KWI’s Guide to Mallorca
This past year, my husband and I were able to take a quick anniversary getaway to Mallorca. Having honeymooned in Spain, Mallorca was a special spot we promised ourselves to revisit for this celebration and for future milestones as our children get older and can also appreciate this charming Mediterranean island too. The island is quieter than its neighbors but has almost anything you want. You have Palma, a sweet and vibrant city full of culture, wonderful shops and restaurants, and history galore, but there is also so much countryside to explore. I love that on one island you can experience arid climates, lush landscapes, dazzling beaches, and rocky coastline. As small as Mallorca seems, it does take a while to navigate the island so if you plan on going; make sure to leave time to explore different areas of the region. Or, like us, just plan multiple trips.
Because this visit was a quick one, we stayed pretty local to our hotel, the LOVELY La Residencia, which boasts a divine spa, and a few excellent in-house restaurants (El Olivo is a favorite for hotel patrons and travelers alike) meaning we could pretty much just hang if we wanted to. We wandered down into Deia, an impossibly charming town, remarkably terraced into the side of the hill the hotel is atop.
La Residencia
Though we wanted to keep it laid back, we do like a little adventure, and so we took a day trip to Palma. Knowing that the cabs in this region can take forever, we opted to use the local bus system, which is fantastic, to take the 40-minute ride into Palma. Palma is a very walkable city with lots of excellent shopping and sourcing (never not) right on the main drag of Paseo del Born. There is also a gothic Roman cathedral - a must in any European city - that faces the sea and boasts some really jaw-dropping views.
We packed a lot into a short visit but still managed to board our plane home relaxed and refreshed, something I will return to Mallorca for as long as we can. Below, I’ve added some additional travel tips, things you MUST eat and enjoy, and a few recommendations from past visits.
EAT
Ensaimada: A heavenly sweet bread with sugar, super simple, mind-bendingly delicious.
Anything seafood-based. All of it.
Spanish hams and cheeses are a must - as are bacon-wrapped dates.
The island is teeming with olive and lemon trees - so go with it and order anything olive or lemon-based.
DRINK
La Residencia serves a mint lemonade that I drank the entire time- superfinely chopped and heavily mixed in, but hardly there at the same time…I’ve been trying to re-create it to no success, just another reason to go back.
The local wines are good! Catalonian wines are often served- dive in and try a few.
The hard cider from this region of Spain is incredible, dry, and perfect.
Citrus-y gin from island distilleries- yum.
SHOP
@quesadadecoracion for furniture etc…
@dustydeco for furniture, lighting, rugs, and other goodies~ from Stockholm to LA with a stop in Mallorca- this is so well curated and they’re online too…
@joymadebyhand for cute jewelry, and the @GreekArchaicKori dresses I used to buy on the Vineyard and couldn’t find there last summer are HERE! (and here since the link sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t).
@obsolete_mallorca - for Interior and Outdoor, they have great Antiques, hats, and bags.
@Panela.openartstudio is an open art studio for local crafts and is very charming.
@santapalma_official Laid back baggs made in Mallorca, flowy linen dresses.
BE INSPIRED:
Miro Mallorca Foundation: Miro had a lifelong relationship with Mallorca including 30 years spent living there, breaking prior rules, and pushing boundaries- it is said this is where he felt the most free to explore.
@Adrianameunie_textilework Textile artist working with a variety of fibers including wool from Mallorca.
Cap de Formentor Cycling- For those who like a little challenge while on vacation- I hear this cycling route is one of the prettiest on the island and it’s closed to regular traffic in July and August since the route is so popular. TBH- this is one of those things I would put on my must-do list, on some optimistic day months before a trip, and then get to a place so burnt and exhausted, it lands on my “after the kids finally go to college” list…
Jardines De Alfabia - Moorish estate and gardens where you didn’t expect it…
TIPS:
If you stay at La Residencia:
There is a 20-minute hike down to the water/beach, where there is a little rocky cove. It’s not a sandy spot, as most ‘beaches’ are on the west coast of Mallorca, but for an afternoon drink or a bite of lunch, this is the place.
For heading out for cocktails and dinner, seriously consider chic sandals with a blockier heel, a wedge, or just go flat- the terraced landscape and cobbled sidewalks make this a place to skip the higher heels. Flowy natural fibers and laid-back luxe lead the way here style-wise.
Do book the spa.
If you must have a taxi take you somewhere, book ahead.
Know they prioritize guests for the popular terrace bar, especially at busy early evening time.
GETTING AROUND
Use the bus system when you can. It’s great.
TRAVELING IN
From NYC you can go direct in the summer- United goes through Newark. But if you can’t go from NYC, or you go in the “off season,” fly through Madrid and then get your connection. It is MUCH faster than flying through London.
ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY
Sóller is an insanely charming town - do visit.
There’s no shortage of lovely stays, especially ones that have developed in the last decade. But for a different pace, Ca’s Xorc is another great hotel (adults only) where we spent part of our honeymoon 20 years ago. It’s not as uber-luxe, but feels very of the place. It is very high up on a mini-mountain and it’s worth visiting even for dinner - the view is…crazy beautiful, especially at sunset.
Ca’s Xorc
The hotel is small and off the beaten path. A little hike down the mountain into town will treat you with; goats with bells, lemon trees, and olive groves. The spot is lazy as can be, and the chef and hospitality are lovely: from the help-yourself bar, to the crack-of-dawn breakfast they kindly set out for us at the staff’s timeworn wood table in the restaurant’s kitchen, 2 decades ago. That daybreak coffee and warm goodbye still looms in my brain as one of the sweetest moments, ever. If you are a chilled-out traveler wanting peace, this is your place. If you’re passing though, make a dinner reservation.
All this said - it is a bit of a white-knuckle drive up the hairpin turns of the mountain, so get a taxi.
UP NEXT
When I go back; there is a house tour I have been keen to go on. The architect for the Sydney Opera House, Jørn Utzon, had a house in Mallorca that you can now experience. It is only open one day a week for tours (because you can RENT it). Named Can Lis, for his wife it is an impressive study in form, and the views look amazing. Utzon lived many happy years here and saw it as a refuge from other ‘less friendly’ regions and I can’t wait to check it out.
WHAT TO TAKE HOME
I’m a sucker for ceramics and vessels from Dora Ceramics are earthy, emotional and sophisticated.
We’re also ones to start a break with a crisp G+T and Mallorcan distilleries produce a few memorable gins worth taking home. Luckily, a summery citrus-infused option: Casa Eva’s “La Vermella” can be found with a few sellers, one right in Brooklyn. Pareis Distillery’s “Mercant” has me intrigued enough to hunt down a bottle to try this winter- though I can’t find it available in the US… if any of you go, bring home a bottle for me ;)
