A MINI MALLORCA TRAVEL GUIDE

"Why are we going to Mallorca?”

That was the question my husband asked when I informed him of our itinerary. We flew to Spain to attend a wedding and decided to make a three-week vacation out of it. I did all the planning — booked our flights, hotels and train tickets that would take us to different towns and cities around the country. And the final stop: Mallorca.

To be honest, it’s not that easy to get to Mallorca (or Majorca). It’s the largest of the Balearic Islands on the Mediterranean Sea, off the eastern coast of the mainland, so you need to fly there (it’s also possible to take a ferry, which takes many hours, depending on which port you get on). But I thought, I’m already in Spain, I might as well do what I had been dreaming of since, well, since I watched the music videos of BTS member V.

Yes, I confess: that was the real reason I planned the Mallorca trip. As an ARMY (the name of the BTS fandom), I wanted to make the “pilgrimage” to the stunning locations featured in V’s music videos — specifically “Slow Dancing” and “Love Me Again” — from his first solo album Layover. After much research (thanks to YouTube, Twitter and Instagram), I narrowed our itinerary to three locations: Serra de Tramuntana, Portals Vells and Cuevas del Drach.

Getting around the island is possible by bus, train, or Uber/taxi, but locals suggested we rent a car, especially since the places I wanted to visit were on opposite sides of the island. Luckily, my husband loves to drive and, for him, this was the best part of the trip. Navigating the twisty roads wrapping around Serra de Tramuntana was exhilarating (not to mention, being surrounded by breathtaking hillside views). This magnificent mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site under the Cultural Landscape category, is a favorite among hikers and cyclists. Make it a point to take a detour to any of the quaint little towns along the way. We dropped by Valldemossa, a picturesque, Instagram-worthy village with stone streets and houses, charming cafés and lovely gardens (Chopin was one of its famous residents).

Portals Vells is a small rocky beach cove, located in the municipality of Calvià, which is on the southwestern part of the island. Having a car was a plus because the cove is quite remote and hidden from the main roads, and there’s a few minutes trek from the parking lot to this beautiful, otherworldly scenery — well worth the trip! Since we were there during low season, there weren’t too many people (but, take note, it’s open to nudists!).

Cuevas del Drach (drach means dragon in Spanish) is a top tourist attraction in Mallorca, so you won’t have trouble getting here. You can take public transportation or join a scheduled group tour. To enter the caves, you will need a ticket, which you can purchase onsite or online (slightly cheaper). If you are claustrophobic, this might not be for you — which is unfortunate because it is simply spectacular inside!

Filled with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, this completely natural (except for ramps, steps and railings) wonder is said to have one of the largest underground lakes in the world, which you will see at the end of the tour when you sit at a makeshift amphitheater and watch a mini classical-music concert, performed in slow-moving rowboats. The 1,200-meter walk through the caves lasts about an hour. It doesn’t matter if you are first, middle, or last in line — people walk at different speeds, so there’s plenty of time to stop and take photos/videos. It’s cool inside and the floor is damp, so dress accordingly. Cuevas del Drach is located in the seaside town of Porto Cristo, which is also worth a visit (Rafael Nadal was born in Mallorca and currently lives in Porto Cristo. He also established his tennis academy and museum nearby).

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Mallorca is a top international tourist destination, so peak season is the summer months. We traveled there in early November, so there were fewer visitors and weather was cooler.

Airline: We flew via Iberia Express out of Madrid-Barajas to Palma de Mallorca, the third busiest airport in Spain. The flight is approximately one hour.

Hotel: I booked our stay at Joan Miró Hotel because it included free access to the Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró a Mallorca, a museum dedicated to the iconic Spanish artist. Though born in Barcelona, he established his studio/workshop on this property till he died.

Car rental: We used Sixt, a popular car-rental service in Europe.