Deya Mallorca Spain

Deya is a beautiful, old, quiet, stone village perched on steep slopes, surrounded by land cultivated on narrow terraces. An attractive church presides over the houses, which are connected by narrow lanes. It was the home of the poet Robert Graves and is still popular with artists and writers. It also has a small expatriate population and is a favourite of more mature Europeans, wanting the quiet life. Not much happens here and that’s the way they like it. The village’s few amenities are situated along a ¼-mile stretch of the main road running between Soller and Valldemossa.

Locality: Deya is situated halfway along the NW coast, 18½ mls N of Palma, 6¼ mls W of Soller and NE of Valldemossa. It is 23½ mls from the airport. It is positioned on a vast, natural amphitheatre in the mountainside and above the sea. Magnificent country of intense blues and greens, with mountain peaks looming behind.

Deya is popular for quiet, relaxation and appreciation of the scenery holidays. It tends to be popular with predominantly middle-aged couples, with many British and German visitors. Not suitable for those with walking difficulties, as slopes and steps are unavoidable. Children will be hopelessly bored.

Accommodation consists of two upmarket hotels and one or two pensions and a limited selection of privately owned villa’s. A small cove ½ mile downhill provides the main beach in the area. However, tiny but nevertheless appealing beaches can be found at Lluc Alcari and Son Marroig (2 and 3 mls respectively).
Shopping is limited to a couple of boutiques, some galleries for upmarket souvenirs and artists’ studios. One or two shops for basics.

Daytime activities include: museum, artists’ studios. Exhibition gallery in one hotel. By night everything is failry quiet, though hotels arrange the occasional diversion. There are a limited number of restaurants and bars, from tapas and pizza to a la carte in Deya.
Getting around is fairly easy with regular bus service along the Palma/Valldemossa/Deya/Soller/Puerto de Soller route. Car is practically essential to explore outlying areas.

Local excursions include: drive to Valldemosa, with its monastery (briefly home of Chopin); Soller (market on Saturday); Palma. Scenic mountain drive to Lluc Monastery.

Alaro Mallorca Spain

Alaro is a small village measuring about 1 sq ml, it has a castle on its outskirts and an attractive, solid stone church at its centre. The main square, half-filled with tables and chairs from the 2 cafes, serves as its focal point. Streets are narrow, resulting in a complicated one-way system.
Buildings consist mainly of 3-storey structures of local stone, with a few newer additions on the outskirts. The atmosphere is here is laid back and relaxed.

Locality:

Alaro is situated in NW Mallorca, 6 mls SE of the hamlet of Orient (15 mls NE of Palma and its international airport). Alaro is situated on gently sloping ground in the foothills of the pine-clad Tramuntana Mountains, surrounded by farmland and olive trees. A switchback road leads to the hamlet of Orient.
Popular with German and British couples, Alaro offers a taste of the real Spain.

Accommodation is limited to just a couple of hotels, options just outside Alaro consist of some private rental properties and converted manor houses although are well outside the village.

Typical of a small village, there isn’t a great deal in terms of shops and shopping, with a pharmacy, small supermarket, newsagent being about all that is available. The not to far town of Palma has a far wider choice of shops.

Daytime attractions are really limited to relaxing activities: drinking coffee or beer at the cafe/bars on the main square, walking and exploring the surrounding countryside..etc By night there are a handful of bar/cafes. Palma is the place to go for livelier entertainment as well as cultural activities. A daily bus service is available to Palma and some of the surrounding villages and provides the only real means of getting around. Taxi’s are limited and car hire is not available within the little village.

There are no organised excursions but making your own trips to Pollensa (with its Roman bridge and historical church), the seaside resort of Puerto de Pollensa and Valldemosa (mountain village with monastery where Chopin lived) will make interesting trips whilst in Alaro.