Mallorca is the biggest of the Balearic Islands (60 miles wide and 40 miles long) and has always been on my bucket list for its dreamy rocky Calas, charming towns, history and culture.  I was lucky enough to be invited to stay by some dear friends at their house near Santanyi on the South East side of the Island which tends to be the flatter and less mountainous. We arrived on a scorching day and made our way to the house less than an hour from the airport.

We travelled through the pretty towns of Campos and Santanyi before we arrived at the beautiful home of our friends set up on a hill with far reaching views to the sea. That evening we were invited to the stunning Cap Ferrereta in Santanyi for dinner, a wonderful 17 th century mansion that has been turned into a 5 star hotel with beautiful gardens and a fabulous spa. Dinner was delicious, a bluefin ceviche to start followed by a traditional Mallorcan dish of Iberian rice and grilled veal steak. The following day we drove a short distance to the coastal walk around Cala Figuera with its rocky coves and turquoise water. We then headed over to Cap Rocat, a beautiful hotel located in a Fortress built for the surveillance of the Bay of Palma.

We enjoyed the most delicious lunch overlooking the hotel’s
exquisite beach area with wonderful views towards Palma.
In the afternoon we visited Palma and its majestic 14th gothic Cathedral and
visited the many pretty bustling streets full of artisan shops.

On our last day we took a driving tour to the west of the Island and visited the
mountainous villages of Valldemossa and Deia where we stopped for lunch in a
small Taverna and ate some of the best Calamari ever. Deia has long been a
magnet for famous artists, writers and creative people, most notably the
writer Robert Graves.

My trip to Mallorca exceeded all expectations and is an oasis of natural beauty
and cultural diversity and I could not recommend more a visit to this gem of an
island.