Travel Recap: Mallorca and Madrid
by Sally Rychlak
We started this trip in Portugal's Algarve region for a wedding, then flew from Faro through Barcelona to Mallorca. Mallorca had been on my list for a while, and we decided to split our time between two different parts of the island: Sóller and Port de Pollença.
The two Mallorcan stays, although less than an hour apart, ended up being completely different, which was exactly what we wanted. We started with a few days almost entirely dedicated to a beautiful cliffside hotel, then moved across the island for hiking, beaches, and a boat day before ending the trip with two nights in Madrid.
First Stop: Sóller
Our first stop was Jumeirah Mallorca, built directly into the cliffs above Port de Sóller, and so beautiful that the photos hardly do it justice.
Soller, Mallorca Ocean Views from Jumeirah Jumeirah at Sunset
Some hotels are locationally convenient and designed to be a home base for exploring. Others are designed to keep you in one spot. Jumeirah is definitely the latter. I had no desire to leave the property.
The hotel is tucked into the Serra de Tramuntana mountains overlooking the Mediterranean, and the property seems to cascade down the side of the cliff. The architecture was actually designed around the landscape, with native grasses planted on the flat roofs to help the hotel blend into the mountain.
Jumeirah Mallorca Sunset in Soller Jumierah Hotel Sunset at Jumeirah Mallorca Mornings Jumeirah Lobby
There was very little reason to leave. We had lunch by the infinity pool, spent time at the spa and had several restaurants to choose from without leaving the property.
The Talise Spa was particularly beautiful, with exceptional amenities that were accessible regardless of if you had booked a treatment. The sauna and the spa pool overlooked the mountains, rivaling the Infinity Pool's of the ocean view.
Our first dinner was at Cap Roig, Jumeirah's Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the water. The food and service were both excellent, with the insane views that seem to come standard with just about everything at this hotel. And, as with any meal on vacation, don't skip dessert.
We also had dinner at Sunset Lounge, which was beautiful and delicious and, as the name suggests, especially magical at sunset. We started at a high top and migrated to a table directly overlooking the water while we devoured tuna crispy rice, nigiri, and steak. What a dream.
The service throughout our stay was exceptional. Everything felt easy, and the hotel was incredibly accommodating.
Jumeriah Infinity Pool Jumeriah Infinity Pool Jumeriah Infinity Pool
Running Around Sóller
We did manage to leave our cliffside haven for a couple of runs, although Sóller is not exactly flat.
One morning, we ran along the bay and up toward Far de Cap Gros, the lighthouse overlooking Port de Sóller. It gave us one of my favorite views of the trip, looking back across the water at Jumeirah built into the cliffs.
View of Jumeirah from Faro View of Jumeirah from Faro Far de Cap Run
Another day, we ran up to Torre Picada, a 17th century watchtower above Port de Sóller. The climb was steep, and we took a few wrong turns along the way, but the view was worth it.
Torre Picada Torre Picada View Torre Picada Hike
Port de Sóller itself is small and charming, with a beach, restaurants and little markets along the waterfront. We wandered through town a little but never actually ate there. Normally I feel obligated to venture out and try as many restaurants as possible, but this was one of those rare hotels where staying put felt like the better plan.
Our Sóller itinerary was essentially: run up a mountain, pool, spa, eat, eat again, repeat.
Port de Pollença
From Sóller, we drove across the island to Port de Pollença and checked into Hotel Illa d'Or.
This stay had a completely different feel. Illa d'Or has a wonderful waterfront location, and instead of making us want to stay inside the hotel all day, it was the perfect base for getting out and exploring.
We walked into town for dinner every night and, more importantly, walked back with ice cream in hand.
This was also where I got my fill of Spanish staples: paella, gazpacho, tuna and plenty of tapas.
Sardines + Tomatoes Frutti di polpo Iberian Ham and Calamari Paella Paella Gazpacho Tuna tartare Pistachio Lamb
Hiking to Cala Bóquer
One of my favorite things we did in Mallorca was the hike to Cala Bóquer. The trail takes you through the Bóquer Valley, surrounded by mountains, before eventually opening up onto a small rocky cove on the other side of the peninsula.
The hike itself was part of what made Cala Bóquer so memorable. It isn't particularly technical, but the rocky terrain and lack of shade make good shoes and plenty of water a must.
The scenery changes as you make your way through the valley, and you don't really see the cove until you get closer to the end, which makes arriving at the water feel even better. We spent some time swimming and cooling off before making the hike back.
Sally Rychlak Valley
The beach is only accessible by foot or boat, so while there were a few other people there, it still felt surprisingly secluded. We packed swimsuits, sunscreen, a snack, and spent an hour or two on our private beach.
The goats were another story... They were very comfortable around people and even more interested in whatever snacks everyone had packed. Besides the goats and a handful of other hikers, we mostly felt like we had the cove to ourselves.
After hiking back, Plant Shack in Port de Pollença was a very welcome sight. We stopped for açaí bowls, which tasted particularly refreshing after several miles of hiking in the Mallorcan sun.
A Beach Day at Cala Sant Vicenç
We also spent an afternoon at Cala Sant Vicenç, a collection of small beach coves a short drive from Port de Pollença.
It was clearly a popular spot, but we were still able to get chairs and settle in for the afternoon. The little coves make it especially pretty, and it was an easy beach day without requiring much of a plan.
Mallorca has no shortage of dramatic beaches that require hiking, boating or navigating down a cliff to reach them, so there was also something nice about simply showing up, getting chairs and going for a swim.
A Private Boat Day from Alcúdia
Another highlight of our time in northern Mallorca was a private boat day with Stellar Boats out of Port d'Alcúdia.
The water was almost unbelievably blue, and our captain, Alan, was incredibly friendly and made the whole day feel relaxed from the start. We were greeted on board with freshly squeezed orange juice, croissants, strawberries and breakfast before heading out along the coast.
We spent the next few hours doing a little bit of everything and not much of anything, which is exactly what I want from a boat day. We tucked into a cave or two, stopped to swim and snorkel, did some paddle boarding and eventually took a very necessary boat siesta.
Sally Rychlak Alcudia Cove Boat Tapas
Alan also prepared a beautiful tapas lunch for us on board. One of the simplest things ended up being one of my favorites. He showed us the Mallorcan way to eat the local bread with tomato, olive oil and salt. That's it. Simple and delicious.
The salt was sourced locally in Mallorca and was so good that we actually sought it out at a shop afterward to bring some home. We bought both the natural sea salt and Mediterranean flavored salt, which felt like a much better souvenir than something destined to sit on a shelf.
Between the bright blue water, swimming, tapas and an afternoon spent mostly barefoot, the boat day was easily one of the highlights of Mallorca.
From Mallorca to Madrid
Rather than take another connecting flight on the way home, we decided to spend our final two nights in Madrid and fly nonstop from MAD to DFW. So, admittedly Madrid was initially mostly a logistical decision. I didn't realize how much I was going to love it.
We stayed at Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá, which ended up being a great location for what we wanted to do and see with only two days in the city. We could walk to many of the major sights, including the Royal Palace, and it was a convenient starting point for wandering through Madrid's different neighborhoods.
The hotel itself was beautiful, but breakfast deserves a particular mention. There was a huge variety of options, an outdoor patio and live music in the morning. Great vibes and a very good way to start a day that inevitably involved a lot of walking.
Best Hotel breakfast ever Acai Bowl
Madrid itself is incredibly walkable, lively without feeling overwhelming, and full of the kind of neighborhoods where you can wander around without much of a plan and continually find somewhere you want to stop.
Our First Night in Madrid: Salamanca
For our first night, we headed to Salamanca, one of Madrid's more upscale neighborhoods. Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't have much time for shopping.
We stopped at a tapas bar nearby before dinner at Cadaqués, which ended up being a great first dinner in Madrid. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was lively and the hospitality was warm. We also quickly learned that an 8:30 p.m. dinner reservation in Madrid is apparently considered early. So for night two, we adjusted accordingly.
Cadaques for Dinner El Mercado de San Miguel Tapas and Cards
The Prado & Royal Palace
The next morning, we checked the major tourist boxes with a four hour Madrid in a Day tour through Devour Tours.
We started at the Prado Museum and spent about two hours there. You could probably return to the Prado a hundred times and still find something you hadn't seen before. At the same time, I've learned that roughly two hours is my personal museum sweet spot, so this worked out well.
From there, we walked to the Royal Palace of Madrid, which has more than 3,400 rooms. Thankfully, the tour only takes you through a small fraction of them.
It is massive, ornate and absolutely worth seeing, even if you're generally more interested in wandering neighborhoods than touring palaces.
Madrid Royal Palace Royal Palace Royal Palace Royal Palace Royal Palace
Afterward, we spent the rest of the afternoon doing what Madrid seems particularly well suited for: walking around, stopping for tapas and drinks, and gradually making our way toward a very late dinner.
La Latina & Our Final Dinner
For our final night, we headed to La Latina, which ended up being my favorite neighborhood we visited in Madrid.
I actually liked it even more than Salamanca. It reminded me a little of the West Village in New York: charming streets, people everywhere, and restaurant after restaurant that made me wish we had another week.
We had a 9:30 p.m. reservation at Casa Julián de Tolosa for a decidedly heavy final dinner. The restaurant is known for its grilled meats, so steak was obviously the move. Dinner was excellent, the service was fantastic, and we finished with a heavenly cheesecake that I can't seem to forget about.
What I liked almost as much as the restaurant itself was the area surrounding it. The streets were bustling with restaurants and people eating outside, and Casa Julián seemed to be in very good culinary company. It was exactly the kind of neighborhood where I wanted to keep walking around after dinner instead of heading back to the hotel.
La Latina La Latina La Latina La Latina
Two nights was enough time to realize that I need significantly more than two nights in Madrid. I already have a running list for the next trip: Los 33, El Quintín, Amazónico, Bem Aparecida, Amparito Roca, Maruca, El Gran Asador de Lecanda, Caníbal, Charrúa and Dani Brasserie- the rooftop at the Four Seasons.
Until Next Time
Mallorca was exactly the kind of trip I was hoping for: a little bit of everything without feeling like we were constantly moving. We had slow mornings at the hotel, long runs with borderline offensive inclines, beach afternoons, a boat day, great food and plenty of time outside.
Ending in Madrid was the unexpected bonus and probably the best reminder that sometimes the places added to an itinerary for convenience end up being the ones you can't wait to get back to. I’d happily do the entire trip again, although next time I’m giving Madrid a few more days.
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