24 hours Mallorca

I start my days early, either by taking the dog for a walk in the woods, going to the gym or doing some yoga. Afterwards I wake up my boys, we have breakfast together (fresh orange juice is a must!) and then I make my way to the Hotel Son Brull, which I run with my two brothers. It is situated in the North of Mallorca, a place where quietness and the sounds of nature dominate. Mallorca’s North is already known to be calmer and more laid back than the South and Son Brull simply embodies the feeling of this region like no place else. The building used to be a monastery and we have tried to preserve as much as possible of the old abbey walls. Our approach is to lead a business based on sustainability, for example by growing our own vegetables and producing our own wine.

The cute little town Pollença, as well as the sea, can be reached in about ten minutes by car. One place you have to see there – if you have the time – is the Teixits Vicens, a textile factory run by a family which produces the most incredible fabrics and patterns in the typical Majorcan style called “Roba de Llengües”. If you arrange an appointment beforehand, they will give you a tour through the factory and in the adjacent shop you’ll have the chance to purchase some of their beautiful products.

While enjoying a cup of coffee on the terrace next to the pool of the hotel, I decide it is about time to take a day off and treat myself to a city trip to Palma.

If you are more in the mood for a little road trip, you can head to the peninsula Formentor and check out the Cap de Formentor. You get there by driving along the scenic route on a serpentine road. Once you are up at the windy peak you have an incredible view of the dark blue sea in front of you. The beach Playa de Formentor on the western shore of Pollença bay is a stunningly beautiful and quiet place, perfect for hanging out and spending an easygoing day there.

But today is all about the vivacious Palma de Mallorca. Only 45 minutes by car and I’m right there, at the famous capital of the island.

Because the sun is already high up in the sky and it is one of those scorching days in Palma, I am more than happy to escape the noon’s heat by visiting the museum Es Baluard. “Baluard” means bulwark and that’s just what it is, an old bulwark where modern and contemporary art is exhibited. Such a welcome variety from daily hotel business for me.

As I exit the museum I realise I’ve worked up an appetite and so my growling stomach leads me to the Santa Catalina Market. This is such a highlight if you are keen on Spanish delicacies. It is actually pretty hard to decide which tapas bar to pick for lunch as they are all excellent and I always want to try something new. Do not forget to stroll around the market after you’ve satisfied your hunger because it is so much fun to look at all the colourful fruits and vegetable stalls. Usually I tend to buy fish here but as I still have most of the day ahead of me, I will skip that. Another (fantastic) possibility you have is buying your favourite fish and taking it to the corner café in the market where they will prepare it for you to eat – can your lunch get any fresher?

Now I feel like having some dessert and a cup of coffee. La Madeleine de Proust is my place of choice for the sweet part of this plan. This French confectionery makes my mouth water just by looking at their wonderful cakes and cupcakes.

At Rialto Living I provide myself with some much needed caffeine first. It is actually a department store for fashion, accessories and books, but they also have enough space for a little art gallery and this cute little café which I love. With that eclectic mixture of offers you can definitely spend a good amount of time in there.

A truly legendary place in Palma is the Chocolateria Ca’n Joan de S’Aigo. The thing to do here: order an Ensaimadas – a typical Majorcan sweet lard roll –  and dip it into hot chocolate. So yummy! Grannies as well as hipsters come here to enjoy this heavenly treat. Their delicious homemade ice cream might be the better choice for hot summer days, though.

I love watching the sunset over Palma’s rooftops and therefore I’m heading to the Sky Bar in the Hostal Cuba. Have a fruity cocktail or a nice glass of wine and watch the sky go up in flames from the setting sun.

To round off this perfect day in Palma, I’m having dinner at Gaudeix Bodega, a favourite restaurant of mine which serves very tasty tapas and excellent Spanish wines.

For memorable nights check out our Soulful Hotel collection here.