WASH July 2012 : Page 71
acres surrounded by aromatic fruit trees and a vegetable garden, is unlike a busy resort. As an A&K Villa (akvillas.com), it offers total privacy and over-the-top luxury reserved for a select crowd (at around $8,725 a week). There’s none of the typical noise from other guests and every whim is accommodated. Exhibit A: While enjoying our impromptu “happy hour,” the table on the terrace is set with a scrumptious, traditional Spanish meal—no pressure, it’s there when we’re ready. Not a bad way to close out a long day of travel. Afterwards, stuffed and sleepy, we siphon off to separate rooms to find cozy settings for the night. Early the next morning (I’m in Spain, so I’m up), I enjoy a spread of eggs, pastries and more jamón on the terrace before heading out for nearby Pollença. Again A&K delivers—this time with another pickup for a day-tour led by a local (a different native guide is assigned to our group every place we visit). Getting an insider’s POV on each specific town makes a world of difference, especially if self-navigating is not your thing. We meet our cheerful guide in Pollença’s quaint central square and she leads us to ancient-looking stone steps that climb into El Sueño, a traditional the sky. We ascend them to the Majorcan-style villa, sits on 6 acres outside the top of a mountain, burning off town of Artà. breakfast in the process, and take in a view of the entire city. Back on the ground, we hit local textile boutiques and a beauty shop called Think to stock up on products made of local honey and indigenous plants. Without exception, Majorcan food informs the unique culture of each city. As we walk the streets learning about Mallor (a secret dialect derived from Catalan that locals were forbidden to speak for decades) from our guide, she leads us into a small gourmet shop filled with heavenly aromas. Glass cases brim with native dishes such as ensalada rusa (peas and carrots with tuna and mayonnaise); tortilla Española , a potato and egg pie that looks like a cake; and timbet vejetal , which resembles French ratatouille. The best restaurants in Majorca don’t have celebrity chefs like those in the states, just creative locals who repurpose and pass on native Catalan cuisine. On our guide’s recommendation, we travel to nearby Alcúdia for a late lunch at Stay (stayrestaurant. com), a well-known seaside bistro packed with locals. After shared plates of charred squid, whole-head shrimp with garlic, melon and Serrano ham, we dive into fresh-caught fillets of local hake, seabream and John Dory, sampling and savoring one another’s dishes. In Spain—home of tapas —no plate is off limits (we take this seriously and have ourselves a time). Snaking back to El Sueño, our driver points out another A&K property (this one outside of Alcúdia), then brakes so we can stop and sneak a peek. Welcoming us to the home, called C’Awanui, meaning “all life starts and stops here” in New Zealand’s Kiwi language, are friendly and gracious owners who take us through the posh, modern estate to illustrate just how different a villa From top: C’Awanui villa in Pollença; view over Pollença; Cathedral of the Eucharist, the Sea, Light and Space in Palma took more than 300 years to build. experience can be. Boasting a contemporary aesthetic (and a lower sticker price of just $7,080 per week) compared to the more traditional confines of El Sueño, I mentally tag this place as a possible getaway spot for next year—in fact we all do the math. The days that follow find us lounging by the pool, sipping traditional sangria made by our genius in-home chef, snacking on pimiento bierzos (native grilled green peppers sprinkled with coarse sea salt) and sitting in village cafés enjoying San Miguels (native beer). My favorite day is spent driving to Valldemossa, a cliffside outpost resembling the Amalfi coast (only everything is tan, instead of white). Situated by the sea, near the villages of Deià and La Foradada, it’s no wonder that Robert Graves of I, Claudius fame chose to be buried here in a small cemetery overlooking the ocean. The view is stunning. Later we gather at Bens D’Avall restaurant (bensdavall.com), a nueva cocina balear that stares out over a cliff to the water. We relish fresh, clean cuisine, sip glass after glass of cava and laugh so boisterously we teeter on the brink of becoming loud, ugly Americans. No matter. Every once in a while you skip away and the stars align: You find a magical setting, warm air, incredible food and an engaging band of travelers with whom to share the journey. In Majorca, it is the best of everything. July/August 2012 | | 71
Publication List
Using a screen reader? Click Here