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As a regular visitor to Palma, I was delighted to discover some additions to the cityscape with new rooftop venues. The Hotel Almudaina has the Sky Area restaurant and terrace on the 9th floor. It is on one of the poshest streets near El Corte Ingles, and the three-course lunch was a very nice €22.50.
The view was stunning, a panorama of the city with the striking cathedral in the background and Bellver Castle in the distance beyond the massive Port of Palma with huge cruises ships coming and going.
Rooftop two was on the top of the JS Palma Plaza Hotel, a new and design-led addition to the city. At the crossroads of the Plaza Madrid, the terrace and pool area are a secret hideaway. The lane pool was surrounded by day beds and loungers where you could relax, enjoy the sun and is an ideal place to wind down after a day exploring Palma’s ancient city.
On a walk towards the hopping nightlife area of Santa Catalina, I spotted a new addition to Bar Cuba. The rooftop now has one of the coolest bars in the city. Do go early to bag a good seat, as it is heaving after late dinner.
When it comes to taste, Spanish food keeps getting better. On a guided walk around Palma, we discovered lots of lovely bakeries and independent food shops. Each had its own speciality, it could be a particular ensanemada , a type of pastry or sobrasada, a Mallorcan spreadable raw sausage, made from pork and seasoned with paprika and other spices, and delicious on crusty bread.
One way of discovering the past of Palma, is to look up and see some extraordinarily decorated buildings, art peeking out of windows, Gaudi’s imprint on a corner street, a stone carving of a duel with knights and dragons and the gothic architecture of the cathedral
Boat trips are a popular way of spending a day exploring the coastline and finding quiet coves for swimming. Our captain took us along the coast of Calavia, west of Palma and found a quiet cove. Here we could try snorkelling, paddle-boarding and my newest craze, using an underwater seaflyer surfer. This is like the handlebars of a scooter with two small engines that pull you about in the water – it’s great fun.
Lunch was at Palma Nova at the beachside Siso Restaurant where we were serenaded by a lounge singer. Friday afternoons are very popular here for this reason. The sounds of Frank Sinatra went well with the delicious Spanish food.
The northeast of Mallorca is a less busy part though the resort of Alcudia, with its shallow bay is popular with families. On the way to the highest point on the coast, a detour allowed for a visit to the Vincens textile factory and shop. Here they have been making the traditional fabric for 160 years. It was fascinating to see the cotton and linen dyed and woven.
If you go this far you need to continue to see the spectacular scenery on the mountainous road to Formentor. Let your eyes drink in the scenery and take some stunning photos at the Mirador Es Colomer and wonder about the love knots tied to the fence.
On the way down you can see Pollenca, the ancient town of the Romans where not surprisingly, we lunched at an Italian restaurant – Respira. The food was excellent, and we enjoyed pasta with truffle, huge mussels and cannelloni stuffed with chicken.
One of the nicest things to have on holidays is the sound of the sea to lull you to sleep. In the San Moll Sentits Resort, that is exactly what you will get if you leave your balcony door ajar.
On the Cala Ratjada this resort is above a lovely beach and each room has a sea view. It is an area of Mallorca that’s probably not known to the Irish, as the pubs were all showing German football.
Sunday morning began with a walk on the beach, watching the early swimmers. During breakfast a violinist gently played a selection of popular songs, including some from Coldplay, – it wasn’t all classical.
The resort has everything you could need for a relaxing holiday. There is spa, a speciality restaurant, lots of places to relax, direct access to the beach and a small village with pubs and shops on the doorstep.
The last stop on the busy trip was to call into the Golf Pula, at Son Servera, redesigned by no other than Jose Maria Olazabel. It has hosted the PGA European Open among many championships.
This beautiful course is not only great for golf, but there is a lovely 16th century finca – farmhouse, self-catering suites, spa, pool and an organic garden. It is a very popular wedding venue too. All the vegetables and fruit for the clubhouse restaurant are grown here, along with the eggs from the chickens.
I hope this tour of Mallorca beyond the beaches will give you a taste of how your senses can be enhanced by this beautiful island.
There are daily flights from Dublin to Palma with Ryanair until the end of October, and until the end of November with Aer Lingus. From Cork, Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly four times a week to Palma until the end of October. From Shannon Ryanair operates four times per week until the end October. Direct flights from Dublin and Cork will resume in March 2025, from Shannon in April 2025.
Find more information at mallorca.es