Magical Mallorca

This is my first travel-related post and it is about my favorite place in the world that I have found so far. I love to travel and explore new places - I've visited 80 different cities in 19 different countries. Unfortunately the majority of my travel is for business, not pleasure, but I still try to find time to explore when I can. It is a full-sensory experience that takes over your body as it experiences new sights, smells, tastes, and sounds.

I've spent a lot of time in Spain over the years, having visited in high school, lived there during a semester in college, and most recently was there for a business trip to Barcelona. I adore Spain and the Spanish culture. They have a saying there, "Americans live to work, Spaniards work to live," that is reflected throughout their society. What other culture has so fully embraced the idea of a 3 hour lunch break and mid afternoon nap everyday?

So, on to my favorite place: The tiny village of Deia in the mountains of Mallorca. I don't know why exactly, but I have never experienced such calm in any other location in the world. It is spectacular, set up in the mountains, with sweeping views of the Mediterranean below. It is a quaint, off the beaten path spot that has so much to offer. Just breathing the air there makes you feel better, as it is scented with jasmine and citrus from all of the orange and lemon trees that cover the landscape.

I stayed at the Hotel Es Moli (www.esmoli.com), an elegant, small, boutique hotel that had an amazing view of the town and sea. The hotel had a large pool that was actually filled with naturally running spring water that was the same water as the towns drinking supply. The feel of the water on your skin was incredible. The hotel also offered plenty of amazing gardens and terraces from which you could observe the view.

The center of Deia was just a short stroll from the hotel, with plenty of amazing tapas bars, a few small shops, and the Residencia Hotel - one of the most exclusive (and not to mention expensive) hotels in all of Europe. Folks like Sting, Tom Hanks, and Gwenyth Paltrow are regulars but unfortunately there were no stars spotted during my visit. The town is basically one long winding road that leads up to a 17th century chapel on the top of the hill. Wandering through the center of town, exploring the narrow cobblestone streets and alleyways, I felt like I was a character in a novel, or some Under the Tuscan Sun-like movie.

The food in Spain is amazing, and the town of Deia has so much to offer in this area as well. I had the meal of a lifetime at the hotel's restaurant the first evening there, and spent the second evening on the outdoor patio of the best tapas bar in town, nibbling acorn-fed serrano ham and sipping a lovely glass of Verdejo.

Deia is about as far from a tourist trap as possible, so it is still largely undiscovered by most. My hope is to return soon to spend as much time there as possible before others discover this magically place.