avoid pirates and buccaneers. The streets and passages are nice and narrow which means that there is always plenty of shade as you explore until you get to the squares, the principal being the Plasa Major where you’ll find many cafes. The plasa is dominated by the 13 th century church Our Lady Of The Angels which was built for the Knights Templar. North of the square is the 365 step stairway which leads to the chapel known as Calvary. If you’re in town on Good Friday you can witness the Easter ceremony in which an enactment of the crucifixion takes place, they re-enact the Stations of the Cross and there is a silent torch lit parade, the only sound to be heard is the sombre beating of a solitary drum.

If you’re going to stay in the region you can either go to one of the many hotels that are available by the port itself or, if you’re more inclined to villa holidays there are beautiful villas in Alcudia, the municipality in which Pollensa and Puerto Pollensa lie.

Pollensa, or Pollentia as it was originally known then was a Roman settlement and further to the north of the town you can still visit the Roman bridge which crosses the torrents that form the Sant Jordi river