It’s been a while since I’ve written anything for A Lost Blonde, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been traveling. The past year has been filled with interesting destinations, from the white sand beaches of Pensacola, Florida, to the city streets of London, to the rocky mountains of Tennessee, Utah, and Switzerland, this year has had it all.
Now that Liam and I have officially settled in Barcelona, Spain (post coming soon) it was time to plan a trip! Since we couldn’t decide whether we wanted azure waters or towering mountains…we opted for both, and set our sights on Mallorca, Spain.
Is it Mallorca or Majorca? Well, it’s actually both depending on what language you speak. The name Mallorca literally means “the bigger one”, as it is the largest island of the Balearic Islands, and one of the biggest in the Mediterranean.
Mallorca Tips:
The island gets really crowded during August, so you’ll want to book your hotel and car in advance. Getting around the island without a car is doable (kinda), but it’s infinitly easier and more reliable to book a car yourself. Another thing to note, August is the busiest (and hottest) month of the year, so most destinations will be littered with vacationers. We avoided crowds by staying out of Palma and avoiding all the “Top 10 Best” lists. These beaches & restaurants will be insanely overpopulated, and there are hundreds of gorgeous beaches to go to!
Our first full day was filled with a bit of adventure. We stayed at the Mallorca Hostal Catalina Vera in Port Andratx, a charming, authentic hotel that is literally steps from the water. After a cute catered breakfast of various toasts and juices, we set off on a multi-destination road trip heading generally North.
One of the most scenic drives in the world is an 8-mile portion of the MA-10 towards Sa Calobra. This paved path snakes along the northwestern mountain coast of Mallorca with a gradient of more than 7%. Overall, it takes about an hour and a half to get there from Port Andratx, but the scenery is so worth the time. A word of caution: this road is not for nervous or nautious drivers (Mom!). The two-way road is extremely narrow and has over 50 hairpin turns, one of which curving a full 360º circle.
At the end of this winding road is the small fishing town Sa Calobra. There are two small coves for swimming, one is very accessible and the other is a small walk through a tunnel. Both feature beautiful turquoise waters with swim areas and amazing views. The drive itself was the main attraction!
Continuing up the coast another hour, we drove towards Platja des Coll Baix – a very remote beach near the northern town Alcúdia. This beach takes effort to get to. First, it’s about a 3-mile rough, unkept dirt-road drive to the parking area. Then, a 2-mile hike (including rock scrambling- shown above) to get to the beach. Once there, the water is unnaturally blue, imagine pouring blue Gatorade into a pool! It’s stunning, foggy but bright, similar to the Icelandic blue lagoon. The beach itself beautiful and uncrowded, the perfect reward for a semi-difficult hike.
For dinner, we drove back to Port Andratx to eat at Mar Blau. This place has horrible reviews, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. My meal was delicious, hot, price-appropriate, and served in a timely manner. Our bottle of wine was served cold and with an ice bucket… what more could you possibly ask for? Our appetizer (bread with aioli and olives) was served marinated in fresh herbs and we begged the server for the ingredients! Also, the restaurant has uninterrupted views of the sunset over the harbor. People on TripAdvisor are just bored, don’t always listen to them.
City Deia:
On our second day in Mallorca, we traded in the beachy towns for some elevation. The mountain city of Deia has attracted artists and creatives for generations. It is named one of the prettiest villages on the island, featuring both dramatic mountains and turquoise waters. Famous war poet Robert Graves called the picturesque village his home, his writings inspired by the surrounding nature, and after his death in 1985 Deia turned his estate into a historical museum.
This sleepy summit town is filled with bohemian shops, cute cafes, and an award-winning hotel & spa La Residencia. During our visit, we wandered the windy narrow streets and staircases just to take in the summit views. Keep in mind, the town is quiet and most shops are closed for the summer. If you have time, stop by La Residencia for a cocktail, or dinner at El Olivo. About a 30-minute walk down the hill is Cala Deia, a smaller beach with breathtaking views. This popular area is frequented by artists and painters with their easels. It’s the local spot for cooling off and escaping the Mediterranean sun!
Soller:
Another 30-minute drive took us up the west coast to the historic town of Sóller. The town’s name means ‘golden bowl’, an accurate description for the city of orange groves. The town is famous for their oranges and endless variety of citrus related products. I read in a Mallorcan-native blog that Sóller is known as the artist town, so I was excited to find some local art to take home. Unfortunately, the blog didn’t mention that the art market is only open on Saturday’s. Instead, we purused artisan shops before grabbing lunch in the center square, Plaza de la Constitución. Make sure to stop and appreciate the Church of San Bartomeu before you leave!
Go back in time while riding one of the Sóller wooden trains through the mountains. Since opening in 1912, these cable carriages take passengers on a romantic journey through the Tamuntana mountain range. The train goes down to Port de Sóller or all the way to Palma at very low speeds, giving you the opportunity to appreciate the scenery for about an hour.
Feeling generally disappointed with the lack of promised art or any real activity, I got back in the car a little defeated. Liam set out to save the day by finding a semi-private cove in the Port Andratx area. This seems so simple, but it was my favorite part of our trip. Swimming in the sea, looking for seashells and pushing boundaries of my fear of the open ocean. I swam down maybe 15 feet and touched the bottom!! Huge for me. Kept a rock as a souvenir 🙂
Boat Day:
A MUST do in Mallorca is having a boat day. One of my favorite parts of our trip was renting a sailboat for a few hours and getting out into the water. We found this amazing vendor through Airbnb and booked an older Beneteau boat for a few hours! There are hundreds of rental companies or Airbnb-expereinces to choose from, but ours came with wine!
Snorkeling is beautiful all over the island, but finding a private spot without other boats or swimmers was really something special. Complete with local cava and vegetarian pizza, our afternoon on the water was one to remember.
Later that night, we dined at Restaurante Illeta, a stunning Spanish restaurant on a tiny island off of Andratx. Liam and I watched tiny fish swim around the restaurant waiting for customers to drop their dinner. Their seafood-based menu includes delicious paellas and tasty cocktails. Make sure to arrive hungry, the dinner proportions are huge. Reservations are not required, but absolutely necessary.
Sa Dragonera:
On our last day, we took a 20-minute ferry from Sant Elm over to the island Sa Dragonera, or the Island of Lizards. This uninhabited island is a wildlife sanctuary for literally thousands of Balearic lizards. They’re super curious little cuties who will definitely check out your picnic. There is no food or water available on the island, whatever you pack are your supplies for the day. The ranger stationed on the island will give you a quick overview of the land, recommending certain hikes or areas depending on the weather.
There are a few different ways you can visit Sa Dragonera. There are paid ferries that include guided hiking tours and history lessons, boat-tours that circle the island, or you can create your own adventure! Our ferry was just for transportation to the island (and therefore cheaper) and we explored on our own. This untouched island is the perfect place for a nature retreat. It was an afternoon filled with snorkeling, sunscreen and sooo much sea glass.
If you have any follow up questions about visiting Mallorca, please email me at alostblonde@gmail.com
♡ Abigail Reagan
