majorca

23 September 2017

Travel Playa de Alcudia, Majorca, Spain
Left to Right - Top Row: Our Hotel, Middle Row: Breakfast & Dinner I created from buffet in Hotel & Playa de Alcudia beach , Bottom Row: Puerto Alcudia & Old Town Alcudia

I've been a little under the weather this week, I return from a restful week in Majorca to find myself taken down by a cold. It totally sucks and I can't seem to get rid of it. Anyway this article isn't about my germs instead I wanted to talk about our recent holiday as I enjoy documenting our travels.

My husband and I are usually independent travellers in the sense that we arrange everything ourselves but this time around we were both feeling worn out from life and took the easy option. We booked 7 nights at the Hotel Delfin Azul through Thomson. Package holidays are a means to an end. I enjoy the laziness of hotel pick ups and drop off, a full suitcase is a perk rather than an extra charge but the resort reps with their chipper attitudes just grate on me. Sorry but I don't want to go to the Waterpark or Pirate Shows! We ignore this element of the holiday package and prefer a little more independence once we reach our destination.

I can't fault our hotel. It was clean, modern and a comfortable room. The entertainment was not to our taste and the pool view room had its disadvantages being situated above the loud music. Yes I am an old fart, late nights are not my thing but we got on with it and accepted we could make up lost sleep with afternoon naps on the sunbed. We were half board which was a bit of a gamble considering my dietary needs. On the whole I managed fairly well as it was a buffet style set up. Food wasn't labelled for allergies so you needed to advise staff so that someone could explain what options were suitable. I admit I never bothered, being a non meat eater most hot foods were ruled out anyway. I ate a lot of salad and chips but topped this up with some treats from Lidl (5 mins away where I found soya yoghurts & fake Oreos). I did spot a corner of the restaurant (away from all other food) dedicated to gluten free staples like bread and biscuits. For breakfast I was impressed that every day I had the choice of soya, rice and oat milk. There was a lack of cereal options but since I don't drink fruit juices (it's an OAS thing!) I enjoyed a glass of plant milk each morning. 

Playa de Alcudia is a large resort with miles of beach. I was slightly disappointed that Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut were all within easy reach simply because I wanted Spanish foods, you can't beat good tapas but it wasn't obvious where we'd get some. We ended up getting away from the area by exploring on foot or using a local bus. From our hotel it was about a half hour walk to the original old town of Alcudia which had a lovely authentic feel but a little tourist driven. On Tuesdays and Sundays there is a huge market which we had a wander around but if you don't enjoy crowds you'd be best to avoid the area. As you'd expect there were lots of little shops and cafes so you can easily sit down and people watch. I love patatas bravas but we got ripped off in one place as it wasn't authentic, we were served potato and ketchup which was disappointing. 
Travel Playa de Alcudia, Majorca, Spain
Puerto Pollensa, Majorca

We caught the local bus to Puerto Pollensa which turned out to be a stunning area of natural beauty with a laid back and quiet way of life. There were few large hotels and we got the impression many places were private apartment rentals. We enjoyed strolling around the bay and then sat down for lunch and ice cream (sorbet for me). Only downside was it lacked a good beach, there were small patches of sand but a lovely marina.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't always kind to us and we had several large rain storms during our stay. It was a little tricky to get out and about however come the afternoon the sun came out. One lunchtime we sat down outside a restaurant, ordered food and the heavens opened. Sheltering under the awnings and eating soggy sandwiches wasn't ideal but we laughed about it. We failed at being British, no umbrellas or rain coats, flip flops and short for us.

Reading this back to myself it possibly sounds a little negative but we did have a nice time. I was feeling relaxed and I enjoyed not having a schedule. I read three books on my Kindle which is totally unheard of for me. Our one regret was leaving our driving licenses at home because in hindsight hiring a car might have been a good option for exploring. If I recall correctly this is my third time to Majorca having visited Sa Coma as a child with my family and returning as an adult. I think that childhood holiday might have been the first time I'd ever been on an airplane. Majorca (Mallorca) is a lovely island so don't be put off by the package holiday reputations. Just seek out the parts that are still authentic and away from the nightclubs and Burger King (who don't even serve a veggie burger how rude!).

Sarah x

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