PALMA de Mallorca has been the fastest growing tourist destination off the shores of Spain in 2007. Even though Tenerife in the Canaries and Ibiza in the same Balearic Archipelago are still the hottest tourist magnets, Palma de Mallorca has become the buzzword among all young circles anywhere in Europe. At the universities in Paris for example, students there from around the world say they all want to troop to Palma de Mallorca by summer. It’s just like the Carribean of Europe for them.

As early as the first days of 2008, travel agencies all over the United States and Europe have started various gimmicks just to lure travelers to Palma de Mallorca. Even though it is still the middle of winter, the temperature in Palma de Mallorca at this time is not that low because it enjoys a very temperate climate here all year round. It’s not just the discounts in plane and hotel suites that are available, there are also discounts on such delectable offers as spa services like body wrap, body scrub and a barrage of other body and facial treatments complete with free sauna and jacuzzi.

It may be a rainy Christmas in Palma de Mallorca last December 25 but that definitely has not hampered the vacationers from partying. Some were even seen soaking wet in the rain as they grinded like crazy to the tunes of dance and party music like Christmas Eve down to the wee hours of dawn with some parties even lasting up to 6 a.m. the next morning. But despite the liberated mood all around, it is imperative to note that tourism officials as well as resort management in Palma de Mallorca are very strict to apprehend anybody will illicit drugs. You can be dancing and gyrating wildly in stark nudity but you just cannot sniff cocaine.

And one thing that I like more in Palma de Mallorca resorts are their strict adherence to cleanliness. In fact, all Palma de Mallorca resorts have been stamped the blue flag accreditation by the European Union for having excellent quality service. To ensure independence and reliability of the accreditation, the European Union conducts surveys to customers in these resorts. These surveys are the bases for the blue flag accreditation.

One of the best resorts in Palma de Mallorca are the aptly-named Mallorca Farmhouses. The Mallorca Farmhouses may not have a beach but this inland resort has all the amenities a guest can call the entire sprawling campus a paradise. Among its excellent features are a heated pool and a terrace featuring cushioned lounges where you can tan yourself naked if the sun is up. Why not try the Mallorca Farmhouses during New Year? It may not rain there at all just like it had last Christmas. For first-timers in Mallorca, it may be helpful to note that the Spanish government has issued an updated digitized map of the place just in time for the new year.

MALLORCA is one of the islands in the Balearic archipelago splashed in the middle of the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain. At this point, it’s relatively deserted to tourists except those British expatriates and gays who have made it a permanent home. It is because most of the tourists who come here originate from the United Kingdom.

There has been no influx of tourists such huge as what has transpired this summer. Last summer, flooding has occurred in much of England and a lot of people there have gone to Mallorca to literally escape from the floods. Their homes have been safe but they cannot just afford getting their feet wet so to speak. All they want to do is bask and tan in the sun during summer so they head to a relatively safe and comfortable spot such as Mallorca.

Now that summer is over, many tourists troop back home to work never minding the danger of floods. But during Christmastime, many people go back to Mallorca again. Although England is a Christian country, more devout Christians are found here in Mallorca. Mallorca is where you see various Catholic parishes and during Christmas season especially during the nine dawns preceding Christmas Eve, make sure not to miss the morning mass and the street side breakfasts afterwards.

There are varied breakfasts here in Spain and this is worth tasting especially after the early morning mass. Among these is a cup of coffee although hot cocoa wouldn’t hurt either. There are also churros, torrijas and freshly squeezed orange juice. Here in Mallorca, you may experience a little bit cold during winter and temperatures here tend to get low at 3 degrees Celsius. So one needs to store layers and layers of clothing not just for oneself but also to his or her spouse or loved one and kids as well. Just make sure that you don’t use cotton shirts because cotton tends to absorb moisture into your skin and rather makes one colder.

Also during winter, Mallorca beaches, even the nudist ones, tend to get deserted because of this cold. But this must not get in the way of spoiling a holiday. You may even organize your Christmastime wedding here in the beaches of Palma del Mallorca. Don’t laugh at this seemingly obscure idea but my mom and dad have gotten married during a snowy and moist Christmas midmorning. It surely is a great romantic way to exchange I dos and plead to each other to be loyal for life.

Just be careful when you go out into the Mediterranean for some parasailing or windsurfing because lifeguards and Coast Guards are not that many on duty during these times because of the lack of tourists. However, some yacht cruising across the Mediterranean wouldn’t hurt now, would it? Just don’t do any scuba diving because these types of activities are reserved only for summer where temperature can get as warm as 23 degrees Celsius. So what are you waiting for? Reserve now for a vacation here in Mallorca.