chrisparkercommunications: Travel PR October 2015 | Page 6

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Travel

THE SuNDAy TIMES oF MALTA

I May 31, 2015

THE SuNDAy TIMES oF MALTA

Travel

I May 31, 2015

3

Spain
The royal palace of the Almudaina.
Photos: Chris Parker

Experience
unexpected
luxury in
Mallorca

Illetas beach.

Balearic Island offers more than
budget breaks, finds Chris Parker.

Abaco bar is in a converted palace – be
prepared to pay high prices!

As I walk along the promenade, it’s not just the
backdrop of palaces and cathedrals that grabs
my attention but a vast array of gleaming glamourous yachts lined up in the harbour.
It’s the annual boat show in Palma this
week, where beautiful models are strolling the
boardwalks and wealthy potential customers
from all over the world sipping champagne,
enjoy the VIP treatment and consider which
super-toy to buy next.
I’m a little surprised. This is not the Mallorca I remember.
Nearby are the resorts of S’Arenal, Magaluf,
and Palma Nova, which offer tourists on a
budget cheap accommodation guaranteed
sun and a place for the kids to splash around.
The capital, just a few miles away, may as
well be in a different world.
I’ve come for a few days to experience this
grand, medieval city.
Combined with its heavy Moorish influences, it has the charm to rival any Italian
Renaissance town.
Historically, Palma was the seat of the
island’s monarchy, aristocracy and ecclesiastical hierarchy – which explains its plethora
of churches, convents and palacios with
secret courtyards.
For the past 30 years, the city has been
enjoying a renaissance. The old town has
been returned to its former glory, and with it,
new wealth has arrived, bigger and better
events are held each summer, and this
vibrant city has become a travel destination
in its own right.
The waterfront is a great place from which
to start exploring Palma’s rich history.
Across from the calm waters are some of
the city’s most significant buildings.
The impressive sandstone cathedral and
royal palace dominate the skyline.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria, more commonly known as La Seu – built on the site of
what once was an Arab mosque – costs just €4
for a look inside.
Its stunning interior features, designed by
Antoni Gaudí and renowned contemporary
artist Miquel Barceló, make this unlike any
cathedral elsewhere in the world.
Although work began in 1300, it wasn’t
completed until 1601.
Looking up into this vast space, it’s hard not
to be enthralled by the elaborate stained glass
windows, intricate stonework and decadent
splashes of gold.
It may have less splendour, but the Royal
Palace of La Almudaina is every bit as fascinating, and, if you take a copy of your passport along, it’s free to enter at selected times.
Built by Muslim rulers, it was remodelled
in the 13th century after Palma fell to the
armies of the kingdom of Aragon in 1229
under the command of Jaume I, who
returned the island to Christianity.

It continued as the seat of the independent
kingdom of Mallorca during the reigns of Sancho I and Jaime II.
I enter into the King’s Courtyard, which has
a view of the private apartment reserved for
the Spanish royal family.
The chapel is well worth a look before heading inside to admire the vast rooms, beautifully restored ceilings, and huge tapestries.
A short walk away are the Banys Arabs
(Arab baths).
Dating back to the 10th century, they are
virtually all that remain of what once was the
Arab city of Medina Mayurqa, one of the most
important cities in Muslim Spain.
From here, it’s easy to spend a whole afternoon exploring the narrow alleys and lanes
full of tiny tapas bars and shops selling anything from trendy clothes and shoes to
traditional souvenirs of olive wood, pottery
and wine.
The Mallorcan capital also has a number of
fantastic galleries.
La Caixa Foundation and the Museum of
Spanish Contemporary Art are both free to
enter while Es Baluard – the stunning
museum of modern art – has a ‘pay what
you want’ offer every Friday, where
visitors can decide their entrance fee with a
minimum of 10 cents.
Stopping only for some quick refreshments
at one of the city’s best ice cream parlours,
Giovanni L, I’m soon back into the modern,

Soller, in the
northwest, is a
favourite of cyclists
due to the scenery
and mountain roads

affluent Palma, strolling along the wide Paseo
de Born, a tree-shaded avenue and the city’s
social hub, and on to Carrer de Jaume III,
which is home to designer names like Loewe,
Boss and Vuitton.
My home for the next couple of nights is a
little further out from the city.
A 20-minute bus ride away is the upmarket
suburb of Illetas. The imaginatively titled

Palma’s Giovanni L ice cream parlour.

Hotel Illetas, part of the Roc group, has an
enviable position perched right next to the
gentle turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.
Breakfast is excellent, and ensaimades,
Mallorca’s famous pastry, soon become
a favourite.
Just a five-minute walk away, along a rocky
path, is an exclusive golden sandy beach, one
of the best in the Bay of Palma.
The stylish, relaxed Balneario Illetas beach
bar and restaurant is a great spot to sip a cold
beer in the shade.
With so much more to see on the island, it’s
not long before I’m heading back to Palma,
and the excellent, cheap transport is a great
way to get around.
A trip into the city costs me €1. From here,
trains and buses connect to the main attractions. one of those is Soller, in the northwest
corner of the island, a favourite of cyclists
from all over Europe, largely due to the stunning scenery and mountain roads.

Chris on the train to Soller.

I’ve boarded the vintage train that makes
several journeys a day.
Fitted out with wood panels and brass
lights, it certainly looks the part, as it trundles
along through the streets of the city, before
passing out into the largely unspoilt hinterland, filled with orange and lemon trees, as
well as the odd of flock of sheep passing over
the tracks.
Soller, known as the Golden Valley, is
reached in an hour.
I browse the shops and stop for a coffee in
the square, before catching a tram that links
the town with the pretty harbour, which is
surrounded by the imposing Tramuntana
mountains and dense woodland.
I decide to head back to Palma on the bus
via Valldemossa, and I’m glad I did, as we follow tight, twisty mountain roads hugging the
coastline. There are plenty of dramatic views,
as we swing up and over the mountains,

looking down upon mansions with pools and
tennis courts, among them, Michael Douglas’s £40 million estate.
After a close shave or two with high-speed
cyclists, we arrive in Valldemossa.
Widely regarded as the prettiest village in
Mallorca, I follow the winding, cobbled
streets past stout stone houses and impressive villas, down to the monastery.
The Real Cartuja is where, in 1838, the 28-yearold Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin lived, and
went on to write some of his most acclaimed work.
When I arrive back in Palma, it’s time for
dinner. No trip to Spain would be complete
without trying the tapas, and the capital has
a great selection of restaurants. one of the
favourites with the locals is La Boveda.
Split between a simple, no-nonsense tapas
bar at the front and a more formal dining area
at the back, it dishes up locally caught fish,
grazing plates, and slabs of veal and pork. Sit-

uated in the Sa Llotja area, it’s also on the
doorstep of bars and clubs.
Palma is a big music city, and Jazz Voyeur
Club is one of its best venues.
As soon as I arrive, a waitress ushers me
close to the stage, where I squeeze into a little
seat to watch a Spanish Mick Jagger look-alike scream, shout and strut his way through
a medley of rock and blues.
I round my trip off by heading to the
upmarket Abaco.
Be warned, the price list is not for the fainthearted. Beers and a glass of wine start at
around €10, with a cocktail at €16.
But, it’s also quite possibly one of the most
extraordinary bars in the world.
A 16th-century converted palace, decked
with flowers, fruits, and even caged songbirds, it has to be seen to be believed.
An unforgettable experience, to finish an
unforgettable trip.
Follow Chris on Twitter at @_parkermedia