CRUISING the Tramuntana mountain trail in a classic Seat 600, you would never know we were just half an hour from Magaluf. With pristine sea, sandy beaches and incredible cliffside views, there is much more to Majorca than the 18-30 party scene and Love Island. I saw the island’s highlights on a whistlestop tour with […]
CRUISING the Tramuntana mountain trail in a classic Seat 600, you would never know we were just half an hour from Magaluf.
With pristine sea, sandy beaches and incredible cliffside views, there is much more to Majorca than the 18-30 party scene and Love Island.
I saw the island’s highlights on a whistlestop tour with Google for the launch of its new Pixel 3 smartphone.
The Tramuntana range has been declared a Unesco World Heritage site, its landscape featuring mountains, coves — and Majorca’s famed almond trees.
There are four million of these on the island and they burst into stunning pink blossom throughout February. Even if you don’t manage to catch the spectacle, sample the sweet local almond cake to see what the fuss is about.
We were driven through the area in a convoy of six classic Seat 600s, with their charming local owners as our guides. Our guide spoke very little English but Google’s audible translation app helped keep the conversation flowing.
Stops along the way included mansion Son Marroig, a stunning wedding temple that hosted Laura Anderson and Paul Knops’ first date on Love Island.
We also pootled past the gorgeous Majorcan village of Valldemossa, the cute coastal gem Deia and finally Soller, where we swapped our cars for the antique tram that runs to the port.
At just £6, it is a bargain and a great way to enjoy this lovely resort and its palm-tree-lined marina.
Majorca’s natural beauty is breathtaking but its chic capital Palma was a revelation as a city break destination.
Our base was the 5H Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, a 19th-century mansion a stone’s throw from Palma’s astonishing cathedral and palace.
Enjoy sangria by the rooftop pool to get a unique view of the city skyline.
To take in as much of the island as possible, a sunrise hot air balloon ride is a must.
I was feeling a bit ropey for the 5.30am start — owing to nerves or one too many glasses of wine the night before — but it was worth the early wake-up for those views.
The phone’s 12-megapixel picture quality certainly came in handy. The Pixel also has an automatic low-light feature called Night Sight that made photos snapped on an evening stroll through the old town Instagram-ready straight away.
Fortunately, photographer Pernilla Danielsson was on hand to help bring my camera skills into focus.
The Swedish-born pro, who has called Majorca home for over a decade, also gave us a tour of the old town, taking in all her favourite spots.
We saw the cathedral lit up at sunset and enjoyed a glass of bubbly in the trendy Gallery Red, where art sits alongside a display of designer handbags and paint-ings, including a pop art version of our very own Queen Elizabeth.
Majorca has more galleries and studios per person than any other Spanish city. And if you want to see the cultural capital of the Balearic islands in all its glory, visit on the third Thursday of September for Palma’s Nit de l’Art festival.
Private apartments, historic buildings, bars, museums and galleries all fling open their doors for the fiesta, offering free entry all night long.
From the natural delights of the Tramuntana whizzing past our windows to the snap-happy strolls through its capital, Majorca was a winner — and I returned home with endless pictures to boast of my beautiful break.
GETTING THERE: EasyJet or Ryanair flights to Palma de Majorca from £75pp return.
STAYING THERE: Hotel Sant Francesc Singular from £193pn. See hotelsantfrancesc.com.
BEING THERE: Majorca Driving Tour has a four-hour Tramuntana tour from £205 per car, for up to four people.
See mallorcadriving.com/en/majorca-tours. Hot air balloon rides cost £137pp. See ballooningmallorca.net.
