Secret Palma – Santa Catalina

Mallorca. Palma de Mallorca. Santa Catalina!

Our favorite corner of Palma is where you’ll rub shoulders with local fishermen and crooked señoras. It’s a tiny district called Santa Catalina just west of the city center. Why do I like it so much?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardly any tourists - My Manfrotto and I are the only foreigners around

“Duke” – a restaurant owned and run by very cool surfers. Try their fresh tuna steaks and go to heaven! It’s located around the corner of C/Fabrica on C/Soler.

Duke is by far one of Palma's best places to hang out and enjoy great Asian inspired food

Santa Catalina has the best views of Palma and the cathedral!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Night life to die for!!

My favourites are “Idem” which is a lover’s paradise with plush, deep red velvety sofas, erotic art on the walls and dim lights (Calle Sant Magi 15) and “Exit Rock Bar” because it’s the kind of laid back place every city needs.

IDEM:

EXIT:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small town feel filled with locals carrying their beach towels under the arm on their way to the beach. Along their way they’re sure to bump into someone they know, so they sit down at one of the many bars in the area and have a drink instead. How very mañanaish!

In fact, Santa Catalina is so nice and different from the rest of Palma, that you may just consider staying the night! Check out these two apartments from i-escape.

So, as you may have gathered, we really like Mallorca… However, not all aspects. We jumped on a bus to Magaluf to find out what the hype was about, and this is what we discovered. MAGALUF… SHAGALUF… STAGALUF

 

P-p-p-pick up a POLKA DOT DRESS!

There’s no escaping the desire to shop, or at least window shop, when in Madrid.

Madrid is quite a shopper’s paradise once you break away from the Gran Via where all the chain stores are located. Even the souvenir stalls off the Plaza Mayor are far more interesting than another Zara or H&M…  Here are some of my favourite bits and bobs on offer:

They're kitsch and will look out of place once you bring them home. Yet, they're glam and gorgeous and I had to buy one!

Plaza Dos de Mayo is full of life and market stalls on a Saturday morning. Few tourists, great people behind the stalls and lots of charming watering holes within two steps.

The POLKA DOT DRESS is too tempting for these grand parents shopping for a Spanish souvenir for their grand daughter.

Even the Chinese corner shops are potential treasure groves. A feather boa for 2 euros!

Have a look at the "anticrisis" offer on the bottom left. "El Rastro" - the Sunday market is full of humor and true bargains.