Mallorca island impressions

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Our set of Mallorca climbing programs here

Traditionally, Mallorca in winter has become a symbolic travel for me, without which the travelling season of the year would not have been complete. Summing up the results of the 2022 season, it would be sad to be left without the opportunity to talk about my trip to Majorca that I dreamed about during the mountain climbs of the summer and autumn. However, this did not happen - Mallorca 2022 took place and brought many positive emotions.

Winter rockclimbing in Mallorca is an ideal choice for true connoisseurs of the beauty of Nature

Three days ago, once again I said goodbye to the island. Moreover “thanks”. Because there is no other place like it in the world – for sure, all the destinations are different, no doubt, but Majorca is especially unique, if one can say so. By a combination of factors.

Sunrise at Formentor lighthouse view point is a traditional part of all my climbing programs in Mallorca

My visit to Mallorca in December 2022, I would not call so much sportive, most likely it was “recovery” or or just “active vacation”. We did rockclimbing quite a bit, mostly the easiest routes. This time there was no sport climbing at all. Well, okay. However, there were running along the seashore, gorgeous walks, beautiful excursions, new fantastic places and trails, unique landscapes – of all that it was an abundance.

Rockclimbing in one of the most beautiful and unusual climbing sectors of Mallorca - Cala Figuera

Against the general black informational background of this year, the island of Majorca verbally conveys a simple idea, which, alas, has become a crime in Russia - the “kingdom of crooked mirrors” ... – to make life better to yourself, one should not do bad things to the others.

Read, look photos, try to catch the most valuable thing that I want to share - the sun, the sea, the wind, the rocks, the space. Which are the integral parts of the one whole – the Freedom...

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It is hardly possible to convey in words the amazing atmosphere and palette of feelings that come to me with a leisurely calm communication with this place. This is the result of calming down of the attention, relaxing the bundle of the nerves – this is a special state when the feeling of crazy run of life disappears and you can quietly look around at the simplest and most beautiful things, not visible at the higher speed.

Calm and beautiful walk along the bay of Formentor - an amazing combination of tranquility and fantastic sea coast landscapes

Why Majorca looks so attractive to me? What is there? I will try to formulate. First, the quintessence of this island is its tranquility. It is clear that in the modern world this is the most valuable thing that a person immersed in the boiling oil of a “civilized” existence can look for. The rhythm of the life of the island is unusual for us. Life flows slowly. In this slowness, there is a special meaning, critically important for those who feel how the vanity eats up the priceless moments of their lives. On the island, it's not like that. Here one can savor the time, catch the "elusive moment" in the splash of waves stretched out in seconds, in the unique play of sunset colors. In the details that are so elusive on if you speed up your life.

Excursion into the depths of the foggy Middle Ages - the Fortress of Old Alcudia - small town that remembers all the historical events of Europe

In the island the people live a little bit in the past, without losing touch with it. The rapidly changing modern world, forgot about tiny towns of Majorca, where behind the shutters of old houses with flowers on the windows and naively decorated facades, there is an atmosphere of a distant past, ancient traditions preserved for centuries.

The most popular symbol of Mallorca is the windmill. Although it is not a mill at all, but I will tell you that story once we meet in Mallorca!

The smell of the time does not leave these houses, warmed by the fire of hearths and the care of many generations. The narrow streets are saturated with a light rustle - it is not clear whether it is the fallen leaves of the trees under your feet, or just the light rhythm of provincial life walking along the worn rocks of the paved road...

Walk to the monastery of Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Puig - located on the top of a cliff above the town of Pollensa

Meetings of neighbors, conversations from window to window across the narrow street, old people sitting at the doors of their houses, kindly and curiously looking at the passers-by...

In these few lines – there is an attempt to describe the whole world, immersed in the global calm, the world that is logical, correct and unique, but fragile as a morning dream. Moreover, there is sad nostalgia for what we have lost in our world...

Sunset view of the Sierra Tramontana mountain range in Mallorca

With all this, the world of the island is bright, diverse and fascinating. This world is not at all intrusive or vulgar - nothing catches your attention with aggressive baits here. Everything that can keep the focus of your attention – all that knows its price, does not rush into the eyes. It is like wine on St. Anthony's Night - free for everyone in any quantity. But no one walks around drunk.

Evening calmness of the Mediterranean sunset

At the same time, many features of Majorca are unique. Nature created this island for a quite and thoughtful contemplation, one might say so. Without fair colors and a booth. Everything here tends to gently lure and saturate with emotions that do not pass by quickly, but saturate the mind gently and delicately, making it possible to feel every detail...

The mystique of dawn at the mountain top - in Mallorca, these feelings are closer to the heart than anywhere else

Majorca is full of human history. Despite the outward calmness and tranquility, the island history has passed through all the main periods in the history of our civilization. This feature of Majorca cannot escape from the attentive observer. The island breathes out its history; this breath is palpable at any point.

Immersed in its own atmosphere, small town Sineu in Mallorca - it feels like as if the Middle Ages are still here

The history of the island is not smeared or distorted by the modern trends and shameless lies of the politicians - it is what it is, just facts and events - everyone can relate and understand them the way he wants.

Rome, Carthage, the Caliphate, the Reconquista, the drama of relatively recent events in the history of Europe... And also that was here before all - the foggy mystery of the talaiots - all this artefacts of passed time can be found on the surface, accessible for contemplation and touch, surprisingly tangible and strangely elusive.

The ruins of a Roman amphitheater near the Alcudia Fortress

Maybe the reason of that strange thing is because this small piece of land in the Mediterranean Sea, at the crossroads of our civilization, miraculously did not get into the cycle of modern progress, which passed nearby, but a little aside. Or maybe because of the fact, that the treasures of the island, none of them get into the trends of the modern greedy consumption.

This island is unique for its diverse atmosphere, which combines the amazing tranquility of life, clearly preserved historical charisma, deep, uniquely expressive landscapes.

Pollensa town is another witness of the two thousand year history of the island of Mallorca

The nature of the island is diverse, but at the same time very compact in its diversity. There is no need for long journeys or tiring approaches to experience completely different characters of the landscapes that change abruptly and unexpectedly. There is no need to make special efforts to feel the variety of impressions from the island. In the absence of special external brightness, any touch of the nature of Majorca opens up an unexpectedly wide range of perspectives that can be enjoyed almost endlessly.

Small wild field poppies bloom in Mallorca throughout all the winter

I have already described the bonfires and the burning of devils at St. Anthony’s night in a separate story... However, my memory does not let it go. This holiday has a very special meaning for me. It is completely dissolved in the atmosphere of Mallorca and is inseparable from it. A holiday apart from any form of profanity and formatting for modern, castrated ways of entertainment.

The celebration of the night of St. Anthony is an old carnival holiday, preserved only in small towns in the east of the Mallorca island

The night of St. Anthony is a miraculously preserved, real and living example of human openness, carelessness, the ability to rejoice and have fun sincerely, with an open heart. Such a holiday is possible only in the conditions and features of this amazing place, which I have just described.

That is small part of my impressions from the Mallorca island. Definitely, it is lively, calm and very positive place. Full of the bright, but not harsh or catchy expressiveness and charisma.

At the Formentor view point. You can look at the sea horizon for a long time, realizing that it is impossible to part with Mallorca for a long time

The author of the text and photos - Alex Trubachev

MCS EDIT 2023