In a hurry Bratislava, cooler weather, nervous people sneezing at every turn, unbearable boss, tight financial regime and little vacation. These might be the reasons why you dreamt again today that you were somewhere on a deserted island in the position of a lying archer, drinking mixed drinks, and being surrounded by smiling native dancers. Where we were this time, we cannot guarantee any beach dancers or that you will be completely alone, but you will immediately forget about all of that when visiting quiet romantic coves, rocky and sandy beaches, historical sites, picturesque villages, breathtaking viewpoints, bustling nightlife streets, bars, and discos.
Contents
Day 1 – Night arrival
Day 2 – Valldemossa, Cuber reservation and Torrent de Pareis beach
Day 3 – Camp de Mar and Santa Ponsa beaches
Day 4 –Mys Cap de Formentor and Cala Figuera
Day 5 – The capital city of the island Palma
Day 1 – Night arrival
Our September destination was an island located in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea and also the largest of the Balearic Islands, full of various beaches. An island where the locals enjoy the sun more than 300 days a year. An island full of tourists, quiet and romantic places, but also bustling streets. It is said that Mallorca is visited by approximately 7 million tourists a year. I would correct this figure to 7 million German tourists. Sometimes you feel like you are at Lake Neusiedl rather than in Spain.
Our 4-day escape from reality began on September 30th (Friday) with an evening flight from Bratislava and ended on October 4th (Tuesday) with an arrival into weather that was 10 degrees cooler. Upon arrival, we were greeted at the airport by a Ford Fiesta car (1.6 petrol) from the Goldcar rental company. We stayed at the Playa Hotel, and as the name suggests, it is right by the beach Playa de Palma, about 10 minutes by car from the airport. Excited by the pleasant night temperature and sea air, we immediately started our night swim upon arrival and getting settled. The water was more than pleasant. Just a few hours before, I had been dealing with common work problems, and suddenly I was walking on the sand with my pants rolled up and the Mediterranean Sea washing over my feet. On the left, the city lights, and on the right, as far as the eye could see, nothing but the endless promenade illuminated by the moonlight over the sea. Complete peace, an incredible feeling of freedom and happiness accompanied each of us as we fell asleep, ready to start exploring everything the island has to offer the next day.
Day 2 – Valldemossa, Cuber Reserve and Beach Torrent de Pareis
Our first day in Majorca took us to the town of Valldemossa. In Majorca, you feel like nothing is far away, yet the journey takes an incredibly long time. This is due to the winding narrow roads that connect the most beautiful and remote places on the island. Of course, the town of Valldemossa is not one of those remote places. The town will pleasantly surprise you with its charm, peace, and the good mood of the locals. Cats, composer Frederick Chopin, writer George Sand, the smell of pine trees, terraces lining narrow streets packed with people, balconies full of colorful clay flowerpots, and much, much more. Simply a colorful picturesque town full of flowers and greenery, where in 1838 the aforementioned Frederick Chopin and writer George Sand found refuge. It is in honor of the composer that the Chopin Festival is held annually in this town, attracting the most famous pianists from around the world. A highlight and attraction of the town is especially the Carthusian monastery, where allegedly the works of both artists are still hidden.
On our way to the Cala Deia beach from the town of Valldemossa, we couldn’t help but notice one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the island, which we called “The Eye in the Rock.” Our next stop was at the beach.Cala Deia, surrounded by rocks and cozy cafes. We then moved to another interesting place through a tunnel in the rocks that we had on the way. This time it wasn’t a town or a beach but Cuber reservoir, where we with interest checked out the drinking water reservoir.
Sa Calobra beach, a favorite spot for locals, for us a preview of the nearby beach.Torrent de Pareis – the most beautiful beach we saw during our four-day trip.
TIP: If you want to catch some sun rays on this beach, you should arrive around noon.
Getting to both requires a certain amount of patience and maybe even having some “breakfast holding space” ready, because the road leading to them can hardly be called anything other than a devilish work. A sharp turn to the left, then right, then left again, and so on and so on, dizzyingly ascending and suddenly descending. But where the road takes you is really worth it. A narrow and long tunnel in the rocks will lead you to a heavenly place, surrounded by towering, steep cliffs, through which goats roamed, a place with wonderfully turquoise and clean water. The perfect picture straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean is completed by a large sailboat.
After a day full of experiences and impressions, we set out to experience some of the nightlife and Mallorcan entertainment inRiu Palace. A night full of the latest dance hits, a club crowded with people from different corners of the world, even some who heard for the first time that there is also a country called Slovakia. As we mentioned at the beginning, this was also a place full of German-speaking tourists. Besides the incredible fun the club offers, it’s important not to forget about your belongings. It’s very easy to lose them in a second. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about 🙂 We returned to the club for fun on the last night of our trip, so no one was surprised when four older Germans in front of us wanted to ”borrow” permanently 4 hats and shirts that we received upon entry. Most importantly, we are healthy, right?
Day 3 – Camp de Mar and Santa Ponsa Beaches
Morning after Riu was tough. Today was definitely not one of the most active days. After all, try to experience Riu Palace in Mallorca and you will understand. Starting point: Palma, the first destination: Port d´Andratx. The harbor was about 30 km west of Palma, half an hour away, to stand in places between majestic mountains and the Mediterranean Sea and enjoy the sunny October 30’s. Port d´Andratx was originally a small fishing village, today it is a place for small boats as well as luxurious yachts of European tourists. We moved south. After about 5 kilometers, we arrived at the Camp de Mar beach. A 180m long and 50m wide sandy beach, exceptional with a small island connected to the mainland by a bridge. More than half of the surface of this little island is occupied by a restaurant. An amazing place to relax. 13 kilometers south of the beach with this attraction is the Santa Ponsa beach. A recreational resort full of tourists with a rich history, luxurious yachts, and a half-kilometer long sandy beach. For all those with a sense of beauty, it will surely interest you that in 1962, the German actress Elke Sommer, considered a sex symbol of that time, filmed her movie Bahía de Palma in these places. After a few hours of lounging on the beach, on our way back to Palma, we stopped at McDonald’s, which was not hard to find anywhere on the island.
Day 4 – Cap de Formentor Lighthouse and Cala Figuera
On the penultimate morning, we headed to the lighthouse at Cape Cap de Formentor. Along the 84-kilometer route to our destination, we reached one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the island near the lighthouse. It was like a Majorcan Great Wall, where looking down made your head spin. High cliffs, expansive sea, and tiny white dots on it that looked like ships sailing on the sea. Here you will understand how beautiful the island is. A few kilometers from the lighthouse, the journey becomes more challenging for those with weaker stomachs due to the winding roads and steep ascents. But at the end of them, a beautiful lighthouse awaits you, as if from a Swedish movie.
Another stop on today’s journey across the island was the beach Cala Figuera. Accessing it is challenging just at first sight. You leave your car in the parking lot and descend to the beach through steep narrow paths. The true challenge, however, is realized on the way back when your fitness is tested. But it’s definitely worth descending to the beach for the turquoise water, large schools of fish, and a larger rock protruding from the water near the shore, making the place perfect. Further along the road is another beautiful beach Cala Formentor. A genuine tourist beach with plenty of straw umbrellas, tourists, sand, and greenery. A very nice spot with crystalline water. Branches of trees protruded above the few meters wide strip of sand, creating shade on the beach. A pleasant place full of greenery, various shops, and cafes. The beach Cala Sant Vincenc is the last stop of today on the northern part of the island. It has a touch of tourism not only due to the crowd but also because of the many hotels and parking lots near the beach.
After a long and active day, we once again treated ourselves to a quick visit to McDonald’s for a “boost” before another night at our favorite Riu.
TIP: Although the club is open during the week as well, the space is limited, so we recommend going mainly on weekends.
Day 5 – Capital city of the island Palma
On the last day of our stay on the island, we strolled through the streets of the capital city.
TIP: Parking in Palma can be quite challenging, so brace yourselves.
The most interesting place we visited that day was the city’s landmark cathedral La Seu. Its attractiveness is evidenced by the large number of tourists. The Gothic majestic cathedral was built in the 13th century as a symbol of Christianity’s victory on the island. It is among the five most beautiful cathedrals in Spain. We stroll past the royal palace.La Almudaina and back through the streets of the city. The time to end our sightseeing was approaching. We said goodbye to the beach in front of the hotel for the last time and departed at 16:50 from Son Sant Joan International Airport near Palma de Mallorca. But I hope that this airport did not welcome us for the last time four days ago.
