Portocristo, Balearic Islands, Spain
Hello dear travel enthusiasts. In my previous post I talked about our first day on the island of Majorca, Spain. In this post I would like to share what we did during the other two days we spent on the island. You can reach the island from Barcelona by ferry or plane. I chose to fly because of the 30 minute flight duration and affordable tickets. Airline tickets start from 10 euros one way and there are many flights to the island every day. We took a bus to the city of Palma de Mallorca. You can buy tickets from the machine at the stop or pay the driver directly in cash.
On the second day the first thing we did in the morning was have breakfast at the restaurant on the top floor of our hotel. The restaurant has a large window overlooking the city. The breakfast was excellent: platters with meat and cheese, fresh vegetables, fruits, red fish, omelets, pastries and more... You can even enjoy a glass of Cava with your breakfast. This was definitely the best part of the hotel.
There was a car rental office nearby where we had made a reservation in advance. We chose a small car for a one-day rental. Including full insurance, the price was quite reasonable at 64 euros for two people. We didn’t have to pay a deposit, we simply picked up the key.
Then we set off for our first stop: the Dragon Caves, located 65 km from Palma. The first place we arrived at was a very small and quiet town called Port de Cristo. In February, it was very empty and we easily found a parking spot. Our goal was to visit the caves, which are the main tourist attraction here. There are also entertainment options nearby, such as a Dino Park and a Safari Park for children. We bought our cave entrance tickets online to avoid the queues. Even in February, many people visit. The caves are magnificent and enormous. You can see incredible stalactites and stalagmites and, of course, an underground lake.
At the bottom there is a small concert hall where visitors can listen to classical music. Photography is prohibited during the concert and this rule is strictly enforced. The concert lasts about 10 minutes, after which everyone can cross the lake either by boat or on foot. Many people want to join the boat tour, but there is a waiting time. Since we were towards the back of the line, we had to wait about half an hour. However, if you are in the front rows, the wait will be shorter.
I really enjoyed the cave tour. The only downside is that if you want to take the boat tour, you may have to wait a bit. If you are in the front rows, the waiting time will be shorter. The only thing I didn’t like was that the souvenir prices here were a bit high.
Before completing our trip, we had a light lunch at a local café. The prices were quite reasonable. Then we headed to our second destination, the Formentor Lighthouse.
On our third day we took an old train to the town of Sóller. We bought the train ticket online and even while boarding, we could already see how crowded it was. Finding a seat in the full carriages was difficult. The best views are on the left side of the train, so I recommend sitting there. The train reaches Sóller in about an hour and makes a few stops along the way.
From Sóller, we took a tram to Port de Sóller. The tram ride takes about 20 minutes and passes through tourist areas. There are many cafés and restaurants in town. The tram even stops right at the beach. To enjoy the holiday atmosphere, we decided to have ice cream. The purple ice cream was overly sweet,maybe the lemon or orange flavors would have been better.
After that we spent some time in front of the modernist buildings in Alameda Square. We visited local tourist shops and bought various souvenirs. For dinner, we went to Nola Bar in Palma. The bill was around 69 euros but I didn’t like the food.
Our last day was spent walking around the city of Palma. The city's landmark, the magnificent Palma Cathedral, looks impressive both during the day and at night. There are horse-drawn carriages nearby, but since I am sensitive to animal rights, this activity didn’t interest me. While walking around the city, I recommend visiting Palma’s famous pearl museums and factories. You should also try ensaïmada, a delicious pastry found in bakeries that have been around since 1910.
There are many shopping options for visitors: local textiles, jewelry and other souvenirs. I especially recommend tasting Spanish sausages such as Botifarró and sobrasada. As our trip came to an end, I started to think that winter is a better time to explore the island. Beach tourism increases in the summer, while winter is less crowded.
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