Majorca
16th– 21st May 2027
Majorca has long been seen as a holiday destination, known for its beautiful beaches and delicious food, yet this small Mediterranean island has much more to offer. Artemisia is planning a trip to discover the fascinating history of Majorca – one of Moorish conquest and Christian kings, monasteries in the mountains and modernist masterpieces in its towns. On the trip we will visit gardens shaped by Moorish water systems, admire Gothic cathedrals and Art Nouveau houses, browse lively markets and old town squares, hear a piano recital in a mountain monastery, see Miró’s studio and contemporary galleries, and wander through the villages of Valldemossa and Deià. May is a glorious time to be here.
We will stay in two lovely hotels in the best locations in Soller and Palma, they are the perfect base for an exploration of Majorcan history, art and food.
Itinerary
Sunday 16th May
We will land mid-afternoon and head to Soller. Once we have checked in, we will have an introductory walk around the old town. We will soak up the atmosphere in the Plaza de la Constitucion and the Baroque church of St Bartholomew, before getting the historic tram into the Port for a good dinner.
Monday 17th May
We will start the day at the beautiful Gardens of Alfabia – a place made up of a fascinating blend of Moorish water engineering and later Renaissance, Baroque, and 19th-century influences. We will have coffee in the Queen’s Garden (so named and designed according to the romantic tastes of Queen Isabel II of Spain) and walk to lunch at a restaurant nearby.
We will then wend our way up to Deia, one of the most charming towns on the island, to visit its 15th century church. A former defence tower, it has a beautiful cemetery with views of the surrounding mountains and sits close to the house of Robert Graves, where we will explore his home and read his works amongst the trees. Dinner will be at a traditional Majorcan restaurant in Soller.
Tuesday 18th May
We will travel to Valldemossa in the morning to visit the Carthusian Monastery. Here, we will get a special piano recital and a tour of the complex which dates back to 1309 and includes a frescoed church, an old pharmacy and an art collection of some of the best local artists.
After lunch we will travel back to Soller to see the fantastic Ca’n Prunera, a Catalan Art Nouveau house filled with modernist artworks. We will visit the Picasso and Miro Museum housed in Soller’s historic train station before dinner in the lively square.
Wednesday 19th May
We will have a slow morning before travelling into Palma. An hour train journey through the countryside of Majorca will take us into the city, this is an amazing way to see the surrounding mountains and agriculture while sitting comfortably in a century old wooden train. We will arrive into Palma in time for lunch and a walk around the old town, visiting the iconic Plaza Mayor as well as the nearby Basilica of Sant Francesco and the Llotja de Palma – the original meeting place for merchants in the 15th century and where all decisions about the island’s trade activities were made. Dinner at a fish restaurant on the water.
Thursday 20th May
We will wind our way slightly out of Palma’s old town to the Miro Foundation – a very special place where Joan Miró spent the last 30 years of his life and where a huge collection of his painting and sculpture is on show. After lunch, we will head to Es Baluard, a cutting-edge contemporary art museum showing some of the best works of today, as well as the Caixa Foundation at the Gran Hotel, and the Juan March Foundation. Dinner at our favourite spot in Palma.
Friday 21st May
For our last morning, we will make a visit to La Sue – the magnificent Cathedral of Palma. This Gothic structure is one of Europe’s tallest, built on the site of a mosque and involving over 60 stained glass windows which flood it with beautiful light. After this, we will make a quick stop at The Bartolomé March Servera Foundation. This has a superb collection of sculpture and extraordinary walls painted by muralist Josep Sert. We shall have our final lunch together before some free time for shopping and exploring Palma ahead of our journey to the airport.
Further Details
Tutors
The trip will be led by Celia Higson and Angelica Fenzi. Both are very experienced AHA tutors and Celia has been going to Majorca for the last 20 years, so knows the island very well indeed.
Hotels
In Soller we will stay at the 5-star Gran Hotel Soller, a lovely 19th century hotel in the centre of town. We have booked rooms with a balcony. In Palma we will stay at Posada Terra Santa, an elegant 16th century palace in the heart of Palma’s atmospheric historic quarter. It’s a peaceful refuge with a lovely rooftop pool and bar. We have booked Superior rooms, but if you would like to upgrade to a Preferential Room for £100 total extra per room, please let Charlie know as soon as possible as numbers are limited.
Flights
We do not book the flights thus allowing you to travel to suit your budget, use airmiles, travel between different airports or on different dates. We recommend the following flights with British Airways:
Sunday 16th May London Heathrow 12:25-15:55 Palma de Mallorca Airport BA494
Friday 21st May Palma de Mallorca Airport 17:50-19:30 London Heathrow BA495
Transport
We will travel in comfort in a private coach with air-conditioning. There will be airport transfers to meet the recommended flights. We will also take the train and local trams.
Ability
There is quite a bit of walking on this trip, as well as a few hills and uneven cobbles. As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Meals
Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks. Dinners are by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone. Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this. We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.
Cost
The fees are £2900 which includes accommodation and breakfast, all lunches, transfers for the recommended flight, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees, tuition, reading lists and local advice. The single occupancy supplement is £ 290 (double room for single use). See above for room upgrades.
To register
Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions and pay a deposit of £600 per person via bank transfer once you have received the confirmation email. Please note your place is not confirmed until we have received your deposit.
If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or call 01379 871800 (302)
NB you must buy your own flights.
