From Palma de Mallorca to Lisbon

Jo and I spent our final four Mallorcan days in Palma de Mallorca, the capital city and home to around half of the island’s population of 900,000.

In 2015 the UK Sunday Times named Palma de Mallorca the world’s best place to live – and I can sort of see why. It really is a beautiful city – bustling without being crowded, full of history and positioned right on the coast. The old town is definitely the place to head for and so it was here that Jo and I found a room in a hostel. One thing for sure – if you want to stay in old town Palma it’s expensive, hence our decision to opt for the economy option for our four nights.

The New Art Hostel is in a reasonably decent spot – just 15 minutes stroll from the main tourist action. At around $NZ 100 a night for a room (tiny) with ensuite it was less than half the cost of staying in a hotel nearer the city centre – and so we thought what the hell. I did have second thoughts when we saw the many photos of various hen and stag parties that had used the hostel as a base in the past. Luckily there were a few other old farts like us staying and so all was pretty quiet.

Palma is one of those places that you can quite happily wander around without actually going anywhere. On two of our mornings we took a dog-leg route to the old town by wandering down to the sea and along the promenade. Like everywhere in Mallorca there are oodles of cyclists – but on this route less of the lycra clad variety and more cruisers taking in the view, and thankfully in their own dedicated bike lane.

The Catedral Basillica de Santa Maria de Mallorca is simply spectacular, towering above the surrounding buildings on the Palma foreshore. Building began in 1229 but took until 1601 to complete – something to keep in mind next time I moan about roadworks. Like most other churches we have been to over here it was free to enter, albeit there was a brisk trade in candles which can be purchased and lit to remember loved ones. It was a majestic, light and overpoweringly peaceful place.

​From Palma it was an easy hop over to Lisbon. Two hours direct flight at around $NZ 75 each. European air travel is competitive and hence so affordable. Landing at Lisbon we jumped into an uber (the first place we have been where the local taxi drivers haven’t forced them out) and in half an hour plus $NZ 14 later we were outside our next place to stay. And wow . . . what a place.

Lost Lisbon Chiado stretches over one floor on a quiet street in the uber fashionable district of Chiado. It is more of a guest house than a hotel – run and managed by the owner who I suspect has turned his family home into a business. It’s just amazing with older style rooms combined with cutting edge interior design. Picture a tiger’s face painted on to the wall of a classic drawing room – or old-fashioned metal desk lamps melded together into a central chandelier. It all works, and we were sad we only had two days in this beautiful place. Breakfast was provided via a help-yourself buffet – a dangerous proposition if you have a penchant for over-eating . . .

While Lisbon is some 1,200 km from Palma de Mallorca, it’s like you could be walking through one city and mistaking it for the other. On our last visit to Lisbon we stayed in the older area of Alfama, full of tiny shops and restaurants with large ladies singing fados – traditional Portuguese music, usually melancholic and relating a sense of loss or hardship. Chiado, while only about 2km away, is more commercial with larger shops and a little more upbeat. I wandered into one place called the “Amazing Store” (well you couldn’t not) which sold ethically made stuff made mostly from wood. I bought a pair of headphones and could have stayed longer.

My other highly exciting excursion was to get my hair cut. My mate google suggested Figaros, a traditional men-only place specialising in classic cuts from the 1920s to 1950s. My request for a short back and sides was greeted less than enthusiastically and after a long conversation, most of which I followed, we agreed I would have something different. I sat back and just let it happen. I have to say the result looked exactly like every other cut I have ever had, but was delivered with much enthusiasm and panache. I was effusive in my feedback and everyone was very happy.

Our next stage involves meeting Danielle at Lisbon airport (fresh from the Philippines) and picking up our rental car for three weeks in Portugal – first destination Porto Covo and the start of the Fisherman’s Trail.