Why the off season is the best time to make a splash in Mallorca
With exquisite beaches, soulful villages and a humming capital, the Spanish isle is one of the Mediterranean’s most alluring destinations. Away from the well-trodden haunts, this island retains the power to entrance.
Mallorca inspires obsessive devotion. Among the glories of this sun-soaked Spanish island are its honeyed villages, sylvan retreats and crystalline coves recalling a work by Joan Miró, the prolific Catalan artist who lived here for decades. Yet for years I had neglected the largest isle in the balmy Balearics. Instead, I hopped from party-hard Ibiza to low-key Menorca and even to free-spirited Formentera, which has been expropriated by louche Italian tourists with espresso-hued tans. Last northern summer, I finally made it to Mallorca, which blends all the appealing attributes of its siblings in one seductive package.
Travel often means striking a balance between ascetic and hedonistic impulses, between green juice and orange wine. In a week-long visit to Mallorca, I found perfect harmony. My idea of tranquillity is tramping through thyme-flecked forest, plunging into verdigris water, and feasting on briny seafood paired with local wines at lunch. Staying at thoughtful lodgings where you can linger and exploring cultural attractions, such as historical ruins, are other considerations. Mallorca, a place of surpassing beauty, excels at all the above. And though I was travelling solo, I could switch from isolation to connection at will – such as when I needed to pronounce stops like Puigpunyent in Mallorquí, the local Catalan dialect.
Over 100 kilometres long and 70 kilometres wide, Mallorca is ideally navigated by rental car. From Palma, gateway to the island, I whizzed north into the Tramuntana mountains, arriving at fairytale hamlets like Valldemossa where lovers Frédéric Chopin and high-society divorcée George Sand incited scandal in the 19th century. Nearby was Deià, the bohemian enclave beloved of artists and writers of the stature of Robert Graves and Anaïs Nin. Next, along a sequence of zigzagging roads, I ventured to Sóller, a picturesque town with fruitful valleys, Modernist architecture and European expats. Along the way, a clutch of hairpin turns revealed startling views of limestone cliffs, pine trees and jewel-bright seas.
In Santanyí, in the south, I found flea markets, artisanal wares and mood-boosting beaches. And, after visiting Miró’s former atelier, his paint brushes still upright in their cans, I circled back to Palma. With its maze of medieval streets, humming cafés and arresting landmarks – including a looming Gothic cathedral and a 14th-century fortified palace – the city is best explored on foot. Art diversions were equally exhilarating. At Es Baluard Museum and the Juan March Foundation, I surveyed the output of Spanish masters, including a cannily composed still-life by Juan Gris that reminded me of my favourite vermutería in town.
A treasured destination for holidayers from the continent, Mallorca is swamped in the peak months, so tailor your visit to the less-frenetic shoulder seasons when temperatures – radiating from aggrieved locals peeved by overtourism as well as the scorching sun – are more moderate. Like latter-day pirates, Irish and English sightseers have long conquered the neon-lit resort town of Magaluf, and made it their own. I skipped it entirely, not being a fan of water parks, lager louts or message tees. The wonder of Mallorca lies in the island’s blessedly rural and restful side.
Leading hotels
Grand Hotel Son Net, Puigpunyent
Occupying an estate dating back to 1672, this lavish eyrie is an ode to Mallorcan maximalism. A medley of palatial frills and polished furbelows, the mannered interiors evoke one of Goya’s portraits of the Spanish Court with their gleaming surfaces and pattern plays. But the effect is never stuffy or stilted. The design wizardry is the handiwork of Madrid-based antiquarian, art historian and interiors maestro Lorenzo Castillo. Relaunched in 2023, Son Net spans 31 suites with a miscellany of precious heirlooms, gilt-framed oils, vintage rugs and chromatic textiles; my room was swaddled in a whimsical blue and yellow pineapple fabric designed by Castillo. Original features include antique fireplaces, mosaic floors, and gloriously restored four-poster beds. The 17th-century courtyard, soothingly soundtracked by a spring-fed well, was the perfect spot for a G&T made from local citrusy Gin Eva. Multiple dining venues included an enticing gazebo serving gazpacho with cucumber sorbet and grilled Iberian pork. For pampering, there’s a princely spa with ochre walls, indulgent treatments and a saltwater pool. Set below the main salmon-pink building, the 30-metre pool is a heady vision, too, and equipped with private cabanas. Son Net’s impeccable grounds include olive groves and grapevines that produce an aromatic malvasia, a white drop with a whisper of honeysuckle. Though only 20-minutes from Palma, in sleepy Puigpunyent, the hotel felt utterly sheltered and secluded. sonnet.es
Nobis Hotel Palma
Arabic splendour meets Nordic ingenuity at this 37-room haven unveiled in 2023. Spanish architects Jordi Herrero and Eduardo Garcia Acuña collaborated with intrepid Swedes Gert Wingårdh and Helena Toresson of Wingårdhs to transform a 12th-century medieval Islamic palace, later adapted into a private residence with traces of both Gothic and Baroque styles, into a swinging hotel. An air of calm greets guests at an inner courtyard, with potted palms, sweeping archways and a ceiling decorated with original calligraphy. The coolly elegant rooms, in various shapes and sizes, are animated with a mixture of Scandinavian and Italian furnishings and Byredo toiletries. The hotel’s Noi restaurant is a cosmopolitan affair with striped banquettes, geometric lights and inventive locavore dishes such as ruby-tinted prawns splashed with olive oil, chilli and garlic. Patatas fritas and sautéed greens were dusted with smoky pimento salt – which I wanted to add to everything. Above Noi is the mirror-studded Mirall Bar, handsomely outfitted with velvet sofas, as well as an adjoining sun terrace with olive-green loungers. The hotel’s location, near tree-shaded retail avenue Passeig des Born, means everything is on your doorstep. Plugged-in staff are incredibly helpful when it comes to dispensing advice. nobishotel.es
Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma
Also situated in Palma’s old town, this hotel exudes an urbane charm and stately grandeur that hints at its earlier life as a 19th-century manor house. The lobby immediately sets the patrician tone: coffered ceiling, chequerboard floors, sophisticated artworks and deep, dapper furnishings to fold yourself into. Under the aegis of owner Andrés Soldevila Ferrer, who hand-picked architect Tolo Cursach and interior designer Maria José Cabré, the property has a residential flair. The hotel opened in 2015, but it remains incredibly fresh. I cherished its large, metal-framed doors, cobbled patio and historical details, such as the original tie rings for horses fixed to several walls. A small basement gym takes shape in what was the old cistern. Quadrat, a focused Mediterranean restaurant, occupies the one-time stables and extends into the courtyard garden. All the 42 rooms are sleek sanctuaries, but the namesake suite is a sensation, with a ceiling fresco and plaza views, while the La Torre studio has a split-level layout, outdoor deck and jacuzzi. You could easily while away a few hours on the rooftop terrace, sipping, supping and sunning by the glistening pool. That deck is eventually shadowed by the adjacent 13th-century church and the city’s historic quarter. Service was cheery, informed and insightful. hotelsantfrancesc.com
Can Ferrereta, Santanyí
In the south-east of Mallorca, the rustic village of Santanyí tempts visitors with its twice-weekly markets, blonde-stone buildings and the lustrous water of its nearby beaches. The most notable hotel is this 32-key inn, sister property to Sant Francesc, flowering in an erstwhile 17th-century townhouse with an agrarian past. Meticulously refurbished and extended, decked out with tony furniture and compelling art, the hotel is a resolutely chic retreat. The pool is the biggest scene-stealer. It’s flanked by painterly gardens, an alfresco eatery and dome-roofed stone huts that function as changing rooms. When an afternoon sun shower arrived, not a single guest – myself included – relocated indoors. Instead, we were all as composed as the enormous bronze head by sculptor Jaume Plensa slumbering in the nearby grass. Later, I migrated to dinner at Ocre restaurant. A dish of spicy, spreadable black pork sobrasada, accompanied by honeycomb, pickled fennel and grilled bread, was such a revelation I wondered if I could order it for breakfast. The following day, I flitted around town, admiring handcrafted ceramics, colourful baskets and floaty clothing, before a bracing bike ride past dreamy coves and beaches; the hotel loans two-wheelers to guests. Back in my room, the serene amalgam of soft linens, woven furnishings and flaxen shades amounted to a peaceful crash pad. hotelcanferrereta.com
La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel, Deià
Is there another hotel as sensuous as this one? Set in the poetic village of Deià, on the island’s north-west coast, and enveloped by olive trees, stone fincas and craggy mountains, it is preternaturally beautiful. On closer examination, the sprawling 71-room property unfolded as a series of biscuity buildings, four restaurants, three pools, art installations and Babylonian gardens. The Belmond group acquired it from Richard Branson in 2002, and has been gilding it ever since: the main pool was updated recently with smart loungers, and the leafy grounds augmented with almond and oak trees. The rooms span four buildings from different eras, including the 16th century, and no two are alike. Most contain bucolic touches like wooden beams, green shutters and mosaic tiles, as well as supremely comfortable beds; some of the hillside suites have their own terraces and plunge pools.
Mountain-facing Restaurante Miró is the place for anchovies, croquetas and endless glasses of airy moscatel. A tomato salad with a splatter of sherry vinegar evoked the restaurant’s collection of 33 Miró originals. Meanwhile, candlelit El Olivo comes alive in the evening with note-perfect fare by chef Pablo Aranda. At Tramuntana Grill, another scenic eatery, I relished translucent prawn carpaccio enlivened with pickled lemon peel. In Deià, try a sugar-dusted ensaïmada for breakfast, visit the one-time residence of Robert Graves, now a museum, and splurge on local jewellery, ceramics and artworks. The hotel has a shuttle to Cala Deià and can also organise rental cars. belmond.com
Hotel Corazón, Sóller
Set midway between the beguiling towns of Deià and Sóller, this 15-room bolthole is a social-media darling for its sultry design and uninhibited sensibility. “You can’t break the rules,” declares its mission statement, “because there are none.” Owners Kate Bellm and Edgar Lopez, a photographer and an artist respectively, gave a 16th-century finca a suitably creative makeover, adding quirky artworks, a cactus garden and a vegetable farm. Corazón, which debuted in 2023, attracts as many locals as visitors. The pool is especially tantalising: behold tangerine recliners, tasselled hammocks and grass-covered umbrellas with fringes that resemble French-girl bangs. The inviting chambers accent rounded shapes, mellow shades and soft fabrics. hotelcorazon.com
Top tables
El Camino
Expect superb tapas – golden jamón croquetas, fluffy omelettes topped with crisp prawns and paper-thin slivers of Iberian ham arranged on white plates like a pinwheel – at this restaurant in central Palma. In a long, narrow room ornamented with mirrors, mosaics and Rioja-coloured stools, it hums for lunch and dinner. On the other side of the marble counter, a gaggle of chefs and servers are at your disposal. elcaminopalma.es
Lobster Club
For those who like to sea and be seen, this charismatic boîte is set on a marina at Puerto Portals. It combines a glittering beach club, fine-diner and, appropriately, a fish-shaped infinity pool. The restaurant, with interiors recalling a spiffy yacht club and piscatorial-themed plates I coveted, specialises in the namesake crustacean, such as lobster paella for a fancy flourish. Outside on the deck, willowy sun-worshippers have a front row seat on the bay. lobsterclub.es
Ca Na Toneta
Set in Caimari, a quaint village at the base of the Tramuntana, this pioneering eatery from sisters Maria and Teresa Solivellas champions seasonal Mallorcan fare, with ingredients plucked from their own organic garden as well as island-based producers, and ever-changing dégustation menus. The humble, homespun setting is aeons from the glitz of Palma. canatoneta.com
Dins Santi Taura
In Palma, acclaimed chef Santi Taura serves an 11-course tasting menu that might include omelette crowned with fried artichoke, tangles of tender calamari, and hearty panades, Mallorcan empanadas encased in magnificent pastry. Still peckish? The restaurant offers heavenly extras like blue-lobster stew. dinssantitaura.com
Ca’s Patró March
Mallorca is known for its chiringuitos – old-school, beach-adjacent eateries serving mostly seafood – and this one is a must for visitors to Deià; appearing in the British mini-series The Night Manager no doubt helped get the word out. Put your name down for a table and dip into the jade water as you wait.
caspatromarch.myrestoo.net
Ses Coves
Carnivores and cavers alike would appreciate this restaurant in the north that specialises in dry-aged, flame-kissed meats and is set alongside a cave system (there are guided tours for spelunkers). Grill-master Josep Joan Segura cooks over almond wood, which imparts a sweet nuttiness to dishes such as Galician beef chops, served with a side of mountain views.
covesdecampanet.com
Stylish stores
Cortana
Mallorcan native Rosa Esteva is one of the island’s foremost designers, as her Palma flagship store testifies. The gallery-like space is filled with her architectural confections for women, in fluid silhouettes and inky shades inspired by her own watercolours. Esteva favours silk, linen, and cashmere, as well as sustainable fabrics like cupro and ramie.
La Pecera
To replicate the sunny Mallorcan look at home, this store in Palma is devoted to locally crafted furniture, decorative pieces and jaunty fashion accessories. Founded by designer Marlene Albaladejo, it carries handsome chairs composed of oak and natural fibres, pendant lamps spun from braided palm leaves and vibrant espadrilles.
Arquinesia
Follow your nose to this primo perfumer hidden on a back street in Palma’s old town. Once inside, the mystery is heightened by a progression of small rooms, with striking cabinets and evocative scents, leading to the main repository of its Balearic fragrances. I fell hard for the salty, sexy Sea Breeze, a marine-themed best-seller.
Viti Vinci
A favourite of the island’s leading hotels, this botanical skincare and scent brand has an atelier in Palma where you can pick up its reparative body oils, solid shampoo bars enriched with olive-leaf powder, and fragrant soy candles and diffusers in alabaster vessels.
Terra Cerámica
With a workshop in Pòrtol, and four stores sprinkled around the island, this ceramics company spins multiple plates. I was impressed with its ikat-like Llengües collection, an homage to traditional Mallorcan cloth, and porcelain homewares brightened with Pollock-inspired splashes. Other locally made goods included palm baskets, wool blankets and olive-wood trays.
Gordiola
It was a green candlestick in the shape of a palm tree that caught my eye. A signature piece from this respected local glassmaker, with a pedigree reaching back to 1719, it is available in multiple electric hues. The wider collection spans everything from textural tumblers to theatrical chandeliers. Its Algaida workshop is open to visitors, too. gordiola.com
Best beaches
Blessed with more than 50 kilometres of beaches, comprising secluded bays, rocky coves and untrammelled stretches of chalky sand and aquamarine sea, Mallorca is an enchantment. On the north-east coast, Cala Mesquida is backed by sand dunes and lapped by ultra-clear water. More remote, 10 kilometres from the town of Artà, is Cala Torta, with fragrant hills leading down to sugary sand and a candied bay. On the south-west coast, near the town of Paguera, Cala Fornells is a calm cove with ample shade, clear water for snorkelling and panoramic vistas.
One of the prettiest beaches on the south-east is Caló des Moro, a sublime emerald ribbon of water bookended by dramatic headland. Not far away is Cala Mondragó, outside Santanyí, a sheltered bay where pine trees meet pellucid water. Also close to Santanyí is Cala Llombards, a sparkling, secluded cove favoured by locals. For those who prefer an expansive stretch of sand, Es Trenc, on the island’s southern tip, is one of the biggest and wildest beaches. There are beach bars and parking lots here but scant facilities, so come beach-ready.
This story is from the February issue of Travel + Luxury magazine.
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