West Mallorca / The Slower Side

Born on the mainland, it was Joan Miró’s lifelong dream to live and work in Mallorca. His mother was from the island and as a child, he would often travel by ferry from Barcelona, where he lived, to visit his grandmother in Sóller.

Islands often have a mythical allure, isolated from the reset of the world by the ocean. For an artist like Miró, being able to isolate oneself from the outside world is essential. The dramatic landscape of the island, together with the soft warm light, helped him discover the visual images and symbols that would become characteristic of his work.

In 1929, he married Pilar Juncosa, a native of Mallorca. Together, they planned for a future on the island and in 1956, the dream could finally be realised. He lived here until his death in 1983. In the (at the time) small town of Son Abrines, in the Cala Major district just outside of central Palma.

Next to the place where he would build his home and atelier, he purchased a rural house, called Son Boter, which allowed him to have a cluster of studios. This is also where he created almost a third of all his works.

Mallorca and Mass-Tourism

Miró’s dream has since been shared by many. Growing up in Scandinavia, where winters are long and summers short, visiting Mallorca was almost a mandatory rite of passage. Many work for a few years as travel guides, and the Swedish royal princesses Birgitta has even become a permanent resident. 

In 1955, the first charter trip from Stockholm to Palma was arranged. The trip lasted 16 days and became the start of the democratisation of international travelling. For centuries, travelling for leisure had been an exclusive activity, reserved for the wealthy elite, but starting with this first charter flight, travelling became a pastime for more or less everyone to enjoy.

In the middle of the 20th century, consumer culture changed radically across the world. Fashionable clothes were now mass-produced and democratically priced. In Europe, vacation time had become regulated by law, and international travel now became achievable even for the working class.

In theory, this development was a sign of social progress: More people had access to the luxuries of the world and could enjoy what previously had been unattainable. In practice, the democratisation of fashion and travel was quickly destroying the world.

The climate was changing and previously unspoiled areas were now commercialised to accommodate the ever-increasing flow of tourists. Islands are particularly vulnerable to this kind of pressure, as water is generally scarce and the ecosystem easily altered.

Before the pandemic, Mallorca had for many become a symbol of everything that is problematic with mass-tourism. Between 1993 and 2018, the planes going to and from Palma airport emitted 93 million tonnes of CO₂.

Excluding the years during the Covid 19-pandemic, almost all airports in Spain saw a constant increase in number of passengers, reaching 275 million recorded travellers in 2019, an increase of 87 million passengers in just ten years. Due to environmental concerns, the Balearic Islands have decided to limit the number of cruise ships arriving in the port of Palma to three per day. 

The problem with mass-tourism is not only ecological but also social. Tourism is a lucrative industry that many are dependent on, but it also affects the quality of life for many locals negatively. Some restaurants and bars are only open during the tourist season between April and October, while local stores are replaced with souvenir shops.

The brief visits by tourists disrupt the everyday life of the locals, impacting how life is organised even long after the visitors have gone back home.

How to Solve the Problem?

Life is meant to be lived and to be enjoyed. To travel is to explore and to learn, to find oneself and become educated about the lives of others. Travelling also offers a respite from the monotony of the everyday. But it’s difficult to ignore its harmful effects on the environment and local culture.

It is a fact that travel (like fashion) can never be completely sustainable. An increasing number of tourists are becoming uncomfortable with the negative impact of their holidays. People want to know that their trip benefits the local community, they want to know that the money that they spend will go to local communities (rather than to multinational chains).

Also, many people are critical of the “McDonaldization” of the world, where everything looks and feels the same, regardless of where you actually are. Instead, people want to learn more about the locally specific, about what makes a place like Mallorca unique.

Where to Go

On Mallorca, there are many beautiful, small towns off the beaten track. The inlands of the islands are still to a large degree unexploited. In contrast to the town Alcudia and its surrounding area The west coast has kept its traditional scale of small houses, often clustered in quaint villages.

Voted one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, Fornalutx is far from sandy beaches and turquoise water, which could be the reason it has been able to keep its traditional charm and local cuisine, often made from organically sourced ingredients.

In the middle of the town is the small hotel Can Verdera, situated in an ancient building surrounded by tranquil gardens and decorated with art by mainly Mediterranean artists. Every Saturday before noon there is a local market in town. To visit Fornalutx is to catch a glimpse of old Mallorca in its most refined version.

Another place to visit is Deià. It has been a long favourite among artists and other creative minds since the 1950s. They are drawn here by the light and beautiful setting, which has awarded Deià World Heritage Status for the ways in which nature, culture, and local traditions merge. The local draining system (still in use today) was installed during Arab rule in the 8th century. This is also when the village was awarded its name, stemming from “ad daia”, meaning “hamlet”.

In 1887, the Austrian Archduke Lluis Salvador fell in love with the area and bought as much land around Deià and nearby Valldemossa as possible, to prevent the felling of trees and as a way to preserve the landscape. The local shop Es Forn offers fresh, local produce while the Michelin-starred Es Racó d’Es Teix is an option for those seeking fine dining. The town has several charming restaurants and is a nice, laid-back place to stay a few days or even a week.

Close to Deià is the town of Sóller, in a valley of orange groves (which is how the town became wealthy) and famous for its antique train, still transporting visitors between the town and the nearby coast.

Sóller is also home to the art museum Can Prunera and the Church of Saint Bartholomew, which can be seen from almost anywhere in the valley.

The original church was built in the 16th century. In 1904, Joan Rubió, a disciple of Antoni Gaudí, was invited to renovate the building, mixing the baroque elements and Gothic interior with an unusual, modernist façade. It is actually possible to walk between Sóller and Fornalutx, by following a series of pathways, passing through the hamlet of Binibassi.

Continuing north from Soller, Sa Calobra is one of the world’s most scenic roads. It is 13 kilometres long and ends where the road meets the sea. Built in 1932, designed by engineer Antonio Paretti, it winds around several mountain edges, a masterpiece of twists and turns.

To reduce the amount of excavation, the architect drew inspiration from a necktie to come up with how to create the loops in the road.

It was built manually, without any machines and was deliberately designed to avoid tunnels. Reaching the beach at the end of the road takes approximately 25 minutes, but the reward is the turquoise sea and stunning views of the cliffs.

Paretti also designed another, similarly breathtaking route on Mallorca; the road to the Cap de Formentor lighthouse. Driving on these roads after dark is an eerie experience, but worth it in order to catch the sunset from one of the best places on the island.

In the area surrounding Sa Calobra, in the massif Serra de Tramuntana, the mountains are the highest and the cliffs the steepest on all of Mallorca. There are two water reservoirs, of which Cúber is the most scenic.

Around this lake, it is possible to go for long walks along the water, while sheep roam freely in the bushes and among the trees.

Where to Stay

Can Feliu is an organic vineyard that also doubles as a hotel, complete with an outdoor swimming pool.

Santuari De Cura has few amenities, but a fascinating history and great location; it’s housed in a former monastery, perched on a mountain with an almost metaphysical atmosphere.

With a secluded location, on a hill above the Binibona Valley,Finca Ca'n Beneït offers its guests complete tranquillity.

Hotel Can Verdera sits at the foothills of the Serra Tramontana in the Soller valley, and offers a calm and peaceful place, to get away from the outside world.

Ca's Xorc Luxury Retreat & Restaurant is a historic Majorcan old farmhouse, turned into an agricultural, luxury hotel.

In the Serra de Tramuntana mountains lies Hotel Es Molí, a 17th century estate with a large, heated spring-water pool.

Hotel D´interior Ca Mado Paula is just a few steps from the beach, set in a stately 19th century mansion, and has a garden and terrace overlooking the bay of Banyalbufar.

Where to Eat and Drink

Restaurant Nama is known for its modern Southeast Asia-cuisine, served in one of the most beautiful villages of Mallorca. Two outside terraces. +34 971 63 61 02

Family-owned Es Racó d'es Teix has a terrace facing the Serra de Tramuntana and offers an intimate setting with a lovely view. +34 371 63 95 01

Mirabona Restaurant has an on-site organic orchard, their own botanic garden and vegetables picked daily. Only local ingredients of great quality are being used. Dishes prepared with herbs of the season. +34 871 81 18 71

“Architecture itself can become a sculpture.” 

In the outskirts of Palma, the Fundació Pilar I Joan Miró is a cultural centre based around Miró’s art studio, designed by architect Josep Lluis Sert in 1956. The purpose of the centre is to promote knowledge and to create social links, both at a local and international level, focusing on subjects associated with Joan Miró’s work.

Here, Miró could focus on his work without being disturbed, and the time he spent on the island was a period of incessant and disciplined working on paintings, sculptures and other creative forms of expression. The foundation consists of three separate buildings that together are considered one of Mallorca’s most important architectural oeuvres.

Most famous of the three is the Sert Studio, designed by Miró’s close friend, Josep Lluis Sert. It is joined by Son Boter, the 18th century house that was already present on an adjacent lot, as well as the Moneo Building which is the headquarters of the foundation, designed by Rafael Moneo. 

The Sert Studio was designed to fit with the terrain’s hillside terraces. It was created through dialogue between the architect and the artist, where Miró explained his professional needs and Sert translated this into his plans for the building.

An important demand from Miró was that work and storage areas were kept separate, so that he could keep his distance from any artworks that had already been completed. Sert also had to make sure that the space could contain large paintings, including entire murals, such as his Cincinnati mural.

The materials used were traditionally Mediterranean, such as stone and clay. Particular attention was given to colour, especially the south façade (facing the sea), where white concrete is contrasted with blue, red, yellow and terracotta woodwork. The building is not to be considered a case to fill with art. Instead, think of Sert’s stance, deliberately blurring the lines between design and art: “Architecture itself can become a sculpture.” 

Due to Franco’s dictatorship in Spain, Sert had been forced to seek exile in the US, and so he and Miró kept in touch through letters, which is also how they developed their plans for the construction on Mallorca.

If Sert Studio represented contemporary and novel ideas on how to construct buildings on Mallorca, Son Boter was based in the typical and traditional. It was bought three years after Sert Studio was completed, through the prize money that Miró was awarded by the Guggenheim International Award, given to him for the two murals that he created for the Paris UNESCO building. Son Boter was however not only another space for Miró to create, it also offered further distance and shelter from what he described as “bothersome neighbours”. 

Mallorcan Vineyards

Mallorca produces many excellent wines, but only two that are produced biodynamically. Herbicides and pesticides are banned.

The winery Mesquida Mora has been running for approximately fifteen years, taking over production with soil that was almost dead and without nutrients. Gradually, life has returned to this place and today they produce seven different wines.

The other biodynamic winery is Can Feliu has been in operation since 2010, using mainly locally sourced grapes. Initially, the founder Carlos Feliu ran a hotel, and the vines were more or less decorative elements, and the grapes sold as they were. One day he decided to start producing wine, and today Can Feliu offers the possibility for guests to stay the night in the middle of an active vineyard. Their “Binerbo” is made from 60 percent Cabernet and 40 percent Callet, while their Alé de Merlot is made from 100% Merlot grapes.