It is nine o’clock in the morning and we are having breakfast in Colonia Sant Jordi, enjoying the views over the small harbour with its countless boats and small islands leading to Cabrera. Even in high-season, life is more or less easy here. Families and sophisticated travellers from Switzerland, France, Germany and Mainland Spain who have discovered this tranquil holiday village stay in rented or owned accommodation and are happy to have found a place not spoiled by high rise hotels and package tours. Do not be deterred by the unattractive modern apartment blocks framing the main street (you will come across this often when entering the seaside towns). Just a bit further on you will find a harbour with excellent fish restaurants, quaint boutiques and a fine, sandy beach, and with a bit of driving you can enjoy the beautiful beaches of Mondragó and Es Trenc.

 

C’AN BARBARA

A definite visit if you want to enjoy some of Palma’s trendiest night life, C’an Barbara is the small darsena at the end of the Paseo Maritimo, which is pretty sleepy during the day but awakens to anything from chill out music to Bossa beats. Bars to check out include El Garito, Mosquito Coast and Villario.

C‘AN JOAN DE S’AIGO
C’an Sanç, 10 – 971 710 759
Barón Sta. Maria de Sepulcre, 5 – 971 725 760
Closed Tuesday
Get a taste of the sweet side of Palma. Famous for their traditionally made ensaimadas, cuartos and homemade ice creams – especially the hazelnut flavour, C’an Joan de S’aigo is famous Sunday afternoon meeting place amongst the locals of Palma.

CASCO ANTIGUO
Make sure to take a simple map with you when you discover the narrow pebbled streets that lead back from behind the cathedral, most streets are pedestrian mainly because they really are so narrow cars can’t fit down them. Places worth a visit; Casa Museo J. Torrents Lladó and Paseo de los Artesanos.

DINER
San Magin, 23 – 971 736 222
Joan Maire Bisbe, 5 – 971 462 567
The closest you’ll get to authentic if what you’re looking for is traditional American; ribs, burgers, onion rings and great coleslaw amongst others. Best of all there are now two restaurants to choose from, both of which are open for late, late dining!

ES BALUARD – Museum Of Modern & Contemporary Art
Plaza Porta de Santa Catalina, 10 – 971 908 200
Open Sun – Tues 10.00 – 20.00 (Nov – May) 10.00 – 12.00 (Jun – Oct)
(Closed Mondays) 6€
One of Palma’s most recent museums (funded in 1997), Es Baluard offers a permanent collection comprised of paint work, sculptures, ceramics and drawings from names such as Cézanne, Gauguin, Picasso, Miró, Magritte or Giacometti. Over looking the Paseo Maritimo and La Lonja, even the view alone is incredible.

FABRICA 23
C/ Cotoner, 42 – Sta. Catalina – 971 453 125
www.fabrica23restaurant.com
Closed Sundays & Mondays
Originally situated at near by Calle Fabrica, brothers Alexander and Sasha have recently moved into their new and larger restaurant so as to accommodate their ever growing loyal followers. They offer fresh international dishes with strong Mediterranean influences. Rather than use a menu, they use a black board of around five starters, five mains and 5 puds which change on a daily basis, which is great as you always get to try something new.

GRAN HOTEL – Fundación La Caixa
Plaza Weyler, 3 – 971 178 500
Open Tues – Sat 10.00 – 21.00 (Sun & festive days 10.00 – 14.00) free entrance
Restaurant, Bar/ Cafeteria, Museum and Book, shop all under the roof of one of Palma’s modern, architectural high lights. Called the Gran Hotel as it used to function as such from 1903 – 1953, always well worth a wonder through to catch some of the passing exhibitions.

HARBOUR CLUB
Club de Mar. Muelle Pelaires s/n – 971 404 049
With in the boundaries of the Club de Mar one is tempted to spend the day lounging at the Harbour Club. Great cocktails, good food, sparkly clean swimming pool and plenty of sofas to relax and disconnect tempting you away from Palma’s city centre.

ICEBERG
Palau Reial, 3 – 971 213 322
www.iceberg-gelats.com
Featured in this months "insider" section, German partners Christoph and Carlos have set up shop right in the heart of Palma, offering a huge selection of home made, high quality ice creams, ranging from your every day flavours to the unthinkable.

JAIME III
Fashion, fashion, fashion!! If you are on Jaime III it can mean only one thing – shopping. Probably Palma’s most well known high street boasting shops such as Mont Blanc, Cartier, Loewe, EL Corte Ingles, Massimo Dutti amongst others.

KING KAMEHAMEHA CLUB
Paseo Maritimo, 29 – 871 939 200
www.king-kamehameha.com (thu – sat 23.00 – 06.00)
Not many know how to name the place, but everyone knows where it is and what it’s about. Palma’s "in" club is a definite must if you want to see and be seen. Bang in the heart of the Paseo Maritimo, King Kama (as most call it), assures top quality music from internationally acclaimed DJs.

LA LUNA
C/ Olmos, 3 – 971 425 360
If you are thinking of buying traditional mallorcan presents for friends and family back home, then head to La Lluna to pick up sobrasada, jams, liquors and other Mallorcan Gourmet foods.

MAR SOBRON
Plaza d’es Mercat, 7 – 971 710 912
From the outside you can tell this shop is going to offer something different. Inside you can find a collection of original, high end fashion names such as Orla Kiely, Rosamunda or John Rocha, as well as Mar’s own personal collection. If amongst the choice on view you don’t find anything you like, Mar also designs to order.

PILAR & JOAN MIRÓ FOUNDATION
C/ Joan de Saridakis, 29 – 971 701 420
Open Tue – Sat 10.00 – 19.00 (May-Sep) 10.00 – 18.00 (Sep-May)
Closed Monday. General admission: 5′00 €
The museum was established due to the Miró’s growing concern that when he passed away his creative environment would be destroyed. By auctioning numerous paintings at Sotheby’s after his death, Pilar (his wife) founded the actual building which contains his workshops and his works as well as being a meeting point for writers, artists, musicians, etc to exchange ideas and work together.

NAUTICA

Jaime III, 16 – 971 713 324
If you want to look the part this summer at the regattas, then head into Nautica. The store on its own has a very strong resemblance to that of a boat’s interior, and obviously the garments on sail are all of a nautical nature.

OLIVAR MARKET
Plaza Olivar
Mon – Sat (07.00 – 14.00)
Not one of Palma’s cheapest markets but definitely the largest and most entertaining. Recently renovated, it still has that haggling, bustling, fresh smelling feel to it. The fish section is huge and offers every possible array of Mediterranean fish and shellfish. Fruit, veg, hams, cheeses, spices, meat olives and other preserves are also all in abundance here.

PASEO MARITIMO
The nautical centre of Palma, the Paseo Maritimo is the sea road that hugs all the bay area. Starting from way back where the Avenidas hit the sea, leading all the way to Porto Pi, and offering restaurants, hotels, clubs, bars as well as a cycle path that snakes all the way along harbour-
 

CALLE QUINT
Otherwise known amongst many Mallorcan’s as "the street with the stupid stairs" ("las escaleras bobas", as you never know weather to take the steps one, two or three at a time, which unfortunately means you spend most your time looking down rather than taking in lovely shop windows of places such as Pasatiempos, La Industrial Toy Shop, La Pajarita.

REFECTORI RESTAURANT
Hidden down one of Palma’s skinny little streets is the Convent de la Missió Hotel. The hotel’s restaurant Refectori is one of the best on the island and celebrates the pleasures of modern Spanish cuisine. The interior design is stylish without being intimidating.

SAMOVAR
C/ Bonaire, 14 – 971 711 540
Quaint little coffee shop – restaurant and chocolate store offering very reasonably priced lunch menus of Mediterranean dishes. Located just off Jaime III, is a perfect place to end a morning’s shopping trip.

SANTA CATALINA
The Bohemian hang-out of Palma. Santa Catalina is famous for its markets, restaurants and bars. The market is in the centre and all the streets that run off the square are full of unique shops, tiny dark bars and hiving restaurants. Plus the area has been recently done up and is a now one of the trendy areas of Palma. Don’t miss APTC Restaurant, Art Deco Discotheque or Fabrica 23 (as seen above).

THE CLASSROOM
C/an Danus, 4 – 1º,1ª- 971 725 420 – www.theclassroom.es
Partners Elena and Lloyd have decided to give learning languages a new approach. Having recently taken over a long time standing language academy, they are looking to teach languages in a less formal environment, adding their own personal touch to the classes.
 

UP ROCKING
Costa C’an Muntaner, 5 – 971 718 860
www.uprockin.net
Trendy, hip hop influenced, street style fashion can be found at this small shop just off Calle San Miguel. As well as designer names such as L’il Kaem, Flux and Hixsept. They also offer records, sprays and set up graffiti and music workshops, for children and adults.
 

VIA VERI
It’s hard to tell that leading off this little street you can find old palaces, but you can; take a look in at the Centro Cultural Contemporanéo de Pelaires which used to be one and is now home to contemporary artist’s exhibitions. Also shops to die for such as Escada and Janer Interiors.

WINEING
C/ Apuntadores, 24 – 971 214 011
A new concept in wine tasting; upon arrival you are given a credit card which you have to swipe to release a perfect temperature glass of the wine. All you have to decide is how much you want to spend on the next glass… Accompany the wine with a selection of carefully prepared tapas.

XISCO CAIMARI
C/ Protectora, 7 – 971 723 766
Probably one of Palma’s most famous fashion designers. Xisco Caimari’s shop is a reflection of some of the young talent Palma is producing. His designs have been on covers of edition such as Vogue and Elle and are very highly valued amongst Mallorcans.

Y3 by KLING
C/ Constitución, 3 – 971 723 436
Black is the colour that rules at this high end of the market, clothes shop just opposite Palma’s main post office. Just off the Borne, this place offers very trendy modern clothing, especially interesting if you are looking for an intellectual post modern look.

ZARA
If you love high street fashion, Zara is probably on your favourite’s list. Well worth checking out the Zara on the Borne, as it has the pleasure of being housed in one of Palma’s most architecturally appreciated buildings, it used to be Palma’s main cinema house before Zara moved in.

Photograph: Patxi Arostegui

Our breakfast on Palm Sunday was less extensive than usual as we wanted to visit the Puig de Pollença, a small mountain with a famous monastery, which divides Pollença from the sea. The journey on the busy motorway from Palma to the North, however, made us forget the hurried breakfast quickly. The North of Mallorca with the small town Pollença is simply marvellous. The scenery seems to be poetry, written by nature. That’s why everybody was there, leaving landmarks and sights for those to follow. The most ancient marks are from the Talaiots, who arrived here more than 3,000 years ago. The best known ones were left by the Romans in 123 and can be found on the outskirts of the small town which has 16,000 inhabitants today. The old Roman bridge – El Pont Romà – is crossing the Torrent de Sant Jordi which was built by the inventive Romans to provide the town with water.

Just before you come to Pollensa you passing the golf course with the beautiful greens and views to the sea, which we spare for another visit. But there, at the foot of the Puig de Pollença with the famous monastery, you will find the Finca Son Brull, which is always worth a visit. The convent dates back to the 18^th century and was carefully transformed into a luxury hotel, combining old and contemporary architecture in the most exciting manner. If you don’t want to stay for the night make sure you treat yourself to a gourmet meal, or opt for one of their praised cookery classes or simply listen to the fabulous live Jazz played here frequently.

Pollença has an eventful history. Following the destruction by the vandals the inhabitants fled inland. It was not until the 13^th century when the troops of King Jaume I. introduced the Christian world and the Catalan culture to the North of the island and gave the town its typical character with a lot of historic mainly ecclesiastic buildings.

The Puig Mountain is 330 meter high and should be defeatable within an hour, so we decide to park our car at the entrance of the town, where space is no problem and we are running no risk of getting lost in the maze of small alleyways. The centre of town is a comfortable 10 minutes walk. We are passing a few small streets and find ourselves in the hustle and bustle of the Plaza Mayor, which is dominated by the Parroquial church dating back to the 18^th century. The vegetable and fruit market on Sundays is a multicultural attraction. You can hear a cheerful mixture of English, Spanish, Mallorcan, German and French scraps of conversations. The fruit looks divine, in between are stalls with olives, Sobrasada and any kind of Mediterranean vegetables. For us the best way to follow the bargaining, the coming and going and the little chats between neighbours is on the terrace of the Café Espanyol, sipping a Café con Leche. Don’t miss a walk through the lanes to discover the artistic tradition and important sights of the town. If you like arts and crafts you will find yourself in paradise. You won’t find any knickknack made in China but precious pieces of craftsmanship. We especially liked the jewellery by Sergio. His sister sources the stones from Asia and his wife creates delicate bangles, creative sets and a lot more at very competitive prices. Over the last years Pollença has built up a fine reputation in the international art scene. It started in the sixties with the summer exhibition of fine arts, which has grown into the annual "Certamen Internacional d’Arts Plàstiques", celebrated each summer at the museum of Pollença. We can only recommend a visit!

After our coffee break we continue on our way to the Monti-sion, the former monastery and college, which guides us to the 365 steps leading to the El Calvari. The straight flight of stairs ends at the church from the 18^th century. It is framed by cypresses and here and there you get a glimpse of small gardens and charming houses. The stairs are more exhausting than we had thought and we forget counting. The pair in front of us mumbles 153. There is still more than half the way to go! At this time of the day, we are one of many to climb the steps. But try this for a romantic walk on a warm summer night and don’t forget a bottle of wine and some cheese for a midnight snack. The views are marvellous. There is Pollença at our feet and the Puig on the horizon. If somebody is looking for some light entertainment, we can highly recommend the u gallet. The small music bar is right at the opposite of the Monti-sion in an ancient village house. During the day cool drinks are served on the small cobbled square and in the evening locals and foreigners meet here to enjoy the charming location and to exchange the latest gossip. If you’re around try to be there for one of their live music nights and listen to some Jazz from local bands.

We are heading for the Puig. The way is easy to find. Simply turn into the narrow tarred road at km 52 (driving from Palma to Pollença). We are curious to see the cloister of the nuns. The way is getting steeper and the Puig de Maria looks like the link between land and sky. We are glad that the mighty holm oaks along the way provide some shade. We have left the last houses behind and are following the winding road to the Puig. The mountain has something mystical and each hairpin bend reveals breathtaking views over the peaceful town of Pollença, which seems to shrink in the distance. It is hard to imagine that there were ever less peaceful times. In the 14^th century for example, the black pest was raging, reaping most of the population away. This was when the Bishop ordered a chapel to be built on the Puig de Maria. Only twenty years later the history of the cloister began, when 3 nuns rested next to the chapel and had the epiphany of Maria. To protect the town from pirates a defence tower was built in the same century. A century later the church and the refectory were built. In the meantime we reached the old pilgrims way and are stunned by the panoramic views. The world seems to be at our feet, everything seems to be so far away. We are facing the impressive cloister, enjoying the tranquillity. If you wish, you could even stay here for a couple of nights. The cloister is the ideal setting for groups, with the possibility to prepare barbecues in the massive chimney, enjoy comfy dinners and completely unwind.

Tip: A summer night in Pollença
Visit the museum of Pollença, dine on the Plaza Mayor, climb the 365 steps to El Calvari and chill out with some live music at the u gallet.

By Dagmar Riefler / Photos: Patxi Arostegui

Where to Stay

Son Brull, Hotel & Spa
Crta. Palma-Pollença km 49,8
T: 971 535 353
www.sonbrull.com

Hotel Son Sant Jordi
Located in an ancient townhouse this hotel offers exquisitly furnished rooms, garden and pool.
Calle Sant Jordi, 29
Pollença
T: 971 530 389

Puig de Pollença
Basic comfort in the former cloister
T. 971 184 132

Posada de Lluc
Residence dating back to the 15th century in the old town of Pollenca
Calle Roser Vell, 11
Pollença
T. +34 971 535 220

Hotel Llenaire
Camí de Llenaire, km 3,8
Puerto de Pollença
T. 971 535 251

Fiestas

July/August: Festival de Pollença

2nd August: Saint’s day of Mare de de Déu dels Àngels, who is said to have helped the local hero Joan Mas to defeat the large army of Muslim corsairs in 1550 with a small troop of men from Pollença. The whole town participates in the historic battle against the pirates.

November: Art Fair

Market
Sunday until approx. 13:30 h: One of the best markets on the island

Museum
Museo de Pollença
T: 971 53 11 66
Opening hours: July-September Tue. to Sat. 10:00-13:00h and 17:30-20:30h, Sun 10-13h, in August until 24 h
Winter: Tue-Sun 11-13h

Shopping

Mallorcan Shoes
Expo-Piel (directly from the factory)
Carrer Temple, 5

Arts & Crafts, Furniture
Paco Mobles
T: 971 530 535

Glass, ceramics and decoration
Via Argentina, 19
T: 971 532 081

Enseňat

Family-run business with a 50 years tradition: local sausages, wine and other delicacies.
Calle Alcúdia, 5
T:971 533 618

Bodega Ca’n Vidalet
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel, Merlot, Syrah
Ctra. Alcúdia-Pollença, km 4,85
T: 971 531 719

Restaurants/Bars:

u gallet, café & bar
c/Jesús, 40
T: 971 534879

Balaixa
Mediterranean Cuisine
Ctra. Pollença – Pto. Pollença
T: 971 530 659

La Placera Bar & Restaurant
Mediterranean Cuisine
Calle Sant Jordi, 29 T. 971 530 389

Ca N’Olesa
Mallorcan Cuisine & Pizzas
Plaza Mayor 12
T. 971 532 908

Restaurante Cantonet
Italianalle Mont i Sion, 20
T. 971 530 429

Restaurante Clivia
Mediterranean Cuisine
Avenida Pollentia, 7
T. 971 533 635

Restaurante Lalba
International cuisine / Internationale Küche
Calle Torrent Can Botana, 3
T. 971 533 614

Restaurante Vora Mar
Market cuisine
Calle Mestre Paco, 33
T. 971 531 455

Restaurante Ecologico Trencadora
Creative Mediterranean cuisine, nice garden
Calle Ramon Llull, 7
T: 971 531 859

Bar/Restaurant EuCentro
Mallorcan Cuisine
Calle Temple, 3
T: 971 535 082

Café ca’n Moixet
Plaça Mayor, 2
T: 971 534214

Bistro Bar No.7
Bistro, Bar, Art Gallery
Calle Temple
T:971 530792

Text: Dagmar Riefler / Photos: Patxi Arostegui 

Bendinat residents benefit from their location in all manner of ways. Local estate agents are all in agreement that Bendinat sells itself thanks to its infrastructure."Living in Bendinat means being close to an excellent selection of facilities. Just 10 minutes away from Palma, in the sunniest part of the island where there’s an all-year round community enjoying great restaurants, beaches, good schools and top class properties", says Andrew Spence, Marketing Director of Sa Vinya, Property Development.

Others agree. Pierce Broderick, branch manager of the Portals Nous office of Engels & Völkers knows that Bendinat has everything a potential client would look for."You’re close enough to the airport and to Palma’s city centre. One of the island’s best golf courses is on your doorstep and in just five minutes you can be enjoying one of the most exclusive marinas in the Mediterranean – Puerto Portals."

Current statistics from local agent Nash Homes Mallorca show that the British are the predominant buyers however Bendinat has attracted a wide range of nationalities creating a cosmopolitan mix of residents from all over Europe. Many are using their property as a second home but more and more families are realising the advantages of living here all year round. Rumour has it that one recent buyer paid 6.000.000 Euros for a house on Bendinat’s exclusive front line. It would seem that these select properties rarely come up for sale. Pierce Broderick (Engels &Völkers) admits that it´s very difficult to confirm "rumours". "I believe I know the property in question and its location is the very best in Old Bendinat. ‘Old’ Bendinat is so exclusive as it consists of just 8-10 first line properties some of which are worth up to 12.000.000 Euros." Location, location, location…

Castel de Bendinat
The Castle was built in the 19th Century by the Marquis de la Romana (a Spanish General who famously defected from Napolean’s army). The construction is predominantly Medieval with neo-gothic and Central European influences. Today it is owned by one of Mallorca’s noble families and is sadly not open to the public. Some of the best views of the castle are enjoyed from Real Golf de Bendinat but even if you’re not a golfer you can walk within the course and see one of Calvià’s most spectacular landmarks for yourself.

Real Golf de Bendinat
The Royal Bendinat Golf complex started out as a 9-hole golf course. There are royal connections here – His Majesty Juan Carlos, King of Spain, is the club’s Honorary President. The course was extended to 18 holes in 1996 and a new driving range was built. Bendinat offers good golfing along pine-lined fairways and there are beautiful views across the Bay of Palma.

As parts of our review of the best places to live in Mallorca we feature Port d’Andratx, an exclusive corner of the island offering cosmopolitan lifestyle in what has remained a picturesque fishing village.

One advantage of living on Mallorca is the numerous ports and marinas that link the land to the crystal clear waters. Port d’Andratx, on Mallorca’s southwest coast is one location that, over the past 25 years, has welcomed a cosmopolitan invasion of locals and visitors, all of whom enjoy the smart boats, cool bars, boutique shopping and beautiful vistas of the harbour.Local real estate executive Heinrich von Goetz is busy selling properties to an international crowd of buyers and knows that the local environment simply sells itself. "It’s by far the nicest village in Mallorca. There’s the natural harbour, fantastic restaurants, a good selection of shops, excellent marina and nice people – a good mixture of locals and international people all living in the same village."

During the mid 80’s the port was the place to go, thanks to a certain Ms. Claudia Schiffer who was at the height of her supermodel stardom and could often be spotted at Tim’s Bar or eating dinner at Miramar (a favourite of King Juan Carlos). The steep hillsides that have always protected the port were yet to be developed but people were already buying property in the area, realising the potential of the surroundings.

Today the panoramas have changed, villas and apartments sit proudly on the hillsides and the sailing club has been joined by an excellent marina. The quayside offers a wide selection of bars, cafés and restaurants – most of which have several tables set close to the water. Tim’s Bar is still serving the beer chilled and if you like ice cream try Gelateria Capri. Those in the know come to the port during the summer months, spoiling themselves with a cocktail before dinner while enjoying the sunsets. Those who choose to stay longer certainly enjoy life at the water’s edge.
 

A Villa or a penthouse in Port d’Andratx

We had been thinking about buying a home in Mallorca for some time, but when we visit this lovely island we just want to relax and enjoy it. My wife Lenny and I are busy professionals with a family and the prospect of finding and briefing different agents put us off – we just couldn’t find the time to make it all happen. We solved our problem when we found SHORTCUTS Property Search Specialists through abc-mallorca, and they literally did everything for us.

They helped us crystallise our thoughts with their knowledge and experience of the island and we decided that Puerto Andratx was perfect for us. SHORTCUTS then selected the best agents in this area to work with them. We paid a fully refundable £500/€750 fee and they briefed the agents, produced a Portfolio of properties for us to consider ahead of our visit, organised and took us to all the viewings and gave an independent perspective on each property to help us choose the right one. It was so simple and stress free – they even picked us up at the airport.We had a difficult choice to make having seen some excellent properties, but we chose a new penthouse since ease of maintenance won the day for me, whilst Lenny fell in love with the quality and luxury spa facilities at this development. Finding our holiday home was made easy using a homefinder. We found our holiday dream home within three weeks of engaging SHORTCUTS and just two days of viewings. They shortcut the whole process for us and saved us precious time and money.

Jan Pratt of SHORTCUTS said: "We work for busy people who want to maximise their time on the island seeing properties. We do all their research while they are at home. When they buy we refund our fee, so finding a property costs clients no more than if they had done it all themselves."

SHORTCUTS
Mallorca Property Search Specialists
*C/ Can Comallongues, 7
Calvia
(971 67 06 67/651 98 41 63)
www.shortcutsmallorca.com