Fed up with the English winter in February, we simply bordered a 2h 40m flight from windy, cold and damp Manchester to warm, dry and sunny Palma de Mallorca.
Needless to say that this paraíso Balear makes for a great winter destination. Avoiding the strong summer heat, busy streets and high prices, there is something magical about the Winter there. Mallorca makes simply a great Winter travel destination.
Even in this part of the year, it’s still paradise for hikers and cyclists. One can also hire a motorcycle and disappear in the heights of Serra de Tramuntana like we did. A two hour journey from Palma to Far De Formentor, the lighthouse on the northernmost point of the island is offering some challenging ascents and spectacular views.
You also have to try mallorquín tapas dishes called Pica Pica. It’s made out of cuttlefish or sepia and it will give your tastebuds a good chilli burn. Another gastronomic pleasure that is simply unforgettable is taking a stroll through an orange grove and picking the oranges directly from the tree. The centre of mallorquín orange growing is Port de Sóller and in February the oranges are ripe. You can even smell them everywhere. As I said, un paraíso completo.
If you are more into culture, you will enjoy a peaceful strolling through the little town called Valldemossa. There you can find a monastery and museum. The very same rooms there, were occupied during the winter of 1838/39 by a classical music composer Frederic Chopin and a writer George Sand. You can see there the authentic piano that Chopin used to compose his preludes. The live 15 minute Chopin concert is a nice bonus too!
In any case, you can always spend a day at the beautiful beach. The sea is a bit colder in February (around 14 C°), but I can guarantee you it won’t be super crowded or full of sun loungers. In fact you will be alone there. And a moderate swimmer, like me, can easily swim in the sea for up to 10 minutes without a wetsuit.
So these are my personal picks from the Mallorca.