Posted on 2024-02-06

Mallorca, Spain

Islands are popular tourist destinations worldwide, with places like Hawaii, Bali, and the Caribbean topping the list of dream vacation spots. Mallorca is no exception. During the summer, tourists flock to this Mediterranean gem!

I'm sure everyone has their reasons for visiting, but I believe Mallorca's diversity, packed into a small area, is a significant draw. It boasts stunning beaches, majestic mountains, a vibrant city with a lively nightlife, and picturesque towns — all within close proximity to each other.

During our visit to Mallorca in July 2023, we concentrated on exploring the west side of the island. Here are a few highlights from our trip.

Palma De Mallorca - the city

My first impression of Palma was mixed. I was not expecting to see a metropole of that size. Palma has a big city vibe, it is busy and doesn't feel like a vacation spot. Other areas of the island are more scenic and less crowded.

On the plus side, however, the city center has a lot of charm and is very walkable. Most major attractions are located around the old town. For excursions further away, there is a very good public transportation system. It is easy to access other parts of the island from Palma, and the city offers a wide variety of dining, shopping, and accommodation options.

Speaking of hotels, there's a lot of great ones in the city. Due to the popularity of this destination, the best hotels are quickly sold out for the summer, so be sure to reserve your rooms in advance.

When we arrived in Mallorca, like the rest of Spain, the island was experiencing a major heat wave. With the air on the island being humid, staying outside in the middle of the day proved to be quite exhausting. Conditions would improve by the evening, yet the ideal time for walks or jogging is in the morning.

The small square called Placa De La Reina is an ideal starting point for exploring Palma. It offers the visitor a quick glimpse into the city's architectural style. The trees flourishing in the square are a reminder that it's called "Palma" for a reason.
Houses on Carrer de Santo Domingo are a great example of Palmas architecture. It features wooden blinds, enclosed balconies, richly ornamented balustrades and stained glass windows. Everything is rich in detail.
On the same street, Can Forteza Rey looks like it was designed by Antonio Gaudí himself. In fact, while it is heavily inspired by his style, the architect behind this modernist marvel was named Luís Forteza Rey. The house was built in 1909 and it was his family home. The dentist office of his son in law was on the 2nd floor and the sign is still there.
The old town has a number of picturesque squares, like the Jardin de la Seo located right next to the Cathedral.
The Olivera de Cort, a six-hundred-year-old olive tree, stands prominently in Plaça Cort — a small, charming square located right in the middle of the old town.
Opposite the venerable olive tree stands the 17th-century town hall building, known as Ajuntament De Palma. A notable feature is its enormous overhanging wooden roof. Many buildings in the old town sport similar oversized roofs, likely designed to protect them from the elements—both rain and the intense summer heat.
Paseo del Borne (Passeig des Born in Catalan) is a wide avenue lined with plane trees. Situated at the city's core, it hosts numerous restaurants and luxury stores. You'll need to wake up early to take a shot like this as during the day it is very busy.
The Cathedral is the quintessential landmark of Palma. It is perched at the edge of the old town, overlooking the Parc De La Mar and the Mediterranean Sea. Like many other gothic cathedrals, it took a long time to build - almost 400 years! Unlike the darker gray hue of gothic churches on the European mainland, the limestone used to build the Cathedral has a warm, beige tone that gives the structure brightness and levity.
Jardin De Bisbe (Bishop's garden) is located just behind the Cathedral. It features geometric hedges and a pond filled with water lilies.
If you venture into the narrow streets on the east side of the old town, you'll escape the crowds. The walls, windows, and the blue sky create beautiful color compositions, so remember to look up!
Just a few blocks away from the main commercial and tourist center, life slows down, and the atmosphere becomes much calmer, with fewer restaurants and shops.
Buildings in Palma have a bright beige red color contrasted with dark green blinds. The residents have their ways to let fresh air in but keep the sun out.
Many old buildings were tastefully renovated and today they house hotels, cafes, stores and art galleries.
The Torrent De La Riera flows alongside a wide avenue that encircles the old town. On the opposite side lies the neighborhood of Le Jonquet. Once an old fishing village, today is a lively area with numerous bars and restaurants. It's a great area for dining!
As you wander further into Le Jonquet, you'll discover charming old windmills tucked between modern residential buildings.
Fortunately, the cruise ships are docked at a distance, and in the old Puerto De Palma, you'll mostly find charming fishing boats. The path along the harbor offers an excellent route for a morning jog!
The Castell De Bellver is located on a hill west of the city center, a short drive or bus ride away. It's a fine example of gothic military architecture, but the best part of it are the views!
From atop the Castell Bellver, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city and port of Palma.
Freshly grilled sausages in the food market next to the Torrent De La Riera.
Jamon Serrano is a key ingredient in the Bocadillo. It's a sandwich made from a baguette, Machengo cheese and the delicious ham. Three simple ingredients for an unforgettable taste!

Formentor - the peninsula

After exploring Palma, our first excursion took us the northernmost part of the island called the Formentor peninsula. It is about one hour drive from the city and there are a couple of nice little towns to visit on the way, most notably - Pollença.

The mountain range that runs along the west coast of the island, culminates in a dramatic fashion in Formentor. Before coming there, I imagined that Mallorca would be filled with rolling hills like Tuscany or Provence, but this is nothing like it. It is a rugged, rocky terrain of astonishing proportions.
If you are afraid of heights, don't look down. But if you do, you will be rewarded with a sight of the deepest blue sea washing the rocky coast.
Along the entire peninsula, the coast is lined with almost vertical cliffs.
The jagged coastline features inlets flanked by steep slopes, reminiscent of Norwegian fjords.
Just a couple of miles from the dramatic rocky peaks, on the east side of the peninsula lies Platja De Formentor. It's a narrow beach, where coarse sand mixes with rocks. The water is remarkably warm and clear. Beneath the shade provided by the trees is the perfect spot to relax for a while, which is exactly what we did.
The peninsula is home to a significant population of goats. Those sympathetic animals are very at ease when hanging around people.

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Valldemossa & Deia - the idyllic villages

On the next trip we visited a couple of small towns north west from Palma: Valldemossa and Deia. Both are absolutely worth a visit for their beauty and the magnificent surroundings.

Just a 30 minutes drive away from busy Palma is the quaint town of Valldemossa. Located on a hill, with charming paved street and stone houses, the town is the perfect getaway.
The main square in Valldemossa has a few cafes and restaurants ideal for lunch in the shade of the plane trees. Right next to the main square, there's a church and a old convent.
Frederic Chopin and his partner Geroge Sand rented a room in the convent during their winter sojourn in Mallorca. A local craftsman, Juan Bauza, built a piano which Chopin used to compose some his most celebrated work - the Preludes. When he left, the piano went on an odyssey of its own. It was moved to France, seized by the Nazis and rescuced by the Allies. The piano is still France and the room was turned into a museum.
While visiting the museum, take a while to enjoy the beautiful private garden in the back. It is overlooking a valley filled with vineyards. With such an inspiring view, no wonder Chopin composed masterpieces!
A few miles up the coast from Valldemossa is the town of Deia. It is situated on much more rugged terrain, with steep alleys and lots of stairs.
Deia is the embodiment of the word "picturesque". No matter which direction you point your camera in,the view is always great.
When we arrived, the town was almost deserted. It was a very hot day, which scared most tourists and convinced locals to stay home. We managed to meet one inhabitant, but he did not pay too much attention to us.
A couple of miles away from the town, down a pretty steep drive, there's an idyllic cove called Cala De Deia. It has small beach, a bar and a restaurant and it's all surrounded by a rocky coastline. When we arrived in the middle of a high tide, so swimming in the bay was a challenge. It's beautiful nonetheless.

Sóller - journey on a historic train

Mallorca has one train route, but it is very unusual. The Ferrocarril De Sóller is a historic train route that dates back to 1912. It connects Palma to a town called Sóller some 20 miles north.

The train to Sóller leaves from a station in the center of Palma. We booked an early ride, so that we could spend as much time as possible exploring the area.
The old wooden wagons are in a remarkably good condition, but the train is does not move fast. The first leg of the journey goes through industrial parts of Palma, so you may want to take a book for that part.
Once it leaves the outskirts of the city, the views are amazing. As it moves north, the train soon reaches the mountains. That's when you may start to wonder how it is going to get across?
To cross the highest part of the mountain range, the train passes through a long tunnel. The air inside is refreshingly cool, a welcome relief on a hot day. Upon emerging from the other end, the train begins a steep descent to its final destination, the town of Sóller.
After reaching Sóller, we took a short walk around the town's main square and admired the landmark Sant Bartomeu church.
Next stage of the journey is a tram ride from Sóller to Port De Sóller, which is a few miles away. Like the train, the trams are old but well preserved and very, very slow.
Port De Sóller is a resort town nestled around a spacious bay. Other than a sandy beach, you'll find an abundance of bars, hotels, and restaurants in the town.
The tram follows the bay, goes all through the town, and ends up at its northern edge, near a marina. This is where we disembarked, looking for the next adventure.

Sa Calobra - exploring the coast

The most scenic way to explore the west coast of Mallorca is by boat. Indeed, it's the only method to access certain spots. We discovered that Port de Sóller offers numerous boat rental options, complete with skippers who are well-versed in the area. They will guide you along the coast, unveiling all the picturesque locales. After some quick research, we selected our captain and embarked on a four-hour cruise.

Many places are very hard or simply impossible to access by land. While cruising along the coast, you can easily see why.
The turquoise water, beige mountain peaks and green vegetation give the coast its unique color & character.
These rock formations reveal the forces that shaped the landscape.
The coast has many coves where the water is perfectly clear. These are great spots for a swim.
The sea cuts through the rocky shore creating secluded coves with crystal-clear waters.
Some caves are so large that we could explore them on the boat. Beware of swimming there though, they are full of jellyfish.
Finally we reached Sa Calobra. It's hard to get there, but it is a popular destination nevertheless. A tiny beach tucked between steep rocks, cut in the middle by a river gorge. In the summer the river dries out and all is left is a small pond.
The Sa Calobra beach is so narrow that a boat can't get to it. It can be reached by a pathway carved in the rocks or... on a paddleboard. We decided to swim in order to reach it. I did not take my camera, so I have no photos of the place. Just a nice memory!
After exploring Sa Colabra, we cruised back. We had some time left before the end of the day, so we went south from Port De Sóller to a place called Covo de Sa Foradada. It features some amazing rock formations!

Bonus: art gallery in Palma

On our last day in Palma, we accidentally came across a very unique art space: the Gerhardt Braun Gallery.

The gallery is located on the Carrer de Sant Feliu, a narrow walking street in the west part of the old town.
The gallery is spread across three different buildings located next to each other. When you exit one, you can enter the next right away.
It's free to access and it is so large that it feels like a full blown museum rather than just a gallery.
It features a big collection of contemporary art, exhibited in elegantly renovated old interiors.
It took us a good hour to explore all the parts of the gallery.
We found in some large paintings in the style of pop art...
...as well as captivating spatial works of art (I'm not sure if I can simply call this a "sculpture").
Some pieces were... interesting.
There is a contemporary art museum nearby called El Baluard Museu and another one, dedicated to the work of Joan Miró, a bit further away. But it was time to head back to the airport, so those places will have to wait for the next time!

In conclusion

A true measure to how much we've enjoyed a place is our desire to return. With its diverse landscapes and breathtaking scenery, Mallorca certainly ticks this box for me.

Whether you're drawn to spectacular nature, vibrant cities, or charming villages, Mallorca offers all this and more. I'm confident that on my next visit, I'll find many new things to discover!