Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/679293
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2016 34 IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO VISIT ALL OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS, OFF SPAIN'S EAST COAST, THEN GO TO MALLORCA, THE GRANDE DAME, AS SOPHISTICATED AND POLISHED AS THE PEARLS IT MANUFACTURES, AND IBIZA, ITS WILD COUSIN, MOST PLAYFUL AND TOLERANT OF ALL. O ur visit began in the old town of Mallorca's capital, Palma, built upon layers of history dating back to Iron Age dwellers and Roman and Arab invaders. Strolling through narrow laneways, we peered through iron gates at "patios" built by homeowners to allow natural light into their homes and show off the majestic architecture of their dwellings. In the 18 th century, these patios were semi-private spaces important to the social life in the city. Today, they're still evi- dence of the wealth on this island. A CITY OF BEAUTY AND WEALTH High above Palma's harbour sits the Cathe- dral of Santa Maria, one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Built on the site of a former mosque, centuries of construc- tion began under King James I of Aragon in 1229 after he defeated the Arabs. Inside, we instantly understood why it's also called the Cathedral of Light. Morning sunlight poured through rose windows creating a rainbow effect on the floor, the columns and even the visitors walking down its aisles. Part of the cathedral's appeal is its connec- tion to the famous Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi. After earthquakes destroyed much of the cathedral, Gaudi was brought to Palma to restore the building. From 1904 to 1914, he tried out ideas that would later appear in his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona. Touches of his whimsy are every- where here in the garter-like iron light fixtures around the columns and the unfin- THE JEWELS OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS EDITORIAL AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEBI GOODWIN