MAGICAL MALLORCA!!: A Day Trip to...Valldemossa and Deia

Hola todo!!!

Yes, another adventure on 'Scoot'. Last time I went to Valldemossa, I turned left and followed the coastline. This time, I turned right to follow the coastline the other direction, through the town of Deia, then over to Soller (which I've blogged about before) and then back to Palma. A gorgeous day buzzing around on the curvy roads taking in the stunning land and seascapes.

1st Stop - VALLDEMOSSA

Senor Wiki says (about Valldemossa):

Valldemossa is a village and municipality on the island of Majorca. It is famous for one landmark: the Royal Charterhouse of Valldemossa, built at the beginning of the 14th century, when the mystic and philosopher Ramon Llull lived in this area of Majorca.

Since the 19th century Valldemossa has been promoted internationally as a place of outstanding beauty, largely as a result of the affection of distinguished traveller and cultural writer, the Austrian Archduke Ludwig Salvator.

Population: approx 2,000

One of the parking lots was being used as a market for the day, so I picked up a few goodies.

Tootling down the road I spotted a sign about a Monastery and Museum. I did a quick U-turn as one can do so easily on a motorbike, and headed down the drive. Wow, what a discovery!

The Monastery of Miramar was founded by King Jaume II in 1276 as a monastery and school of oriental languages. Between the walls lived the Franciscan monks who learned Arabic to go to evangelize North Africa. The Archduke Ludwig Salvadore of Austria (1847 - 1915) bought the property in 1872 after falling in love with the scenery of the western coast of Mallorca.

This is a tomb of a 26 yo man (of which the history I forget). The statues on top of it stood about 8 feet tall!

Check out the original flooring! Not something to walk around on in bare feet.

An old iron heating stove. Love the claw feet.

Everything was stone, stone, and stone. It could be toasty outside but once inside it was chilly.

The entire property is perched high above the Med Sea with endless views. Off to the left is a huge property owned by the ritzy Continental Hotel chain. On the lower side is a relic of an old observation tower.

A walking path guides you along the edge of the cliffs and around/under this huge boulder.

Looking off to the right. Yet another example of the amazing coastline.

Here's a couple of videos I shot while on the property.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 1ST VIDEO!!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 2nd VIDEO!!

The little chapel on the property, and looking inside.

I love gargoyles!!!!

Next Stop - DEIA

That's it lying up ahead. Looks like it's right out of New Mexico, no?

According to the interwebs: The small coastal village of Deià, on the northwest coast of Mallorca, is one of the prettiest villages on the island. Perched in a ravine at the foot of the Teix mountain, with views out to the Mediterranean below, Deià has long been a magnet for famous artists, writers and other creative people – most notably the writer Robert Graves. Much of the Deià’s appeal lies in its laid-back vibe and blissful surroundings, making a stay here highly conducive to rest and relaxation amidst some very impressive views of the blue sea and stunning mountains. Visitors tend to opt for pleasurable eating and drinking experiences, with some enjoyable walks or hikes, and trips to Deià ’s small but very pretty cove. The village contains small boutiques, galleries, shops, and plenty of places to eat and drink.. It’s worth taking time to stroll around, admiring the sympathetically restored old stone houses nestling in narrow alleys.

Population: Less than 1,000, but clearly full of wealthy residents.

I love, Love, LOVE the stone architecture in Spain! I cannot begin to tell you how common stone walls are here. They're EVERYWHERE!!! Many are constructed to create terracing of the land on a hillside in order to grow crop-trees such as olives, oranges, lemons, and almonds, others are used as retaining walls for homes and other structures, while others mark property lines. You'll find them out in the middle of NOWHERE and wonder WHO did this? WHY did they do it? Bored maybe?

This place just oozes charm. One of the things I noticed while tootling among the winding lanes and gazing at the gorgeous homes....no AC units!! I guess with all that stone, it keeps the homes cool in the summer!

Look at the top of that mound. Up there is the church and local graveyard where I'm headed next.