Western Mallorca - Mallorca - page 177

(Carrer de la Rectoria) The Casa Natal de Santa Catalina Thomàs, birthplace of St Cather-
ine Thomas, is tucked off to the side of the parish church, the Església de Sant Bar-
tomeu MAP GOOGLE MAP , at the east end of the town. It houses a simple chapel and a
facsimile of Pope Pius VI's declaration beatifying the saint in 1792; she was canonised in
1930. There are no fixed opening hours, but you'll rarely find the doors closed.
Miranda des Lledoners VIEWPOINT
MAP GOOGLE MAP
For an exquisite view taking in the terraces, orchards, gardens, cypresses, palms, the oc-
casional ochre house through the mountains and the distant plains leading to Palma, walk
down Carrer de Jovellanos to Miranda des Lledoners.
Costa Nord CULTURAL CENTRE
MAP GOOGLE MAP
( 971 61 24 25; www.costanord.es ; Avinguda de Palma 6; adult/child €6/free; 9am-5pm) The
brainchild of part-time Valldemossa resident and Hollywood actor Michael Douglas,
Costa Nord describes itself as a 'cultural centre' and begins well with a 15-minute por-
trayal of the history of Valldemossa, narrated by Douglas himself. The subsequent virtual
trip aboard Nixe , the 19th-century yacht of Austrian Archduke Luis Salvador, who
owned much of western Mallorca, will be of less interest to most.
WORTH A TRIP
AN ARCHDUKE'S ROMANTIC ABODES
Head northeast of Valldemosa on the spectacular coastal road that twists to Deià
and you will come across two of the most remarkable residences on the island,
both of which belonged to Habsburg Archduke Luis Salvador (1847-1915), a hope-
less romantic who found his idea of heaven right here.
The first is Miramar ( www.sonmarroig.com ; Carretera de Valldemossa-Deià; adult/child €4/free;
10am-6pm May-Oct, shorter hours rest of year) , a splendid sea-facing mansion, built on
the site of a 13th-century monastery, with atàfona(olive-oil press), cloister and
landscaped gardens to explore. The evangelist and patron saint of Catalan literat-
ure, Ramon Llull, founded the monastery, where he wrote many of his works and
trained brethren for the task of proselytising among the Muslims. Walk out the
back and enjoy the clifftop views.
Seven kilometres from Valldemossa is another of Salvador's residences, Son
Marroig ( www.sonmarroig.com ; Carretera de Valldemossa-Deià; adult/child €4/free; 10am-6pm
May-Oct, shorter hours rest of year) . It's a delightful, rambling mansion jammed with fur-