Hillside Mallorca town of Deià
pain had been on our list to visit for awhile when we decided it would be the perfect place to spend our honeymoon... until we had to nix that idea in light of the whole moving-overseas-immediately-after-the-wedding thing. Now that we are more centrally located to all the travel we want to do, we figured there was no time like the present - especially after our first German summer left us missing, uh, an actual summer. Those few weeks of faint-inducing heat didn't count, not to mention all the months of rain and thunderstorms. Coming from CA, it was quite a disappointment.
The view from our balcony...
September seemed to be the last of the nice weather before Autumn officially hit, so we decided we should take advantage of the weather while we could. While there were several places we wanted to see, we were able to get our 11-day trip down to two stops: Mallorca and Barcelona. For the week on the island, we knew we wanted to relax and not do a whole heck of a lot (which is what defines a honeymoon, after all). We decided on the small, hillside town of Deià and when we arrived, we couldn't have been more thrilled with our choice.
The ground's sheep that we awoke to daily with gently clanking bells and baa-aaa-ing. Better than any alarm clock - ever.
The nine-room, converted farmhouse, family-run hotel we stayed at was magical. Sure, we could've gone to the swanky hotel in the middle of town for a more '5-star' experience, but then we would've missed the charm of this place. The variety of animals on the grounds - including sheep, donkeys and one very sweet dog - and the location just outside of the city made it a truly special place. The sweeping views of Deià, the surrounding mountains and the Mediterranean didn't hurt either. One needn't ever leave the hotel, and we didn't, save for one rainy day we decided to sight-see.
The windy, scary road out to Cap de Formentor
After the rain started to fall in the midst of our morning sunbathing one day, we decided to hit the road and see a few of the sights on Mallorca. First stop was the very long, frightenly-narrow road out to Cap de Formentor - a lighthouse on the very north-eastern tip of the island. The dramatic cliffs and nearly 360-degree views of the Mediterranean were worth the hour-long, white-knuckled drive out.
The amazing natural formations at the Coves d'Arta
Our second stop to the Coves d'Arta was on the far south-east bit of the island, and let me just say, it was worth it! The stalactites and stalagmites were astounding - and knowing how many millions of years in the making it was made it even more impressive. The gorgeous turquoise water that greets you as you leave the caves just added to the amazing setting.
Our drive to the other side of the island was not only a great sight-seeing excursion, but it also reaffirmed our choice of where to stay. The eastern side of the island was packed with touristy spots, boxy hotels, souvenir shops galore and kids with floaty mattresses by the dozens. For a quiet, relaxing holiday, I highly recommend the resorts tucked away in the mountains - it is the definition of 'getting away from it all.'
The salad from one of our many gourmet meals
Perhaps one of the most surprising things about Mallorca was the food. Being a major holiday destination, we didn't think we wouldn't be eating well, but we had no idea that we'd be eating incredible, gourmet meals every day! Flavors were inventive, presentations were beautiful and the variety was impressive.
Daily breakfast of homemade jams and yogurt, fresh-squeezed juices... oh yeah, and a sea view
Coming from SF, this is something we've really missed since moving to Germany. Not that we don't have great food in our now-home, but it's different. I suppose we'll just have to travel more to satisfy not only our desire to see new places, but to sample more of Europe's impressive cuisine. Everything in Deià was amazing!
Finally...a proper honeymoon!
It was with a heavy heart we said goodbye to Mallorca, particularly our little bit of the island we had come to love. It had changed me from an ADD traveler who was always looking to the next thing on the agenda to being happy laying in the sun for days on end, the only sound to be heard: Carla Bruni on the iPod. Ahhh... Deià was a magical spot and we look forward to returning. Perhaps an annual trip is in order...
'Truy' - aka 'naughty' - the hotel's vicious guard dog ;)
We'll miss you too!
While we were winging our way to mainland Spain, I was already missing the island life. Little did I know, we were headed to what could now be my favorite European city...
..more to come!
*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische
