7 Days In Majorca, Spain: A Real-Life Review

Are you in the process of planning a trip but not sure where to go? Looking for inspiration on the location for your next holiday? I’ve put together a little itinerary based on a 7-day stay in the South East of Majorca.

Being locked down for nearly two years and not having what I call a proper holiday aka somewhere near a beach for the last 3 years, I have been spoilt this year. Finally getting one of my wishes granted by going to Rimini In Italy, after so long ( I wanted to visit Rimini since I was a child). Then I got the opportunity to visit Majorca thanks to the generosity of a friend who invited me to stay in her holiday home on the island, in the South-East near Cala Murada.

Day one – Getting there

We flew from London Gatwick to Palma de Majorca with EasyJet. The time through security at the airport was blissfully quick, and we spent quite some time browsing the shops and buying food for our trip. I couldn’t wait to set foot on this island that I wanted to visit for such a long time. It was finally becoming a reality. Thank you, Kate!

We arrived in Palma de Majorca quite late, around 8 pm. We weren’t the only ones visiting the Island that day; the constant take-off and landing of planes made you wonder if the whole of Europe chose to gather in Majorca for the summer. I was part of that exodus, not surprisingly. It felt like everyone wanted to escape to the sun after too many years of restrictions and travel bans.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped outside the airport hall was the light summer breeze and the temperature in the evening, a wonderful 26 degrees. The strip of palm trees along the airport made my heart leap with joy. I couldn’t be happier.

We rented a car for the 90-minute drive to Cala Murada. We passed Palma and drove in the directions of Manacor, where Raphael Nadal is from and Felanix to arrive in Cala Murada. You could feel the sea breeze in the air and the overpowering smell of pine trees. The cicadas had quieted down for the sunset. It felt weird to stand in the silence away from the hustle and bustle of London.

Day Two – Cala Murada

The day unfolded lazily, having breakfast under the pergola, sitting in the shade of the Bougainvillea and sipping coffee with no deadline to run to. It made me wonder why as solo entrepreneurs, we often have to change scenery to finally take a rest and enjoy the moment. I had made myself a promise, only to take novels and no laptop.

We went out later this morning to shop for food and fill the fridge. The plan was to make leafy green salads with sun-drenched tomatoes for lunch, mouthwatering peaches and apricots for dessert and a meaty barbecue in the evenings. Sharing loads of cooking and cleaning between the four of us staying at the villa. In Spain, shopping for food is easy, and I recommend finding a local market rather than going to a supermarket. Although the supermarket was a handy solution for the first shopping when you need more than just fruit and veggies.

We ate lunch late, like the Spaniards, around 2 pm, lounged by the pool until 4 pm and took off on a lazy stroll to the beach 10 minutes away. The closer I got to the beach, the more ecstatic I felt. I imagined the taste of salt on my lips and the waves passing over my head while having so much fun. I always loved spending time on holidays at the seaside and never felt that lying on a beach reading a book was a waste of time. I find it very soothing and relaxing.

The beach we went to was called Cala Domingo. It was a small secluded beach with rocks and a sandy beach, quite crowded, but we managed to find a spot and run into the water, head first. It felt pure bliss diving into the sea, letting myself get lifted off the ground, floating on my back, steering into the sunshine. I hadn’t done this for such a long time, and I didn’t want to be anywhere else at the moment.

I stayed on the beach until the last minute before we went out for dinner at the local restaurant HALALI Restaurante & Bar to indulge in an enticing large paella with big fat prawns and glasses of sangria. Isn’t it wonderful when you adjust to your first day of the holidays and feel grateful for every minute that just passed? It’s a reminder to be grateful for everything life gives you daily.

Day three – A drive through the beautiful Serra de Tramontana

We got up early at 4.30 am to drive Kate’s brother to the airport. Nothing feels like a chore on holidays, even getting up before sunset. All I could think off was the beautiful light I would be able to photograph in. We dropped her brother at the airport and drove to the Serra de Tramuntana in the South East.

The Serra de Tramuntana, is a mountain range that forms the backbone of Mallorca. It was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2011. It stretches from Andratx in the southwest to Cap de Formentor in the far north of the island—a distance of almost 90km. The landscape is dominated by stone walls mounted as terraces. And towns and villages worth visiting for their cultural and historical interest (Deià, Valldemossa, Fornalutx and Sóller are all located in the Tramuntana). In the latest news, Richard Brandson plans to open the first Virgin Hotel in Tramuntana in 2023.

We drove towards Port Andratx and stopped in Cala Fornells, hoping to find a breakfast place. No to avail. Cala Fornells is a gorgeous spot but mostly a full-board resort where you can’t find a coffee place if you’re not one of the hotel resort guests. We still decided to walk down to the small beach with our crumbling tummies and do sun salutations on the beach while waiting for the sun to rise.

We continued our drive and stopped in Port Andratx at a chain restaurant which was the only one open at 9.30 am called Cappucino. They offered various gluten-free options for breakfast. I chose the porridge and the scrambled eggs, which filled me up well into the early afternoon when we stopped for lunch.

We walked back to the car and continued our journey. We stopped in places that looked more like Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles than Majorca. Build up residential areas with luxury and white-washed architect villas. We spent a few hours on the beach in St Elm, where I mostly heard the german language. Later we drove up the hills through the coll of Sagramola towards Valdemossa.

Valdemossa

Valdemossa is a gorgeous small town in the Tramuntana mountains. It was made famous through Chopin and George Sand’s romance. They chose the island to spend the winter in a milder climate, but it didn’t work that well for them. Not being married, the locals frowned upon their relationship, and they had to escape the rift after a few months. Valdemossa is paved with yellow stones and ancient stone houses; I loved the place. The village is a beautiful sight and well worth the detour.

I was hoping we would stop in Palma that day, but none of us had the energy after getting up so early. We drove back to the villa and made a dinner party, dancing around the pool, grilling steaks and sausages on the barbecue while drinking glasses of Sangria and G&T’s.

Section: Day Four – Palma de Majorca

I couldn’t imagine leaving the Island without visiting Palma de Majorca. It was quite a journey, tough to travel by bus and train. I took the bus in the early morning to Manacor to catch a train to Palma. It was much easier than expected, and the train station only had trains from Manacor to Palma, so there was no risk of getting confused there.

The first thing I did when I arrived in Palma was to look for the local tourist office for a town map. It was close to the imposing and beautiful Santa Maria Gothic-style Cathedral. I was set on visiting the old town and decided to have brunch before going on my tour of Palma. I chose Capuccino again for their choice of gluten-free options. Palma’s old town is a maze of narrow streets waiting to be explored with revealing hidden courtyards and old churches. I decided not to follow a specific path and let myself wander in any direction as long as I stayed on track with the old town and Calatrava district. It felt very tempting to walk down to the Promenade along the sea, where I could spot some stylish beach clubs. That would be for another time.

I love the yellow-painted houses you can find in most cities along the Mediterranean, and Palma was no exception. The houses in the old town are painted in gorgeous hues of yellow, orange and rust colours. Palma deserves much more than a day’s visit. I could easily imagine the busy nightlife. Enjoy a night among the large choice of al fresco-dinning in one of the restaurants in town. I stopped at one of the Pasticeria before catching my train back to buy the famous Empanada, a sweet pastry with a choice of savoury fillings.

Day Five – The market in Santanyi and Porto Colom

You can’t head to the South of Europe and miss their famous food markets. The closest to Cala Murada was in Santanyi a small charming village with modern and medieval buildings. The market is usually on, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The art galleries and tasteful antique shops were the first things that struck me walking by the village streets. If I had a house to decorate on the Island, this is certainly the place I would come to find unique items. The heart of the village is charming with a large choice of places to eat or have a drink. The market displayed stalls of fruit and veggies but also artisan jewellers and articles of clothing stalls. The closest beach from Santanyi is 4 km away.

In the evening we decided to walk along the sea cliffs, a 4km stroll to Porto Colom. If you want an authentic feel of Majorca, head to Porto Colom, a traditional fishing village that retains the island’s true feel. The village is located along one of the most sheltered bays on the island. It features a lighthouse and boats constantly on the move going out fishing. If you walk around the village in the evening, you will catch sight of the locals sitting outside their homes chatting with their neighbours as they have been doing for centuries. I loved walking by the pastel colours shutter houses opposite the harbour in the original part of the village. People holidaying here are mostly Spanish, which adds to the authentic feel of the place.

Day Six – Exploring the area around Cala Murada and Calas de Mallorca

We decided to take a lazy day, staying at the beach and wandering off on the other side of Cala Domingo to Calas de Mallorca in the evening. I was in for a culture shock. While Cala Murada has locals living there all year round. Calas de Mallorca is everything I despise about a holiday resort. There’s nothing authentic there. Built from scratch for the leisure and pleasure of its guests. Cheap souvenir shops, low-cost food restaurants and as much as you can drink cocktails bars. It was an evening out, although browsing the souvenir shops loaded with plastic junk made me cringe. It’s not a place I will go back to.

Day Seven – The last day in Majorca, Spain. My final thoughts on Majorca.

Simply, I fell in love with Majorca, and if I won the lottery tomorrow, this is where I would buy a house. The island has got everything a Mediterranean lover can hope for. What more could I ask for with gorgeous sunshine and food? Lots of sunbathing and swimming with not a laptop in sight. I should do this more often.

There are many things you can do in Majorca if you hire a car and explore, or if you are happy to stay in one resort. It’s the place to be if you love everything Mediterranean.

Share in the comments your take on Majorca, have you been there, would you love to visit?