To me, no other country has summer holidays written all over it than Spain. Having grown up in Germany, summer trips to Spain were annually kind of mandatory. Spain and summer belong together such as the refreshing ice in ice tea and sand on the beach – but there’s so much more to the country than just beaches, Ballerman and the certainty that every day will be filled with sun and heat.
Last year, I planned a different summer holiday than the usual one – a round trip to explore more of Spain’s culture, learn about its versatile nature and of course there was time for a little break on the beach with ice cream.
Travel Round 1: Mallorca - Island of Diversity
Away from the partying and retiring Germans in Palma, Mallorca positively surprised me with its diversity. Wherever you go, you can tell the island is wealthy and invests a lot in tourism. The streets are neat and modern, the villages still sleepy and untouched though very well connected with the infrastructure, there are hiking paths for you to get lost along the coast or simply the fact, that wherever you go in Mallorca may it be to the lush vegetation in the mountains or the crystal clear coves at the coast, you’ll always find an excellent restaurant serving local cuisine and fine dining experience.
I can highly recommend the beautiful Boutique Hotel & Restaurant Cas Xorc which is located right at the top of a mountain in between overgrown greenery and gardens. Built in typical historic Mallorcan style, the hotel is a popular wedding venue and I can totally see why. It was completely hidden away and there wasn't even a sign on the road.
At some point, there was a dusty little sideway, very narrow and hard to navigate around and difficult to manoeuvre by car. After a 20minute fine-tuning and inch by inch work up the winding path with the car, I made it. Olive trees and lush greenery awaited, lemon trees and rose gardens filled the air with a heavenly scent. In the shadows of olive trees, I enjoyed lovely views over the area and a light summer lunch. This is definitely an insider tip and was the highlight of my trip.