EasyJet to the sun :: Mallorca, the end.
A wonderful day exploring :
The first half of the day we visited Deia, a scenic hamlet inhabited by writers, artists and the affluent. (Micheal Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones own a summer home here.) We walked 5 minutes out of town to visit poet/author Robert Graves’ home, for a self-guided tour that began with an interesting video about his life, incorporating BBC interviews and local footage. Don’t miss the abundant fruit and veggie garden, where I saw one woman absconding with a huge watermelon.
We saved the rest of the day for Valldemossa,a lively, picturesque town filled with stone houses bearing small ceramic plates saying: Beata, pray for us! (La Beata is the saint protecting the village.) The highlight here is a visit to the monastery where composer Frederic Chopin and writer George Sand carried on their controversial affair while residing in a former monk’s cell.
Stomachs growling, we asked a local girl for a good lunch spot. She led us down the cobbled street, through a dark courtyard, up a creepy old dusty stairway, then through a huge wooden door that opened into a bright airy dining room that smelled heavenly. We never saw the rooms at Hostel Ca’n Mario but I can certainly vouch for the traditional food served here. We feasted on a thick cabbage soup with lamb hearts and pork, cauliflower casserole, salad, crusty whole grain bread and local olives and wine for under $20.
* Tip: To book a room at Ca’n Verdera or another boutique property in the area, check out Reis De Mallorca’s listing of independent hotels.