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Apartamentos d'es PuigMallorca's unspoiled heartland• apartments in converted 15th-century manor house • private terrace •
The central plain of this small island allows easy access to bustling towns, sleepy villages, rugged mountains and the quietest beaches of the south and east, while the vibrant capital, Palma, is just 30 minutes’ drive away. You get splendid views across the rolling Mallorcan plains and this is the perfect base from which to explore the island as a family - you can be as active, or as inactive, as you wish.
The apartmentsYour host, Cati Febrer, extends a very warm welcome and creates a convivial atmosphere, hosting a weekly dinner of regional specialities in summer. Children love collecting fresh eggs from the hens each morning, and can help to pick seasonal salad vegetables from the garden, and even enjoy a ride in the gardener’s donkey cart. There is a small bar and restaurant on site serving breakfast and dinner (pay locally). For football-mad youngsters, there is a small pitch in the grounds, while adults can make the most of the Turkish bath and hydro-massage pool or work out in the gym. The whole family can enjoy relaxing in the shared outdoor pool (12 by 6 metres; usually open from May to September).
The nine apartments are all located within a carefully converted 15th-century manor house, its annexe and a separate property, which are set around a central front courtyard. These are in turn surrounded by lawns and terraces which provide plenty of space in which to relax outdoors and admire the views across Mallorca’s rolling plain. Many of the building’s original features have been maintained and blend in well with modern furnishings while retaining the charm of typical rural Mallorcan houses. The apartments vary in size, sleeping between four and six - you can opt for a one-bedroom apartment with a sofa bed for two in the living-cum-dining room (sometimes the bedroom is on a mezzanine level rather than being a separate room as such) or a two-bedroom apartment again with a sofa bed for two in the living area. All apartments have a private terrace and one bathroom, and are equipped with creature comforts such as satellite television, air-conditioning and heating. A laundry facility is available (pay locally). Your basic kitchen comprises a fridge-freezer, microwave and hob, and there is a shared barbecue in the grounds. The nearest shops are 5 kilometres away. Great days outIf you can tear yourselves away from your Mallorcan ‘home’, there is so much to discover and, with good roads in all directions, it doesn’t take long to reach any point on the island. Bustling, cosmopolitan Palma is well worth a day trip. Dominating the waterfront is the impressive cathedral, behind which hide the city’s Moorish baths (open to the public) amid a maze of ancient streets in which medieval architecture contrasts with many late 19th-century buildings. For a spot of nostalgia and dramatic scenery, buy a return ticket for the superbly engineered narrow-gauge railway through the heart of the mountains to Sóller (see below).
In the mountains of the Tramuntana Sierra are several villages of interest, including Sóller, a colourful town surrounded by orange and lemon groves and filled with elegant fruit merchants’ houses. There is also a botanical garden. For a fun excursion, take the old-fashioned tram down to the horse-shoe shaped bay of Port de Sóller. Another village of note is Valldemossa, described by Chopin (who stayed here in 1838-9 with the writer George Sand) as ‘the most beautiful place in the world’. It is dominated by its famous Carthusian monastery which houses a 17th-century pharmacy, Chopin’s piano and an excellent small art collection that includes works by Picasso and Henry Moore. Another monastery – and an opulent basilica - is located in the mountain hamlet of Lluc. The spot became Mallorca’s most important centre of pilgrimage after a boy named Lluc found a brightly coloured statue of the Virgin Mary in the mid 13th century. For the sheer thrill of driving on impossibly winding roads and seeing the sea pound the rocks, take a drive to Cape Formentor, in the north-east corner of the island, particularly atmospheric on a windy day.
Also in the east is the S’Albufera Natural Park, an area of wetland that is home to numerous species of aquatic bird. There are several hides within the reserve in which to sit and bird-watch. The island’s most important natural feature are the Caves of Drach (Dragon), whose series of chambers boast one of the largest subterranean lakes in the world, Lake Martel. Visits to the caves incorporate numerous surprising rock formations, a short concert of classical music and an optional boat ride on the lake. Nearby is the Jumaica Tropical Park, a veritable oasis in which you will find rare plants, bamboo groves, banana plantations, waterfalls and a multitude of free-flying exotic birds. Alternatively, for a day by the sea, the quiet beaches of the south are within a 20-minute drive.
WalkingThe island’s best walking is in the Tramuntana Sierra in the north, where paved mule tracks wind between groves of oranges, lemons and olives. We provide notes for a range of walks for different abilities from which you can choose those most suitable for your family: The Puig des Teix (12.5km, 4hrs): starting and ending in Valldemossa, this is a rewarding circular walk up into the mountains, passing beneath the peak of the Teix (1,064 metres) for superb views of the coast in clear weather. You then follow bridleways created by Archduke Luis Salvador, Mallorca’s great benefactor, across a limestone plateau before descending back to Valldemossa through woods of holm oaks where family groups of wild goats often graze. The Orange Valley (11km, 4.5hrs): park your car at the viewpoint above Sóller and walk along ancient cobbled trails through a deep, fertile valley coated with orange groves. After rising out of the valley, you descend to the coast and follow the spectacular coastal path to the beach at Cala Tuent, enjoying some of the best sea views on the island before returning to Sóller by taxi (or boat in summer).
The Muleta Plateau (7.5km, 2.5hrs): starting and ending in Port de Sóller, this walking route explores the Muleta Plateau, passing its distinctive lighthouse where you can pause for lunch. Along Pilgrims’ Paths (16km, 5.5hrs): head to Sóller and take a taxi to Lake Cuver, from where a path rises gently through pine woods to the Ofre Pass for views of the Mediterranean in clear weather. From the pass, you descend into the valley and walk down through the dramatic Biniaraix Gorge on a cobbled pilgrims’ trail comprising almost 2,000 shallow stone steps that are thought to have been originally cut by the Carthaginians for transporting olive oil some 2,500 years ago. On the Trail of Archduke Salvador (8km, 3hrs): this walk/visit starts in Deià, from where you head to Son Morraig, the cliff-top mansion where Archduke Luis Salvador spent a lot of time. After visiting the house, which is filled with an interesting, if slightly eclectic, range of artefacts, it is well worth descending along a track to the Sa Foradada Peninsula, which is made all the more remarkable by the huge hole in the rock near the tip. There is a small beach where you can bathe in warm weather before retracing your steps to Deià.
Other activitiesThe centre of the island, with its quiet lanes winding their way through the patchwork patterns of ancient farms, is excellent cycling country. For a small charge, you can rent bikes from your hosts, who will also be happy to help you arrange activities such as microlight and hot air balloon rides. Prices & travel 2009:
Property & hire car includes: 7 days’ category
C hire car (e.g. Opel Astra) Click here for more family self catering holiday ideas. Click here to subscribe to our email newsletter and be the first to hear of all our new programmes. |
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