Our Mallorca Files

Wandering about...and wine

Last week I shared our misadventures during our recent trip to Mallorca. Today, I share the highlights of our trip. It will come as no surprise to my long-term readers that the highlights included wandering about, an art museum, a train ride, and wine.

The Cathedral de Mallorca.

The Mallorca Files

I couldn’t have found Mallorca on a map before moving to Portugal. I first became “aware” of Mallorca during our first few months in Portugal when our primary entertainment was the Fox Crime channel on TV.¹ It was then that we saw a lighthearted crime series called The Mallorca Files. This led me to Google Maps and then placed it on our lengthening list of places to visit. The title of this post comes from that short-lived TV series.

Where we stayed…yes the stairs and platform were glass.

Taking a Walk

We had reserved a small apartment in the center of town at the Ramón Llull House, a boutique building with 6 units spread over three floors. As the 9:00 flight from Sevilla to Palma airport was less than 90 minutes, we had plenty of time to explore the city after we dropped off our bags. We enjoyed lunch in a nearby square and then went to meet our free walking tour. We learned from our guide, Alexandre, that Ramón Llull was a famous Palma native. Born to a wealthy family, he is most famous for giving his considerable wealth to his wife and two children before entering religious studies. He made many pilgrimages in hopes of converting Muslims. While most internet searches suggest that the cause of his death in 1314 is unknown, our guide insisted that he died from injuries suffered while preaching in Tunis.

Our walking tour guide explains Gaudi’s influence on Palma architecture.

The walking tour provided a great overview of the downtown area and the history of the island. Along the way, we were treated to buildings that were influenced by Gaudi who had been hired at one point to oversee renovations to the Cathedral de Palma.

One of my favorite buildings during the tour.

(Our guide suggested that he was fired by a new bishop. Perhaps the new bishop actually wanted the project finished. But I digress….)

Entrance to Es Baluard Museu d’Art.

Easter Morning

Denise had been struggling with the last remnants of a cold and decided to “sleep in” (code for studying her Portuguese) Sunday morning. This provided the perfect opportunity for me to explore the Es Baluard Museu d’Art. A modern structure built within an old fort, it was the perfect backdrop for six galleries spread over three floors of modern art. If you go, take the time to walk to the rooftop for magnificent views of the marina and harbor.

Expand the image to examine what is climbing up on the angel.

The Best Way to See Soller/Port Soller

Rather than taking the more than $100 Viator tour, I told you about last week, permit me to suggest you simply take the vintage train from the Palma train station to Soller. You can even jump on the tram and stop by Port Soller for only €35 (roundtrip).

Denise walking to the train.

Our only mistake was going on a Monday when the Picasso/Miro museum is closed² … however, we can still wholeheartedly recommend the excursion. The train station is just a 15-minute walk from the downtown area. If you take the 10:10 train, you will be in Soller by 11:10 and Port Soller by 11:30. After stopping by the church in Soller, stroll along the narrow streets filled with tiny shops and a variety of eateries. (We even had lunch at a vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Soller.) You can spend a few hours or the entire day, as the train returns every 90 minutes until 18:30.

The best excursion in Palma.

Wine Tasting

The Canadian couple we met during the unpleasant bus, boat, tram, and train ride excursion talked about a wine tasting they had experienced the night before. Their review was so glowing, we had to sign up. We have been to dozens of wine tastings in the US … typically a row of 5 glasses is placed in front of you. A very small sample of white and then red wines are poured. You are told when the grapes were picked, the type of grape used, the number of years it was aged, etc. The goal is not to educate you as much as to sell you a few bottles before leaving.

Instead, at 19:30 on Tuesday we walked into a small wine store. There we were greeted by Shota, an oenologist who is currently traveling the world to study wine-making before rejoining his family’s winery in Georgia (the country not the state).³ As we were the only two people who had signed up that evening we had his full attention. He began by handing us small pill boxes filled with fruits and herbs. We were asked to smell each one and report what we thought we smelled. Denise was a champ at this part of the exercise, identifying 8 of the 10 scents correctly.⁴ I realized that I now better understood those Wine Spectator reviews that referenced strawberries, tobacco, or cloves.

He poured a glass of white wine and taught us how to properly swirl the glass⁵…bringing out the scents. After smelling and tasting we were asked to describe the wine. We were then provided various cheese, meat, and chocolate samples and again, asked to describe the pairing. I learned more about wine, how to fully enjoy it, and how to pair it with food in those two hours than in all my prior wine tastings. I also was glad we were walking home, as we both consumed 4 full glasses of very good wine.

The Cathedral

Finally, since we seem unable to leave a place without visiting at least one church, we stopped by the Cathedral de Palma. As we were there during Holy Week, it was a bit of a madhouse. And as Cathedrals go, I found the exterior far more impressive than the interior. During our walking tour, we learned that there is a time each year when the two stained glass windows at either end of the cathedral align in such a way as to project both onto the walls. We were not there at the right time to see this, but I was taken with how it illuminated part of the congregation.

So there you have it…what we recommend you do in Palma de Mallorca. Next week I will share with you why I was uncomfortable watching an Easter precession.

Até lá, fica bem

Nanc

1. From January to April 2021 we were housebound due to covid restrictions.

2. There is a smaller Picasso/Miro museum at the train station which was open.

3. A proud Georgian, Shota insisted that his country was the true historic center of winemaking.

4. Fun fact: if your nostrils ever become overpowered (i.e. you can’t distinguish one smell from another) sniff your forearm (without creams or cologne). It instantly “brings back” your ability to distinguish scents.

5. Grasp the stem with your middle finger and thumb, placing the tip of your index finger higher on the stem. Begin making large swirls, which over time will become uniform and cover the inside of the glass.