Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/679293
SPRING/SUMMER 2016 DREAMSCAPES 35 OPPOSITE TOP: The lovely village of Port Soller is situated in one of Mallorca's most beautiful horseshoe harbours. TOP: It's not difficult to find a beach that suits your taste on the island of Mallorca. CENTRE: Patios in Palma show off the majestic architecture found in the city. ABOVE: Learn how to make pan con tomate at the Belmond La Residencia. LEFT: The Cathedral of Santa Maria in Palma is one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe. ished "magic carpet" altar canopy. Artists have long been attracted to the mild climate of Mallorca. One of the most famous residents was Joan Miró who left a legacy behind him. At the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation, his studio remains intact with unfinished paintings resting on easels. There's also an impressive gallery of his works and the works of new artists. But Palma is, above all else, about luxury. Lunch at the Hotel Nixe Palace on the Mediterranean's edge is an affair straight out of a James Bond movie, complete with sparkling waters below and sparkling cava on the balcony. Later, when I strolled from the ultramodern OD Port Portals hotel located on the outskirts of the city, I came across one of the most expensive marinas on the island. There, I walked past row after row of yachts worth hundreds of thousands of euros on one side and stylish bars and restaurants on the other. COUNTRYSIDE PLEASURES Outside the city, life and pleasure seem simpler. We happened to visit the agricul- tural village of Petra the very day their famous son, Brother Juniper Serra, was can- onized by the pope. There was none of the glamour of Palma here, just a beautiful, serene village. Walking down its narrow cobblestoned streets, it's easy to get a sense of the time when Saint Serra lived in a narrow two-storey house before setting out to create the missions of California. Later, we visited the Caves of Arta, a vast cavern of stalagmites and stalactites. These enormous formations inspired Jules Verne, Picasso and Gaudi, an example of how nature influences art. At a nearby restaurant we enjoyed a country lunch of frito mal- lorquin—a combination of potatoes, peas, peppers and piglet chunks—and berenjenas rellenas—eggplant stuffed with meat. Whether simple or chic, dining in Mal- lorca is taken seriously from the platters of thinly sliced ham worth up to 200 euros per kilo and sobrassada—spiced sausage—to the spiral-shaped pastry known as ensaimada. Expect to eat five courses and gain weight. Perhaps one of the most delicious treats was the pan con tomate we sampled at a