Making Memories in Majorca

Majorca is a magical holiday destination that brings happy holidaymakers back to its sun-drenched shores year after year. It's the type of place that creates wonderful memories and, whether you fancy all inclusive Majorca holidays or chic city breaks, has the ability to appeal to holidaymakers from all walks of life. So, what's the secret?

For starters, Majorca is deliciously diverse. It's packed to the brim with stacks of different holiday experiences, ranging from the classic appeal of sea-and-sand beaches and bustling seaside resorts, to its tiny fishing villages and rural retreats. Wander into cosmopolitan Palma, the island's capital city, for a day of sightseeing and shopping. Hire a car and drive along the coast to discover tiny secluded villages and clusters of whitewashed houses. Explore shady olive groves and hike through the island's beautiful rural interior. This glorious Balearic gem has certainly got variety in abundance.

And where accommodation is concerned, the range of hotels and apartments in Majorca is nothing if not diverse. Whatever you fancy, you're bound to find it here. All inclusive Majorca holidays are well covered with a fantastic choice of hotels offering all inclusive dining options with all the food and drink you could ever wish for. Some all inclusive properties go one better by offering additional perks like free sports lessons, reduced green fees on the local golf course, or discounted spa treatments.

If any of these holiday experiences tickles your fancy, you'll find all of these plus many more through tour operators like Thomas Cook. With package holidays you get the benefit of a stress-free experience with all of your travel essentials covered, plus, you'll often find plenty of money-saving deals and special offers advertised throughout the year too.

So, when will you start making memories in Majorca?

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Mayerling Performed by The Royal Ballet

Ballet fanatics will probably already be aware that the Royal Ballet is performing at the Royal Opera House once again, this time depicting the great tragedy of Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary in the ballet titled, “Mayerling”.  The ballet is based on the true story of the Prince, his wife and daughter, and his mistress and the events leading up to the tragic deaths of the Prince and Mary Vetsera in1889.  The Ballet has already in session and is running until June 15^th 2013 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.  Staying locally is no problem, click here to check the Travelodge hotel in Covent Garden and book a room, that way you can absorb the experience without having to rush to travel home.

The Mayerling incident is well reported and is cemented in the history books as one of history’s greatest tragedies and part of the events that led to World War One.  The Austro-Hungarian Prince Ruldolf was forced to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium against his will for political reasons.  He was then tormented by his love for another woman and faced with political troubles outside his control until he ultimately committed suicide in an alleged pact with his mistress Mary in January 1889.  The story is wrought with passion and violence as well as romance and desperate sadness.  The Royal Ballet do an incredible job of capturing all of the emotions in this complex tale with elegance and a class only found in the arts.

The story has been dramatized in film, television and theatre, but frequent viewers of ballet will know that there is a certain heighted drama about depiction in dance.  This adaptation was written by Kenneth MacMillian and first performed in 1978.  The music, written by Franz Liszt and arranged by John Lanchbery, captures the high drama of the story and tells it well.  For the dancers themselves this is a challenging arrangement and has one of the most complex male dance roles there is, so expect something spectacular from the male lead.  There are also 5 female lead roles with the dancing style purposefully pushing the boundaries of classical ballet.

The Royal Ballet Company are based year round at the Royal Opera House and are internationally renowned as one of the best classical ballet companies in the world.  The company are 100 dancers strong, each one as talented and as disciplined as the next.  This brilliant dance company combined with the majestic spectacle of the Royal Opera House makes for an exceptional arts experience that transports you to Austria-Hungary and the era of Prince Rudolf.

Everyone from a true ballet convert who has seen many performances in the past, or a newbie who enjoys history and tragic love stories akin to Romeo and Julliet, should go and see the Mayerling at the Royal Opera House.  There is no dialogue in ballet, but the story and emotion will be so apparent that there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

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