One of the most attractive sights of the island is undoubtedly this ancient village located in the heart of the Traumuntan Mountains. The renowned Carthusian monastery, old stone houses, imposing villas and tree-lined streets may tell you that there will be no shortage of visitors, and you may find yourself eating mediocre food at above-average prices for foreign tourists.

If you don't want to be fooled, visit the renowned bakery with its romantic seating in the inner garden of Ca'n Molinas - this bakery is in the centre of the old town and was founded in 1920 and won the prestigious local Ramon Llull award for its contribution to the industry in 2007. Queues often form here as it's a popular spot even among locals, but the wait is worth it in this case.

Tip: Be sure to try the almond cake or the coca de patata - a sweet potato doughnut.

Carthusian Monastery

The town's landmark is the Carthusian Monastery of Real Cartuja de Valldemossa, which was built in 1310 when it served as a royal residence. It was built by King James II for his son, who suffered from asthma and benefited from the mountain air. After the royal family abandoned it, it was taken over by the Carthusian order and greatly expanded, with monks serving here until 1835. Interestingly, no more than 13 monks were ever allowed to stay here at the same time.

After 1835, rental accommodation was offered (mostly for tourists from Palma) and in the winter of 1838/1839, perhaps the most famous visitor, the piano virtuoso Frederic Chopin, spent some time here with his equally famous girlfriend, the writer George Sand. He had hoped that the local air would help him with his tuberculosis problems, but when the locals learned after his departure that he was suffering from the disease, they burned all the things he could touch.

Chopin composed several pieces during his stay and completed his famous cycle of 24 preludes. His girlfriend wrote a book about their stay, Winter in Mallorca, in which she refers to the locals as thieves and barbarians.

Admission and opening hours

As part of the tour today you can see the old monastery pharmacy, the monastery church, several cells, the library and the royal palace with a hall where you can listen to a short piano concert, playing, of course, the works of Frederic Chopin. Guided tours with concerts are held from March onwards, and do not take place during the winter months.

It is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:30.
Basic admission costs EUR 9.5 per person, tickets can be purchased online at the official website: www.cartoixadevalldemossa.com.

Note that on each house you will find a ceramic tile with a picture of Santa Catalina Thomas and the inscription "Santa Catalina Thomas, pregau per nosaltres" (intercede for us). Santa Catalina Thomas was born here in 1531, beatified in 1792 and declared a saint by the Pope in 1930. During her lifetime, she wrote several holy letters describing her encounters with the saints, performed several miracles, and even predicted the exact date of her death.

You can visit her birthplace in the alley behind the church. You can buy a tile to take home as a souvenir. The locals believe it will bring good luck and protect their house. Every year on July 28, a celebration is held in her honour, the Fiesta de la Beata. The streets are lavishly decorated with colourful garlands and at 9.30pm a procession leaves her house, children in folk costumes sitting on small donkey-drawn carts singing songs and throwing sweets.

Accommodation

If you prefer to live in beautiful historic villages in a mountainous area without the hustle and bustle of beach tourism, then Valldemosa may be an option, plus it's close to both the sea and Palma, making it superbly accessible.

The lowest prices for apartments start at 92 eur, we could recommend for example the well rated and stylish holiday home Ca na Francina.

All accommodation Valldemosa

How to get there?

The village is just 20km north of Palma and is a 25-minute drive away. On the outskirts of the village you will find two large public car parks with a parking rate of 8 eur per day. You can also park for free on the streets, but in high season it's hard to find a free space.

You can easily get here by bus. There are direct services on line 203 from Palma and the nearby popular towns of Deia and Soller. The bus runs every hour and a ticket from Palma can be found at 2,70 eur, see the Transport chapter for more information on prices and ticket payment.