The Lady magazine finds peace and stunning views in Mallorca
During the winter of 1838-39, the great romantic Polish composer Frederic Chopin and his lover, Aurore Dupin, Baronne Dudevant, the radical French writer more famously known as George Sand, came to stay on the island of Majorca. Hoping it would help improve the poor health of both her 15-year-old son Maurice and that of the sickly composer, they eventually settled in the not very comfortable monastery in the mountain town of Valldemossa.
I am spending only a few days on the island but, fortunately, have more luck with my accommodation at the splendid Villa Bonnix, near Alcudia, in the peaceful and unspoilt north-eastern region.
As the large iron gates to the secluded villa slide open, we are met by a vista of sweet-smelling lavender swaying in the breeze. A pebbled pathway leads to the house built in Mallorquin stone. All four bedrooms have their own terraces and outside there is an immaculate garden and a small swimming pool. But best of all is the view - the undulating peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. This tranquil haven seems perfect for a relaxed and rejuvenating break.
Most unusually, there is a handy chef who could be booked for the stay, or just for special occasions. Lovely Liverpudlian Jay’s easy charm is equalled only by his extraordinary talent in the kitchen. Once we have unpacked, he welcomes us with glasses of chilled Cava and canapés of fresh asparagus with hollandaise sauce and toasted pine nut cream-cheese wraps. This is a delicious introduction to our dinner – pan seared quail and cherry and orange salad, followed by lemon-roasted chicken or monkfish, wrapped in Serrano ham with chorizo sausage and crushed potatoes in a bed of saffron and white wine cream sauce. I am in food heaven, but still to come is a trio of lemon sorbet, cheesecake and brulee, then a selection of Majorcan cheeses all sourced by Jay at the local market.
Majorca may have been known for cheap package holidays and nightclubs in the past but, in fact, many parts of the Balleriacs are surprisingly untouched by mass tourism and still retain their natural charm and peace. Away from the major resorts, time has moved much more slowly and inland, the islands are generally quiet and undeveloped.
This gentler pace of life is felt during our trip to the local market outside the medieval walls of the delightful town of Alcudia. On offer are ceramics, handmade leather goods, a selection of objects d’art made from olive wood and a tantalising array of fresh fruit and vegetables. I hear a language that vaguely resembles by basic Spanish but is, in fact, Mallorquin, a dialect of Catalan Spanish. Fortunately, most of the islanders speak some English and, after a little good-humoured bartering, I come away with a set of stunning Majorcan cultured pearls.
The morning passes swiftly as we wander round the narrow streets of the small town, visiting the ornate 14th century church of St Jaume, the nearby Roman ruins and Museu Monografic, a small but information museum which displays objects from Roman times.
Soon, we decide to go to the mountain, where locals and tourists alike seek refuge from the blazing sun. There we lunch at a popular Majorcan restaurant, El Mirador de la Victoria, in the midst of dense pine trees and with lovely views of the Bay of Pollenca then drive across the Serra de Tramunana (“Mountains of the north winds)”) to the sanctuary at Lluc. A place of pilgrimage for over 800 years, it houses the statue of the Virgin of Lluc, patroness of the island. It is also home to the famed chorus of young boys and, more recently, girls known as the Blauets, because of the blue cassocks they wear. These youngsters can be heard singing mass most mornings.
On the way back to the villa we stop off at the Jose L Ferrer winery, the largest vineyard on the island in the wine-growing centre of Binisallem. Its past visitors have included writer and poet Robert Graves (who lived in Deya), the Hollywood actress Ava Gardner and the great opera-singer Maria Callas. What was good enough for a diva is certainly good enough for me, I decide, as I purchase a couple of bottles of the outstanding Crianza 2003.
Dinner that evening is in the beautiful, historic town of Pollenca. The undoubted pride of the town is the Via Crucis or “Way of the Cross” – 365 wide, cobbled steps which lead to the El Valvari chapel. Climbing slowly, we pass the Stations of the Cross, every Easter a large wooden crucifix is carried up the steps in a candle-lit procession. At the top we enjoy the magnificent view of Pollenca.
Next morning we are given a fabulous opportunity to try out our sailing skills. It is a beautiful day and we are in the safe hands of a friendly, relaxed British couple who escaped the madness of busy London life to set up their sailing school in the peaceful Port of Pollenca. Over the next couple of hours, we all have a change to act as skipper. We cross the bay without mishap and arrive at a stunning stretch of white-sanded beach where, like a mirage, a smiling Jay is waiting for us by a large picnic table laid out with a feast of seafood, salads and fresh fruits. Its so impressive that even the local police pass by to check it out. As we are now very close to the most northerly point of Majorca, the Formentor Peninsula, we decide to drive along this seven-and-a-half-mile (12km) stretch of beautiful views of the sea.
Flanked by steep cliffs which in some places are over 1,000 feet (305m) high, the narrow, winding road leads to a lighthouse from which, on a clear day you can see the island of Menorca. The rugged cliffs provide perfect nesting places for a variety of birds, including rock doves, swallows, martins and falcons.
Returning along the peninsula, we pass the luxurious Hotel Formentor, built by the Argentinian poet Adan Diehl in 1929, and one of the most elegant retreats on the island. Its fashionable clientele has included royalty and celebrities of all kinds, such as Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and, more recently, Placido Domingo and the Delai Lama.
For the star-seekers of today, Majorca is currently home to Michale Douglas and his beautiful wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, as well as supermodel Claudia Schiffer and the formula one racing driver Michael Schumacher. I certainly felt like a celebrity when I returned to the villa to discover not paparazzi, but two delightful girls, Kelly and Jemima, waiting to pamper me with beauty treatments by the pool After all, it has been such a long, hard day! I opted for a luxury pedicure – it was the perfect end to a blissful break on this diverse and beautiful island.
Rita Grudzien stayed in
Villa Bonnix
with Coastline
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