Wish you were here!
We've escaped the onset of the chilly Oxfordshire winter for palacios and promenades in Palma - Mallorca's captivating capital is really 'having a moment' this season.
On first arrival, it's hard to ignore the gothic splendour of La Seu - the city's vast 11th century cathedral. Its overwhelming presence heavily inspired Catalonia's most famous architect, the eccentric and fiercely religious Antoni Gaudi, who came here to help with restoration work in 1901. Heading behind the cathedral, we find ourselves in Palma old town amid a maze of streets that hint towards an Arabian past. We visit the Arab Baths - the last remaining Moorish building and find hidden art galleries that make us feel like we're in Florence, Italy. Wandering into Joan Miro's studio we feel as if the artist could return at any time. Left untouched since his death in 1983, the space is full of open pots of paint and works in progress on huge canvases displaying his vivid, iconic displays of bright primary colours. The foundation set up in his name promotes contemporary art and artists too.
From here we stroll along the breezy, cosmopolitan, Passeig de Born and head to El Corte Ingles for some excellent shopping. We're pleased to see that Bar Bosch, established in 1936, is still the place to go for good ensaimadas (delicious Mallorcan patisseries).
Palma's culinary menu offers so much more than just cerveza and tapas. There are foody boutiques aplenty and you'll find authentic island offerings in every establishment from the Mercat de S'Olivar to Kent born Marc Fosh's latest offering, the Misa Braseria. Misa is affordable, informal and a definite contender for Michelin star glory. It offers modern 'farmhouse' food - we love the fillet of beef baked in hay. Make sure you book a table on the terrace. Bens d'Avall, Benet Vicen's newest initiative at Club de Mar is a bistro offering the finest quality family recipes.
We're sure you'll love it here as much as we do - let us plan a Mallorcan adventure for you -give us a call on +44 1993 899 430