Deià: VIPS, urban legends and a magical nook on the island

Gertrude Stein told Robert Graves "If you can resist paradise, go to Mallorca". And Graves resisted it. He came to Deià and settled in this idyllic mountain village with a bohemian taste, which has attracted many other artists. The main street links the whole village and on both sides of it you'll find art galleries, bars and cafés where you can write a poem or just have a beer. If you're lucky Van Morrison might turn up and start playing guitar (you can hear such urban legends). Or the most famous neighbour in the area, Michael Douglas, might just appear.

Apart from the great deal of VIPS, Deià is one of the most magical nooks of the island, located near the sea in the mountains. It is worth coming around (at sunset if possible to enjoy it from Son Marroig). It's just a pleasure for the senses.

Valldemossa, Santa Caterina Thomàs and Chopin

It was in Valldemossa where Chopin and his lover George Sand spent their renowned "A Winter in Mallorca". Although they were not very pleased with the residents' manners, what was put on record by Sand in her book, Valldemosa has turned into a pilgrimage destination for thousands of visitors looking for the Chopin experience at La Cartuja. You can visit the room where he lived, and you can see the piano he left when he returned to France and some original scores.

Chopin might be the benefactor of this marvellous town between the sea and the mountains, but Sor Catalina Thomàs is its spiritual guide. Locals worship this saint and icons of her can be seen in all the houses.

In summer Costa Nord, property of Michael Douglas, offers many outstanding concerts with first-class groups.

If you feel like going for a dip, Cala de Valldemossa is a beautiful cove just 7 km away where you can enjoy a swim.

Serra de Tramuntana, a natural and magical mountain range

The Serra de Tramuntana is a majestic mountain range 88 km long emerging from the sea rising up to 1.400 m and protecting the island from the strong north wind, Tramuntana. It is the island backbone, an inimitable landscape with natural, mysterious and romantic beauty. From Formentor to La Trapa, running along Mallorca's north coast, Serra de Tramuntana shows its majesty as a whole and in all its small, amazing nooks. Some of these beautiful places are Lluc, the beach of Torrent de Pareis, Sóller, Deià and Fornalutx. All of them are isolated from the rest of the island.

Here everything changes: the weather, the landscape, the appearance of the towns. You'll see sheep and goats on your trip while olive, orange and fig trees will follow you all the way. And in the background you can enjoy the sea, the blue sea, from the peak, from the highest spot on the island.

It's an essential place for nature and landscape lovers.  

Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de Lluc in Mallorca

Lluc is Mallorca´s spiritual centre, where the Gothic 14th-century image of the island´s patron saint (Mare de Deu de Lluc - Mother of God of Lluc) is worshipped. The name Lluc comes from the Latin word lucus, meaning sacred forest, which has led experts to believe that there must have been a pagan sanctuary here. In 1246, immediately after the Christian conquest of Mallorca, there is documentation of a chapel dedicated to Mare de Déu at this spot. However, the Renaissance-style sanctuary which now lies here dates from the 17th century.

Lluc and the buildings around it represent the administrative and religious centre of the municipality of Escorca, which is situated at the heart of the Tramuntana Mountains, without any real population centre. As you reach the complex of Lluc, next to the car park, where the roads from Caimari and Sóller come together, is the water fountain of La Font Coberta. At the entrance to the grounds is the building of Ca s´Amitger, where the people in charge of the crops lived; it is now an interesting visitor centre providing information on the Serra de Tramuntana, with permanent exhibitions on the black vulture, the Mallorcan midwife toad, rock channels and plant life. In front of Ca s´Amitger there is a small square which contains the cross of La Creu de Barracar, one of the delights of the old Lluc Way, which pilgrims followed. At the square of Plaça de Lluc there is another cross - La Creu de ca s´Amitger - which is a copy of the original Gothic-style cross in the Museum of Lluc, which dates from the years 1399 to 1400. In addition to religious objects and works of art, this museum also has displays on archaeology, natural sciences and ethnology.

Outside the grounds are Els Porxets, which were built in 1739 in order to receive the numerous pilgrims who came to Lluc with their horses. In one part of Els Porxets, near the drinking troughs, is the shop Ses Mides, which sells blessed ribbons in different colours which are the same length as the image of La Mare de Déu de Lluc.

On the hill of Sa Trobada, at one side of the sanctuary, where, according to legend the holy image was found, is the Camí dels Misteris (Way of the Mysteries); this comprises 5 stone monuments that were completed in 1913, each with 3 relief representations in bronze showing the mysteries of the Rosary.

Kilometres of underground caves

One of Mallorca's most attractive sites are the natural caves. There are hundreds of them, but most of them have not been discovered yet or they have to be visited with a proper equipment and potholing knowledge.

Caves are master pieces formed by nature and chemistry through a process of thousands of years. This geological spectacle is caused by water dissolving the limestone and forming caves with stalactites, stalagmites and underground lagoons.

The most renowned public caves are Coves del Drach. They were found at the end of the 19th century near Porto Cristo, on the east coast. Mallorcan inhabitants were impressed by theses caves and thought there was a dragon living in them. Nowadays they're very popular among tourists. Its lighting and the classical music turns the visit to these caves into an amazing experience.

The Cathedral
This is, probably, the most distinctive landmark of Palma. The cathedral, called la Seo by the Mallorquines, was constructed from 14^th to 19^th century, and the highly creative Antoni Gaudí designed its interior in 20th. century. Results are fascinating and original at the same time, almost impossible to describe with words. Most outstanding are perhaps the Puerta del Mirador, a door towards the sea created by architect Guillen Sagrera, and, in the interior, the chapels Capilla Real and Capilla de la Trinidad, as well as the museum with masterworks specially of the Baroque epoch.

La Almudaina

The "Royal Palace", constructed over the remains of the Muslim Alcazar, was the residence of the early kings.

Between Cathedral and Plaza de Cort
Here you will find several great palaces, as the ones of Colom, Villalonga, Oleo, Truyols, Oleza, the Archiepiscopal Palais, the church Iglesia de San Francisco and the Arabian Baths, one of very few remains of the Moorish epoch at Mallorca.

.Castillo de Bellver
A fortress located on top of a hill close to the historical center, built by Peré Salvá during the Gothic epoch. Its elegant appearance almost makes forget that it was originally constructed to defend Mallorca's inhabitants from their enemies. In its interior there is a museum with a valuable collection of pieces of classical antiquity.

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