Mallorca

Palma is the biggest city on the island and is most recognizable by the Santa María Cathedral. The adorable town is full of gothic architecture and colorful buildings. We stayed at a beautiful hotel, spending lots of time at the rooftop pool overlooking the marina. There are also bike paths throughout the city; we rented bikes one day and loved being able to see the city on wheels. 

We took an old wooden train from Palma to Sóller on a beautiful scenic ride through the mountains. Sóller is a historic town with mountains as the backdrop; the houses were all made from stone with green shutters. It was such a picturesque town! From there, we took an old wooden trolley to Port de Sóller. We hiked up along the coast and saw the most magnificent views. Afterward, we relaxed on the beach and swam in the cool water. 

The next day we went on a boat called Ona Brava. We sailed along the coast and stopped at so many coves. The water was bright blue and very refreshing. I swam, snorkeled, and paddle boarded until my heart's content. Our hosts were a father and daughter that have lived here their whole lives. They made us traditional tapas for lunch and ensured we had the time of our lives. Needless to say, it was a perfect day on the water. 

One of the things that I was really looking forward to doing was going to Formentor, the northern coast of Mallorca. I had booked a bus tour days in advance and called multiple times to confirm the reservation. After waiting an hour for the bus to pick us up, they told us they did not see our reservation and it was too late. We salvaged the day by renting a car instead. I loved being able to get behind the wheel again. We took a one-lane road with blind switchbacks and no guardrail up the mountain; I didn't even flinch - my mom, on the other hand, was holding on for dear life. We drove to the medieval town of Alcúdia. We also went to a hidden alcove beach of Coll Baix. The day ended up being even better than the bus tour!