We have had a busy, fun-filled summer and had planned one last getaway to the South of France prior to school starting. When Randall found out that he had to be in the US the week that we planned to go, I quickly had to figure out a new plan (as the place in France was not available the week prior). I had just read an article about Palma and have heard great things about Mallorca from my cousin for years. Randall and I have loved the time we have spent in Spain, but have never been to any of the Spanish islands (and the girls had yet to visit Spain). Since Easy Jet flies directly from Geneva to Palma (and it's only a 1 hour 15 minute flight) this seemed like the perfect destination!
Once we settled on the destination it was time to find a place to stay ... not the easiest task during the end of August in Europe. Having never been to Mallorca before, I really had no idea which part of the island we should target. I started looking for waterfront spots, but the only places with availability were large resorts that looked a bit dated or extremely upscale hotels that ran over 2,000 EUR per night. Then I stumbled upon Finca S'Arbosar ( http://www.fincasarbosar.com/en/ ), a small agrotourism hotel set in the countryside in the foothills of the Serra de Tramontana mountains. While not on the coast, the place looked charming & well appointed and had a beautiful pool. I sent a quick enquiry and within minutes I received a response from Natalia. She said she had the suite available for 3 nights and that it could accommodate all 4 of us. I knew immediately based on her sweet note that this was the place for us. So I booked 3 nights there and then just needed to find a place for our first night on the island.
The Conde Nast Traveler article I had just read featured Hotel Cort which is in the heart of the Old Town of Palma, and as luck would have it they had a suite available for just the night we were looking for. Phew! Quickest vacation planning decisions ever ... flight, rental car & 2 hotels booked within 30 minutes.
So last Monday we were off to Mallorca for our last adventure of Summer 2016!
Our flight was slightly delayed so by the time we arrived at Hotel Cort it was almost 10 pm. Thankfully we were in Spain and dinner hour was just getting started. We enjoyed delicious tapas next to the huge gnarled ancient olive tree in the lively square where our hotel was situated. By the time we had finished our leisurely dinner we were all happy to crawl into bed.
The next morning we woke up to sunshine & views of the town hall across the square from the hotel. I absolutely loved the design of Hotel Cort. From the cheerful cherry-red exterior, to the beautiful Mallorcan Ikat fabrics throughout, to the gorgeous blue & white spanish tile in the shower and on the terraces... it was all dreamy.
After breakfast on the square, we took a horse & carriage ride around Palma. Since we were only going to be spending a half day in the city we thought this would be a good way to get a quick overview & introduction.
Palma is beautiful & reminded us of a smaller Barcelona.
From the tree-lined pedestrian malls, similar to La Rambla, to the Gothic Roman Palma Cathedral and other Gaudi designed buildings, to the soaring palm trees & beautiful harbor ... Palma had a very cool Mediterranean vibe.
After a morning spent exploring Palma we were ready to head to the countryside for some relaxation. Finca S'Arbosar was only 15km from Palma but felt worlds away from the bustling city. I can't say enough positive things about the Finca (Farm) & the lovely owner/operators, Natalia and Jorge. The farm belonged to Jorge's grandfather and they just converted it into a hotel in April of this year.
The hotel itself, decor & surrounding grounds are beautiful ...
Natalia lovingly prepared a delicious breakfast each morning, always thinking about the girls when coming up with the daily morning treats ...
The brand new pool, set among the almond groves, was gorgeous and was basically our private pool for the time we were there...
The girls loved visiting with the animals on the farm...
...And helping with the harvest one morning. The tomatoes and pueblo peppers at Finca S'Arbosar are the best on Mallorca!
One morning we visited the charming town of Valldemossa within the Tramuntera mountains. This hilltop town was filled with cute shops & restaurants. It reminded me of some of the Tuscan hill towns that we have visited, but had a bit of Spanish flair. I would have loved to spend more time here and wish that we had had the time to visit nearby Deia, another small village known for its many artist residents ... but the beach was calling.
Sampling the fresh coconut ...
And building sand castles.
Before dinner that evening, I was challenged to a ping-pong match back at Finca S'Arbosar and then we had wonderful tapas in the most beautiful garden setting at Bistro 19 - Living Dreams just 2km from our hotel in the small town of Santa Maria Del Cami.
The next day might have been our favorite day on Mallorca and also solidified Natalia & Jorge as the most gracious hotel hosts we have ever encountered. We spent the day exploring Mallorca from the water, with the two of them as our guides on their boat. They took us to the most beautiful remote coves, where we swam in crystal clear water, snorkeled and saw some amazing fish, and relaxed in the Mediterranean breeze as we took in the coastline from boat.
For lunch we anchored in Cala Llamp and a boat picked us up from our boat and took us in to shore at the Beach Club Gran Follies. There we enjoyed amazing calamari and paella for lunch, and the girls got to swim in the sea water pool while we waited for our food. Can't beat that! After lunch we paddle boarded around Cala Llamp before returning to the boat.
It was a day that we will never forget. Their smiles say it all!
A long day out on the water, called for a low key pizza-by-the-pool dinner back at the Finca and an evening swim.
The sheep came to say goodnight as we were at the pool. All across Mallorca you see sheep grazing among the almond groves. It really is interesting terrain in the center of the island. It is very dry, almost desert like, but then you find seashells among the dirt & rocks since you are on an island.
On our final morning at Finca S'Arbosar I went for a quick run, passing through vineyards and almond groves ... taking it all in. After breakfast the girls snuck in one last swim and then we walked through the almond groves one last time to the ancient olive tree. Such a beautiful & unique landscape.
It was the perfect end-of-summer getaway. A little bit of adventure, a little bit of relaxation & a lot of fun exploring a new place together! It was hard to say goodbye to Natalia (and some of the other guests that we met while we were there). It isn't often that a hotel truly welcomes you as family, but that is how we felt at Finca S'Arbosar! I sincerely hope that we will return one day. We have to come back and see the pool garden once it is complete .... right, Natalia?
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