Palma de Mallorca (July 2018)
Have you ever visited a place and felt an immediate connection that you never wanted to leave? I experienced this sensation as soon as I landed in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in June of 2018. If it weren’t nearly 20 hours to get to, including multiple flights, I would make this our family summer vacation spot, year after year.
Like you maybe, I had never really heard or thought much of the Balearic Islands, but as luck would have it, my daughter became good friends with a foreign exchange student, who is from this idyllic region. And like any good friend (and her mother), we went to visit him and his family during a recent trip she and I took throughout Spain. This is another one of those “semi-solo” vacations that I am fond of taking. A little bit of “me,” time and a little bit of “kid” time. While my daughter got to have a “home stay” with her friend and his family, I planned a four-day escape of my own.
In order to be centrally located, I stayed in the heart of Palma at the THB El Cid, which was a lovely beachfront property, with several pools. https://www.thbhotels.com/hotel-el-cid-playa-palma. If I were staying longer by myself, I would recommend a location that is a little further away than the airport. But this suited my purposes just fine.
Here are some of the highlights if you decide to make this a vacation destination of your own.
1. Be. And what I mean by this, is simply take in the beauty surrounding you. There is an air of relaxation that permeates that is hard to explain (though there are many smokers!). Unlike the bustling cities of nearby Madrid and Barcelona, Mallorca (also spelled Majorca) has a laid-back, casual atmosphere among its residents that is quite refreshing.
2. Shop in the heart of Palma Old Town for unique stores, fashion boutiques, art galleries, as well as well-known brands such as Zara and Zara Home, Guess, Hugo, and others. Read more about this vibrant here. https://veebrant.com/shopping-streets-palma-mallorca/
3. Swim at the beach, there are more than 200 to select from around Mallorca. Listed below are some of the best beaches as recommended by www.seemallorca.com.
· Cala Formentor Beach
· Portals Nous Beach
· Camp de Mar Beach
4. Eat Paella. All the time. There is no bad Paella in Spain.
5. Visit Valldemossa, a village in Mallorca, that offers the most spectacular scenery you may ever get to see. While there isn’t much to do in this area, it is enough to stroll through or drive through and capture a few photographs along the way. Hire a driver to take you around.
6. Spend a day in Sόller. Driving up to the Port reminded me of Capri or literally a movie-set. Much like “cabins” for us Midwesterner’s, people who live in Spain often “summer” in this lovely town. You can also catch a train, with mountain views, from here back to the capital city of Palma de Mallorca.
7. Bike. There are many options for scenic bike rides, including around the Mediterranean Sea.
8. Visit one or all 30+ museums that Mallorca offers—from art to statues to wildlife, there is something for everyone to appreciate.
9. Rent or book a Catamaran and set sail across the turquoise blue waters. Pack a picnic while you are at it, as there are a number of secluded areas you might be able to just drop your anchor and hang out for a while.
10. Enjoy the nightlife in Magaluf, a town known for its lively bars and café’s—popular with the younger crowd! (I wasn’t allowed in. 😊)
Σχόλια