We’re in the middle of a glorious girlfriend getaway traveling though England when the storms hit. What to do? Easy…Jet. Yup, that’s what these two resourceful sisters did when the British weather simply would not cooperate. We booked the next el-cheapo EasyJet flight to Palma, Mallorca. A measly 2 1/2 hours later, we were on a blissfully hot, sunny island.
Why Mallorca?
All we really knew about this Spanish island was that in the last few years millions of dollars had been spent trying to shed their rep as “package tour hell” and showcase their Mediterranean charms. It’s paid off big time. Blimey, if Palma didn’t look just like a shiny new baby Barcelona sparkling in the sunlight.
We soon discovered that on top of Mallorca’s inherent charms: bathtub -temp sea, fragrant citrus groves amid olive terraces, dramatic mountains begging to be hiked, pretty-as-a-picture villages liberally sprinkled all over the island and an abundance of impressive cathedrals, castles and hermitages, all combined with it’s recent facelift, has turned the island into a viable up-market retreat, popular with stylish Europeans but still virtually undiscovered by Americans.
Palma, the cosmopolitan capital, offers a bevy of fashionable boutique hotels (many painstakingly renovated from centuries old palatial homes) a roster of hip restaurants that run the gamut from traditional family bistros to glamorous Michelin starred dining rooms. Great digs, delicious grilled seafood, farm-fresh organic produce, surprisingly quaffable local wines, super shopping at exclusive boutiques and a cluster of apparel outlets. (Don’t miss Campers for some great shoe savings.) Our girlfriend getaway was definitely back on track.