It was a cold and stormy night and I was longing for a good dose of sun and vitamin D. Luckily an email changed the whole scenery. My family and I were invited to beautiful Mallorca courtesy of Agni Beach Villas –  and the best part… We had our own house with a private pool! Yes, this was certainly one of those moments, that I will remember for a long time! Happy times coming up!

All set and ready to go on a family holiday! We brought our lightweight Pop stroller from Silver Cross and a new super soft luxury nursing bag from Scandiborn

It takes about 2 1/2 hour from Heathrow Airport to Palma, so the flight was in no way a challenge with a baby. Another really great thing is, that Palma Airport is only 15 mins away from Palma city. We had decided to rent a car, as our villa was located in Pollensa up North

 

 

 – But before going to our gorgeous villa, we had decide to spend a night in Palma. We stayed at boutique Brondo Architect Hotel in the middle of Palma old town

 

 

 

Brondo is quirky and full of character. But best of all… It is close to key amenities and attractions, making it a perfect base from which to explore the city

 

 

What really stands out is the lovely bright dining room and tranquil, leafy, wood-decked courtyard on the first floor. Comfy sofas with brightly coloured cushions, parasols and wood tables and chairs – it truly is a lovely place to have a break from the bustle and heat of the city

 

 

 

 

I can highly recommend the breakfast buffet that offers plenty of choice…

 

 

 – and enjoying a cup of coffee in one of the super comfy sofas…. Lounging at its best!

 

 

 

There are 33 rooms at Brondo Architect Hotel. All rooms are named after famous international architects and individually designed with an eclectic mix of furniture, both retro and modern

 

 

 

Clara had a lot a fun doing peek-a-boo trough some of the windows to the bathroom. If you are a very private person, you might not enjoy a room like this… We found the whole mirror/window theme hilarious

 

 

 

My verdict? I loved the New Yorker styled theme of the room – but it was not child friendly. Luckily Clara had fun in her cot bed, as I simply did not dare to let her explore on her own – too many sharp edges! 

 

 

We didn’t have much time in Palma, so we decided to go for the most popular sights in the picturesque town. Here we are at the elegant avenue, Passeig del Born, which links to Avenida de Jaime III, and unites some of the most familiar and luxurious designer brands in the world

 

 

 

Romans, Moors and Christians have all left their mark in Palma…

 

 

 

La Seu Cathedral requires no introduction. The vast Gothic church sits next to the sea and the harbour and is one of the three largest in Europe. It is a must-see and a symbol of pride for the city and the island. Tip: We had the most amazing weather, but the sun can be pretty strong, so don’t forget to bring a hat or good sun protection cream

 

 

 – also don’t forget a good pair of biceps, when bringing a baby

 

 

In Palma things go up – and down!

 

 

Inside the Cathedral, you can admire a spectacular hanging chandelier created by Gaudí, which is beautifully reminiscent of a crown of thorns.

 

 

Clara was taking a little nap, while we were taking it all in

 

 

Amazing stained glass rosettes adorn the windows, forming a spectacle of multicoloured lights. The largest section of the stained glass window is the ‘Gothic Eye’, which is located above the main altar and has a diameter of almost 14m! Impressive, don’t you think? It truly is an amazing experience visiting the Cathedral!

 

 

 

This is not a view, that you see every day! Stunning!

 

 

Palma’s multicultural history is reflected in the variety of architecture on display in the city. Bonus-info: You will for sure notice the modernist architecture in Palma! This is all thanks to Gaudi’s influence when he was on the island to oversee restoration works to the cathedral

 

 

As mentioned earlier, we didn’t spend much time in Palma – and if you are only here for a short time, I recommend wandering around in the medieval streets to be immersed in history and culture. Alongside galleries and museums, you’ll find great shops and lovely restaurants

 

 

The Plaça Major is Palma’s main square. This rectangular space surrounded by traditional yellow buildings with green shutters has been the centre of the city life throughout the centuries. We were hoping to find a market here, but it was Sunday (wrong day!)

 

 

If you are a foodie like me, you will love visiting some of the traditional, gourmet food shops placed around in the old town

 

 

 

 

Tumbet, frit, rabbit cooked with onions, roast suckling pig, pa amb oli, almonds, olive oil, sobrasada and ensaïmadas (see photo above)  are some of the island’s most well-known dishes and food. I am personally a big fan of sobrasada, which is why we almost had to pay for too much weight at the airport!

 

 

 

There are SO many restaurants to choose from in Palma – some are more “touristy” than other… But you can hardly go wrong with tapas – and thats is what we had, before continuing our journey up north to our house in Pollensa, where we would stay for 6 nights

 

 

 

We left Palma super excited about spending the next 7 days in this gorgeous Agni villa with our very own swimming pool in Pollensa! Much more about this in the next blog post…

 

We were invited to Mallorca by Agni Beach Villas. All opinions are as always my own

Louise x