A mere 20 minutes drive from Palma, takes you a world away from the hustle and bustle, to Valldemossa.
The approach road to Mallorca’s most visited town, slowly twists and turns to reveal this enchanting mountain pueblo. It’s position, perched up high upon tumbling ancient land terraces offers striking scenery from the very first glimpse.
Named after its original Moorish landowner, ‘Muza’, it has been a popular place through the centuries, attracting many artists. This includes Valldemossa’s most famous tourist, Frédéric Chopin, who spent a winter here between 1838-1839 with his lover George Sand. He spent time composing during his stay in its 1399 Carthusian monastery which overlooks the mountain valley below, and is the place he wrote his famous Raindrop Prelude, inspired by an unusually wet Mallorcan winter.
It is also the birthplace of the island’s beloved heroine, the patron saint Santa Catalina. The house where she was born on 1st May 1531 can easily be found in the heart of the town, and most of the authentic Mallorcan stone townhouses proudly display her plaque by their front door. La Fiesta de la Beata takes place here in her honour each year on 28th July. It’s one of the most important festivals on the island. Visitors flock to enjoy traditional dancing, street food, live music and a grand parade. Some still dress as traditional ‘payés’, (Mallorcan country peasants). It’s a great opportunity to really immerse yourself in the island’s culture.
The town itself is charming, it’s car-free cobbled streets are lined with trees, cafe’s, restaurants and independent shops. It’s the perfect place to while away some hours and in fact, you could even take your laptop with you and work remotely in Valldemossa, as many of the bars and cafés offer WiFi. Enjoy a coffee, a bite to eat, some gift shopping and a stroll round the fragrant monastery gardens and ancient streets, from where you can admire the beautiful stone architecture of the typical Mallorcan houses, under the ever watchful eye of the surrounding majestic mountains.
Make sure you try a coca de patata, the emblem of Valldemossa, from its creator Ca’n Molinas on Via Blanquerna. This bakery has been making these sweet potato cakes for almost a century now. They go perfectly with a ‘chocolate caliente’, Mallorca’s incredibly thick, rich hot chocolate!
The mountainous countryside surrounding Valldemossa leads all the way to the dramatic coastline, offering some of the most incredible vistas of the island. It also performs some of the most stunning sunsets on the island each evening. We recommend locations such as Port de Valldemossa, (we also recommend eating the paella in Restaurant Port de Valldemossa), Puig de la Moneda on the George Sand Estate, Sa Torre de Ca’n Costa and Ermita de la Trinitat, both on the coastal road towards Deia. These locations offer the best birds eye views of nature’s most spectacular show!
As this part of the island is abundant in awe-inspiring heavenly scenery, it is attracts plenty of hikers and cyclists, who take advantage of the stunning coastal road and miles and miles of amazing trails along the GR221 (the ancient dry stone mountain route that runs along the length of the Tramuntana mountain range).
Make sure you schedule a visit to Valldemossa while you are here working remotely in Mallorca. It really is a must-see!
