In 2018 Savitri and I agreed that the place we most wanted to visit in Mallorca if we returned was Valldemossa. We had driven through it numerous times en route to/from where we stayed in Fornalutx and it seemed charming. Well today we finally got to stop and enjoy it!

Matt’s classic cork stance and our family celebration of Laurel!

Valldemossa is a mountain town, with houses sprawling across the steep hillsides of a valley, but a downtown area that’s fairly compact and accessible. The road connecting it to central Mallorca is modern and well-maintained, with the obligatory ton of roundabouts. There are lots of paid parking options along the streets as well.

It’s hard to tell the age of things, since it’s all stone and even the newest renovations are likely built on old foundations. It has that classic European cobblestone vibe though, although the roads and sidewalks are dominantly formed of stone slabs.

Streets are lined with doors with details and often colored plaques. Meanwhile above the whole town are towering cliffs. Lots of depth.

For lunch we dropped below the town into a beautiful green space and ate at Ca’n Uetam. I had the Pa amb oli Ca’n Uetam, which is essentially local pulled pork on local peasant bread with a drizzle of aioli. Delicious! Several others got the local burgers, which are yummy beef and distinctly different from American burger meat.

We’re not sure what was being celebrated, but it didn’t matter as the colors and energy were good, and the shade welcome.

One of Valldemossa’s claims to fame is that Chopin lived here or many years, composing piano pieces. He also had a ~ten year relationship with the writer Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil (better known as George Sand).

We wandered around the gardens..

We ate gelato in the Cave of Divine Lunacy

After a hot day of walking through town, we drove down the switchback-laden coast to the associated small port village of Port de Valldemossa to swim. It’s mostly locals, with naked little kids running around.

As the sun was setting we drove back to Lloseta, always stunning with the jagged mountains behind it.