A cultural pause on Mallorca Back to News

Tucked into a valley above the sea sits the pretty town of Valldemossa, one of the cultural highlights of our walking holiday on the island of Mallorca. It has plenty of reasons to take a little time from the hiking schedule to spend in its winding streets and cool cloisters, and to follow the stories of the kings, monks and artists that have been drawn to this place.

The complex of buildings known as the Cartuja (or Cartoixa) de Valldemossa dates from 1309, when King Jaime II built a palace over the remains of a Moorish fortress as somewhere for his sickly son, Sancho, to recover. It was given over to Carthusian monks in 1399, who adapted and expanded the monastery, adding a new church in the 18th century, until they were forced out in 1835 and the buildings passed into private hands.

It’s easy to see why people from all over Europe found their way here over the following decades. The composer Frédéric Chopin and his partner George Sand and her children came for the sake of his health. Despite their stay lasting only a few months, the sound of his romantic piano works still resonates regularly through the halls, and you can visit the former monks’ cells where the family lived.

There’s also a collection of artworks to see, the old Carthusian pharmacy with remnants of ancient remedies, and original volumes of Die Balearen, written by Luis Salvador, son of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. You’ll come across Salvador elsewhere on the island, not least on the magnificent ridge-top path out of Valldemossa that he created. His writings described the culture, traditions and flora of his beloved Mallorca, a place that he made great efforts to protect.

After your walks on the ancient paths and visiting the pretty villages, Mallorca will surely hold a special place in your heart too!

Our walkers say:

“The walking was simply superb. The limestone mountains, the views to the sea, the cobbled paths and lovely olive groves.” (Andy and Dilys, UK)

“We LOVED this holiday! Probably our favourite On Foot holiday so far. The scenery is consistently fantastic, the villages are characterful and the accommodation is all very good.” (Tracy, UK)

More monasteries to visit on our walking routes: