Day 2 had arrived with the sun beaming down on Majorca and the struggle to get out of bed was immense.
It wasn’t that i was exhausted to do anything or felt sleepy but it was more to do with me being too glued to my bed watching YouTube vids on my phone, draining my battery life before the day had even started and enjoying the 6+ pillows I had to comfort me.
Once I had cleared that hurdle I bathed, got dressed, whilst battling the sweat forcefully dripping on my forehead then made my way to a local cafe to grab some breakfast. Afterwards I set off to catch the bus for another action-packed day ahead of myself.
Attractions
Parc Sa Feixina
Before visiting the Es Baluard museum my bus en route into town dropped me off near Parc Sa Feixina so decided to pay it a little visit and get into the mood of taking photos.
Located on the edge of the night club and bar-heavy Santa Catalina district, the local park is home to a very tall and pointy monument in the middle terrace to pay tribute to the lives of the crew onboard the doomed Baleres ship during the Spanish civil war in the late 1930s. There are two other terraces that comprise Parc Sa Feixina, both helping give the park its character and contribute to the monument’s significance.
On the brighter side of things, the park’s even got you covered for childhood enjoyment with a mini playground with swings, slides and climbing frames. On the other side there’s also a carousel-style ride and a trampoline park.
Es Baluard (Modern Art Museum)
The main hub for modern-day artistry and culture in Palma is the Baluard museum of modern and contemporary art and was opened in 2004 by the King and Queen of Spain around that time.
The museum, nehind Parc Se Feixina, is renowned for being the place that is helping redefine and shape perception of culture and tourism in the island of Majorca, offering a wide range of galleries, exhbitions and studios to most art enthusiasts’ taste.
Some of the exhibitions were quite eerie, which I found annoying and reminded me of the contemporary art museum I visited in Naples, because that’s not my depiction of art and creative works. I’m sure there’s a reason and meaning behind those creepy displays but I think
On the terraces, some of which you need to access the museum before getting to them, are lovely, picturesque scenery of the coast of the city where the beaches, palm trees hills and yachts are. For a brief moment I thought I was teleported to Monaco with all the yachts and boats I was just seeing. There’s also a small restaurant and bar with seats under umbrelllas for shade at the back of the museum’s compound in case you want to cool off after a long day walking in the heat or maybe you’re just hungry after walking around the museum.
Plaza Mayor
Known to tival Plaza Espana for being the busiest and biggest shooping district in Palma, the rectangular-squared Plaza Mayor is shaped into what it is by its vibrant shops, cafes, restaurants and craft and food market stalls that you can go and grab a bite or drink in, therefore being the heart and lifeblood of the city itself.
The big, bright yellow and green buildings you see surrounding you as you step into the main shopping square were previously the formal offices of the Spanish Inquisition. These were established towards the tail end of the 15th century in response to the growing hosility towards the Muslims, Jews and other non-christians.
Careful not to lose yourself in the bustle though. I almost got lost twice being distracted by street performers and the shops whilst in this area as part of my walking tour.
Special recommendations to the Parque del Mar and Paseo Maritimo.
Rating out of 10: 7 out of 10
Food
Cafes i dolÇos A&M
I found this cafe near my Airbnb called Cafes i dolcos A&M and it’d be where I would have a small breakfast to start off each day.
It was here where I got the chance to try a well-known Majorcan breakfast option called Ensaimada. Ensaimada is a swirl, sweet pastry that has its origins in Latin America and the Phillpines and then saw its popularity make its way to Spain. Think of it as what crepes or crossiants is to Belgians ever though they originate from France.
The cafe did each one for €1. A SINGLE EURO. I’m not joking, and the portion sizes were quite sizeable as you can see in the picture below. Absolutely delicious, and they had WiFi to sweeten everything too (excuse the pun). The way they sprinkled the icing was very creative, maybe a bit too much as some of it fell on my backpack.
Would recommend without hesitation, wherever you stay in Palma, to look for a local cafe and try one. No regrets!
Rating out of 10: 8 out of 10
People Watch
Looking back, I had many positive interactions. Mainly because I went out to the bars on Friday and Saturday evenings to do some socialising and mingling as well as the walking tour. Surprisingly with people from different countries and backgrounds.
I was constantly moving from one person to another like a pinball. A lot of the conversations I had were outgoing and interesting, even though alcohol may have played a decent part on it but oh well you’ve got to live in the moment.
One English-speaking woman and man, both Palmerians, I met at the airport upon arrival at night stood out for me. Bless them! They were happy to show me how to get to my accommodation, without them I don’t know if I would’ve made it the way in which I did.
Also bless the four women who took me under their wing when they realised I was alone in one bar. The time with them was really good fun with them and took me back to flat socials during my Uni days.
I exchanged socials with some of the people to keep in touch so hopefully it all goes well on that front.
I did have my struggles when it came to asking locals about directions, food in cafes, bumped into the odd rude, impolite individual here and there. But in all fairness thats mainly down to language barriers and possibility of miscommunication. It’s normal for me now as a solo traveller to have to try and overcome a language barrier.
Rating out of 10: 7.5 out of 10.
Final Word
Personally this was more of a holiday for me to enjoy and be laid-back rather than the learning explorations you guys have come accustomed to with my trip reviews. Palma was a nice place for a break. The Ensaimada are a must if you ever go there. However if I was going back to Majorca I’d like to explore other regions (a la Menocar or Magaluf – funny how there’s a lot of Ms associated with Majorca). Public transport also needs to be made easier and more varied.
What do you think of the whole review? Are you going to Majorca or Spain any time soon? Let me know in the comments section below and would love feedback on my posts for the blog going forward. I’m also open to taking on guest posts or doing one myself.
You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest. Also take some time to share on socials or pin this on your Pinterest boards etc. Got some exciting content coming up so stay updated!
But for now – Adios 😉
Johnny | Johnny’s Traventures
