Hello dear travel lovers. February 26th was my friend's birthday and we had planned a small trip to celebrate. I had thought of a special gift for my friend, who still had no idea where we were going. However, the night before, I accidentally revealed the surprise by mentioning the plane, so my friend realized we were heading to the airport. We got there by transfer.
Upon arriving at the airport, we took a bus and the transfer cost 7.25 euros. The price from the driver was the same as on the website, so we could buy tickets directly from him. Once inside the airport, the most exciting part began. My friend had to guess where we were flying to. There were so many options: Madrid, maybe even Florence. There was also a flight at eleven or twelve… Amsterdam was another possibility, but no, that wasn’t it. Nor was it Rome this time. Finally my friend figured it out: Palma de Mallorca. We were flying to Palma de Mallorca as a birthday gift. We had four days waiting for us there.
At the airport, we went to a restaurant and my friend started picking everything from the menu, thinking about what to treat the guest to. However, the guest count was just one and quite a picky one. Favorite foods? Cheeseburgers, ice cream and coffee.
When checking in for the flight, I chose the free seat selection option, so we got our seats without paying extra. We were assigned seats 25C and 25D, which were in the aisle. This meant there was an aisle between my friend and me. My seat was 25D and the one next to me remained completely empty, nobody came. In the end, I moved to the window seat, where I could watch the planes outside. Between us was an entirely empty seat and a row.
It took only 35 minutes to fly from Barcelona to Mallorca. Once we landed we headed for the exit and started looking for our bus. We needed the A1 bus to get to Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the island. Let me explain why I chose this destination. The answer is simple: the flight was very short and the ticket prices were quite attractive. If you book in advance, flights from Barcelona start at just 10 euros a fantastic price. My ticket was slightly more expensive, but not by much, around 15 euros per person on average. So, the cost was quite reasonable.
First the short flight duration was a big advantage. Also, I had seen an advertisement for something I really wanted to show my friend: the Dragon Caves. Apparently there was a huge lake inside. We wanted to explore the island, maybe rent a car or take public transport to visit nearby towns. This was a lively place, full of life. Since we live in a quiet area, we wanted to experience some crowd and excitement during our vacation. There was a taxi stand, but taxis in Spain are quite expensive. For example, getting to the airport from our home costs around 60 euros.
My friend noticed the Catalan flags on taxis and the signs in Catalan all over the airport. Everything was written in both Spanish and Catalan, showing clear traces of Catalan culture. Our bus was departing.
For lunch, we went to a restaurant called La Botana. I left a review on Google Maps. My friend and I rated the food 4 out of 5 because the oxtail was a bit too salty. However, the atmosphere and service were great. We paid €52 in total, which seemed normal. While eating, we researched why taxis had Catalan flags. We checked Google to see if Mallorca and the Balearic Islands were part of Catalonia. The answer was no, they weren’t. But the flag of the Balearic Islands looks very similar to the Catalan flag, with the same red and yellow stripes plus an additional blue stripe. This is because both Catalonia and the Balearic Islands were once part of the Kingdom of Aragon, sharing historical roots. So, we mistakenly thought Mallorca belonged to Catalonia. No, it doesn’t, but the local dialect spoken here is Majorcan (Mallorquí), a Catalan dialect. Spain has many languages. Besides Spanish, there are about seven other regional languages.
After lunch we headed to our hotel. When we arrived, we tried to check in immediately, but we were told “no”. Surprisingly, most hotels in Spain have check-in times at 3 pm, which is quite late. I got used to it, but at first, it felt strange, especially compared to countries where check-in is earlier. Spain doesn’t offer this luxury and hotel check-ins are usually quite late.
Our hotel room was amazing. Spacious and comfortable. The view wasn’t great. We could only see the neighboring building. But the best part? They had prepared a birthday surprise for my friend. A card and a cold bottle of cava were waiting in the room. The card was in English and said, Enjoy your stay. There was also a note about nature.
We also had a spa reservation, which was a complimentary service at the hotel. The room was well-equipped with a safe, a coffee machine and drinkable water. There were plenty of closets, along with towels, bathrobes and slippers. Everything was designed for comfort.
After the spa session, we decided to take a nap. Our very own Spanish siesta. We had woken up early and were a bit tired, so we agreed not to rush into exploring the city. Sightseeing when you’re exhausted isn’t enjoyable at all.
After our nap, we didn’t go out sightseeing. No, we didn’t take a tour. Instead, we went to another restaurant. This time, it was a special dinner I had reserved in advance because this was a celebration and we wanted something extraordinary. The restaurant was called Vandal.
This place offers a variety of dishes, including small plates, similar to tapas. For example, they had beautifully presented beef tartare. You could choose a drink to pair with each dish, both wine pairings and other alcoholic beverages were available. However, we decided to go for a bottle of wine, as it was more cost-effective and a safer choice. We knew exactly what we were drinking.
The food was fascinating. When the bill arrived, it was beautifully arranged like a little booklet. We had spent 118 euros,not cheap, but the experience was extraordinary. It felt like dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant. The presentations were stunning, they explained the dishes and we could really savor the flavors. The final dessert was ice cream-based and it was incredible.I had never tasted anything like it before.
I highly recommend Vandal if you ever visit Palma de Mallorca. But beware, it’s nearly impossible to get in without a reservation. We booked our table one and a half months in advance.
After eating and drinking plenty, we left satisfied and happy. It had been a long time since we had experienced such a place. It was an amazing experience. The price was reasonable, considering we tried such a variety of unique and interesting flavors. We ate a lot, I overate. The dessert was divine. Oh my god, I would sell my soul for that dessert.
Now, the plan was to take a walk along the coastline, to digest everything we had eaten. Because the next two days were going to be intense.
That’s all for today. Wishing everyone a great weekend. 🤗