Valldemossa
A stone village in the Serra de Tramuntana where Chopin and George Sand spent a winter at the Carthusian monastery.
Valldemossa sits in a valley about 17 km north of Palma, at roughly 400 m above sea level. Stone houses, flagstone lanes and flower pots by the doorways make it the classic Mallorcan mountain village, and it forms an important part of the Serra de Tramuntana UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most famous landmark is the Royal Carthusian Monastery (Real Cartuja). In the winter of 1838–1839, Polish composer Chopin and French writer George Sand rented cells here to recover from illness. Chopin composed several of his Preludes during the stay, and Sand later wrote up the experience as Winter in Majorca. Visitors can tour the cell where Chopin stayed, which still holds the piano he used, as well as a 17th-century pharmacy, the church and the gardens. Admission is about 10 euros. The town is also the hometown of Saint Catalina Thomas, the only native Mallorcan saint, and many doorways display colorful tiles depicting scenes from her life. Don't miss the local potato sweet bread, coca de patata, served with hot chocolate. The coastal roads to nearby Miramar and Deià offer superb views. Getting there: TIB bus line 203 from Palma takes about 30 minutes. By car it takes about 25 minutes, with paid parking outside the town. In summer, tour groups crowd the town at midday, so arriving early in the morning is recommended.
Opening hours
All day; monastery about 09:30–17:30 (shorter in winter; often closed Sunday mornings)
Nearby sights
- Son Marroig & Sa Foradada
- Deià
- Jardins d'Alfàbia
- Sóller & Vintage Train
- Fornalutx
- Barranc de Biniaraix
- Mercat de l'Olivar
- Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art