Exploring Mallorca’s Beautiful Villages | A weekend on Spain’s mountainous island

Exploring Mallorca’s Beautiful Villages | A weekend on Spain’s mountainous island

I am here on the beautiful Spanish island of mayorca known as the summer Hotpot to many Europeans I as an American only found out about it after curiously looking at a map and wondering hm what goes on here 6 days later I landed in Palma eager to begin my solo exploration of this Unforgettable destination [Music] with only a weekend to spare I decided to focus my travels on one specific area the UNESCO world heritage site encompassing the s De tramontana mountain range this 90 km stretch making up the northern part of the island features historic Villages nestled within wild and rugged natural landscapes with the distinct scent of citrus permeating the air stops for me included valdosa soer Porte soer de foral luch Palma and even a 7M hike along the infamous gr 221 Trail but first I have to share with you my accommodations because boy did I pick [Music] well surrounded by lemon trees orange trees and Lush Olive Groves this FAA hotel is a picture perfect Resort emerging from an ancient Farm dating back to to 1723 every corner of this estate had views worthy of a postcard and of course the late afternoon glow was an added bonus to my very first evening exploring the grounds from an entryway out of the movies to an inviting Reception Area decorated terrace and calming Courtyard I immediately relaxed into the zen-like Vibes of this adults only hotel and while it was a bit too cold for a dip I could easily imagine some hot summer days out by the pool scattered around the property are several houses now converted to hotel rooms originally used to care for the Orchards each room maintains its classic mycan flare and is honestly the most spacious accommodation I have ever had the opportunity to enjoy especially as a Solo Traveler [Music] working up an appetite I drove down the road to por soer for [Music] [Laughter] dinner for soer once an isolated fishing Village on the western coast of the island is a stunning Seaside Retreat offering sweeping views of the harbor a thriving prominade of storefronts and restaurants and an iconic framing of the Setting Sun [Music] shortly after arriving I was suckered into Noo-noo restaurant claiming to have the best Tapas on the island I had red tuna tartar mixed veggie guoa and barbecue pork rib stuffed bow buns and yes I’m aware nearly every restaurant claims to have an exceptional TOA service but this one did in fact deliver on its promise the trolley through town once used to transport oranges was a cute addition to the Ambiance and today brings visitors up to the Inland Village of soer which I had an opportunity to explore a few days [Music] later soer sits in the midst of the valley of oranges and became a wealthy Center due to proximity to these abundant Citrus Groves I found the village to be a fun place to explore with plenty of shops and restaurants to occupy nearly every type of [Music] traveler out of the four Mountain Villages I’ll be showing you in this video this lands itself in fourth place it struck a healthy balance between local life and tourism but I almost felt like it was a little too hip and happening I know sounds like a ridiculous remark but I tend to grab gravitate towards places that feel like they are a bit of a time capsule Untouched by the decades if that gives you any reference for my judging coming in third place was de a uniquely perched Village attracting the world’s rich and famous clientele views of the coastline are contrasted by the idilic honey colored houses and its tiered build lends drama to an otherwise preserved landscape thanks to controlled Urban expansion much of the character of De has remained the same over the years and if you look closely you’ll see just how important the nature is to local residents I parked right outside of town and walked up to the central point taking in all the sites along the way down below is a very quaint shopping area featuring a few storefronts restaurants and one very busy roadway more to come on this later but if you plan to drive around this part of the island I’d highly suggest you rent the smallest car possible the narrow and winding streets are no joke next up was valdosa securing the title of second place and if I’m being quite honest this Village would have been number one if not for the crowds only a 25-minute drive from Central Palma valdosa feels a complete world away with its carlish streets historic architecture and simple way of life knowing this was a popular spot to visit in general but an especially popular Cruise Excursion as well I made it a point to arrive in the village just after Sunrise so I could fully take in the detail and my guide was it Love at First [Music] Sight what I really enjoyed about my early morning stroll was listening to the village in its undisturbed state it was so quiet you could hear some clanking of pots and pans and homes and sleepy chatter within the walls but mostly The Echoes of birds fluttering above filled the air and signaled the start of a warm and sunny day and can we talk about the plant life around here I loved seeing the differences between the sundrenched Alleyways and those more accustomed to shade before long the very first signs of visitors began to emerge and soon it was evident the tour buses had arrived it made me sad to think about how quickly the local residents lose the Peace of their town on a daily basis but on the other hand I watched as they opened up their shops and were able to sustain what I assumed to be successful businesses thanks to the high visitor volume I decided to check out a few local shops and try some of the must eat Foods in the area first up was this pastry shop where I ordered their famous Koka de Pata or potato sweet bread the woman behind the counter convinced me into this and it was good nothing exceptional in my book but if you’re looking for pastries in general this is definitely a spot to pop [Music] by a few stores down I grabbed a slice of almond cake which is a traditional maycan dessert and this was absolutely delicious I’d highly recommend you get a slice if you’re here I also got a chicken empanada to go because well do I need a reason I’m actually glad I did though because by the time I made my way back to the car gridlock traffic was awaiting me and I needed something to snack on in the [Music] interim securing the number one spot in Ashley’s favorite Mountain Villages list is foral luch a small village perched high above soya with history dating back over 1,000 years foral luch is the epitome of traditional rustic charm and seems to somehow retain purely local Vibes while welcoming visitors with open arms there’s only a few shops and restaurants here which really helps to keep the tourism at Bay with that being said the locals I met were some of the friendliest on the island I arrived very early on my last full day in myca as a pit stop ahead of my hike seeking some fresh fruit and water for my Trek I found a tiny Market with all the goodies and then spent about 15 minutes exploring the town instantly captivated by the atmosphere I knew I wanted to come back and plan to return for dinner later that evening in the meantime I was due for an adventure and so ready to finally explore the scenic mountain range [Music] if you are a long-distance hiker you may have the gr 221 on your radar a 150 km or 93m Trail across the Sera de tramontana while the full hike intrigues many outdoor enthusiasts those with a more limited time on the island can pick up the trail at a number of different spots which is where you’ll find me this morning I chose to pursue the 7mi tussel vers Loop which took me about 5 hours with a 1900 FT elevation gain the trail begins between two significant reservoirs on the island and ascends the nearby mountain ridges as you navigate incredibly Rocky terrain if you plan to do this hike I definitely recommend walking in a counterclockwise Direction which helps you knock out some of the hardest parts earlier on you’ll be rewarded with increasingly beautiful views the whole way through while I found the trail to be very well marked there there was one section that seemed a bit unclear leading me down a steep Traverse before I realized something was off this is just a Boulder Field okay I’m going to check my app this doesn’t feel right that’s so I just came down thanks to the all trails app and having downloaded the offline map in advance I was able to figure out that I was indeed off Trail and needed to climb back up out of the boulders and towards the chain section that would help get me to the other side after a little course correction I was on my way besides the natural beauty of this hike I really enjoyed seeing ruins of years past there were abandoned roadways and tunnels old farms and decaying Bridges I couldn’t find any historical information about these sites but merely stumbling upon them gave me such an appreciation for the civilizations that once survived here in this tricky [Music] terrain almost halfway through the hike I arrived at a valley of olive Groves welcomed in by local goats and sheep this was such a peaceful spot I almost stopped here for a snack but something told me to push on and just a few minutes later I arrived at a proper rest stop the back half of the hike was equally as Scenic featuring many viewpoints a few River Crossings and a stroll beside a lengthy Aqueduct by the time I wrapped up I made my way back to the hotel for a quick rest and readed myself for dinner now earlier I mentioned a bit about driving around this island I will stand firm on recommending the smallest car possible and also wanted to add a few other tidbits especially in this mountainous region the roads are very narrow and windy they often have deep gutters on the side and very few spots to turn around if needed occasionally roads will hug a Cliff’s Edge or take you into the narrowest villages parking is a chore especially in the more popular towns and on top of all of this the biggest nuisance is definitely the cyclists now I love cyclists and think the sport is an incredible show of endurance however there were thousands taking over the roadways every single day of my trip in early May there was no event going on this was just people visiting the island wanting to cycle and there was just a lot of them so in addition to navigating the tricky roads I had to at all times be aware of people cycling in front of and behind me and nearly come to a stop around every hair pin turn to ensure their safety with all of these elements at play I have to say my Orca was an exhausting Driving Experience this video that you’re watching now is the only video I recorded and it happened to be my only normal Drive since many cyclists had already wrapped up for the day it was dinner time and I was on my way from the hotel back to foral luch [Music] excited to be back in town I allowed myself more time to explore all the intricacies of this quaint [Music] Village fornal luch began to take shape in the 13th century with the Catalan conquests wandering the streets visitors will notice an array of architectural Styles my favorite of which was the 17th century defense tower now the town hall like other Villages I visited you will find narrow residential corridors lined with plants and hidden gems around every corner I ate at a local beastro where I indulged in calamari and a jalapeno burger paired with a local beer known as Rosa Blanca I could not have asked for a better setting or more appropriate company and loved how attentive the staff was especially with providing blankets as the evening became chillier my last morning was spent in the capital city of Palma if you’re picking up on my Trends you you can bet I was out bright and early to experience it all before the crowds admittedly I only had about 2 hours to spare before my flight so consider this a very quick look at the Island’s most bustling city known for its robust nightlife and its proximity to some of Maya’s best beaches Palma is the absolute hub for tourism and is often the first destination for folks arriving by air or cruise ship there’s a main thoroughfare filled with high-end shops and souvenirs Galore but a few meters beyond that you’ll find Residential streets with a more low-key Vibe it would be unfair to compare Palma to the mountain Villages I just spent my last few days in but it was noticeably dirtier and more of just a busy Metropolis the only thing that really caught my interest was the cathedral an icon of the Palma Skyline the cathedral which began Construction in the 13th century is a stunning work of art both inside and out and I was lucky enough to grab a ticket for the first time slot of the day by the time I wrapped my tour the city was teaming with visitors eager to explore all that Palma had in store as for me I was heading home grateful for my weekend in the mountains and excited to have had my very first taste of Spain did any of these Villages catch your interest I’d be curious to know where you hope to visit until then thank you so much for watching

Join me in Spain on the beautiful island of Mallorca. With only 72 hours on the ground, I paid a visit to: Valldemossa, Sóller, Fornalutx, Deià, Port de Sóller, and Palma. I even squeezed in a 7-mile hike along the famous GR221 trail.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 – Introduction
1:15 – Hotel Finca Ca N’Ai
2:36 – Port de Sóller
3:43 – Sóller
4:40 – Deià
5:44 – Valldemossa
8:24 – Fornalutx (morning)
9:27 – Tossal Verds loop hike
12:23 – Driving around Mallorca
13:59 – Fornalutx
14:55 – Palma

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