Deia is a small idyllic village on the west coast of Mallorca, perched high up with stunning views down to the crystal clear seas. With a stunning backdrop of the ‘Sierra de Tramuntana’, the beautiful village is typically Mediterranean with green shuttered stone houses and narrow streets of pretty boutiques, art galleries, upmarket restaurants, cafes and Mallorquin tapas bars.
It has been welcoming artists, musicians and writers for years and has a bohemian vibe. Visitors flock to the village not only for the outstanding beauty and character but also to visit the grave and former house, now a museum, of Robert Graves who lived here in the nineteenth century when the artistic scene flourished and continues today.
The Moors, who named the area ‘Ad-Daya’ meaning ‘village’, created the terraced irrigation system that slows steep hillsides to be cultivated and today the olive groves still cover much of the hillside in and around the town.
Cala Deia is a beautiful sheltered pebble cove, a thirty minute steep walk downhill from the village (or a five minutes drive) where you will find a superb rustic seafood restaurant overlooking the sea. Fishermen still set out their boats at night so you can enjoy their haul.
The island of Mallorca is a walker’s paradise as there is a network of paths and ancient mule tracks across the Serra de Tramuntana, so close to Deia. The area is also popular with mountain bikers who can enjoy the dramatic and stunning mountain and sea-view scenery. Tennis courts can be hired in the village and there are various golf clubs on the island, the closest being Son Termens about 18km away.
If you hire a car you can discover the beautiful island of Mallorca, especially the north-west corner which is a world away from some of the more touristy resorts on the island. The pretty town of Soller is a dramatic 10km drive away, here you can enjoy the ambience with a glass of wine on the town square with the Sant Bartomeu church or find one of the many walking paths, such as those to the picturesque villages of Biniaraix and Fornalutx.
The beautiful city of Palma is yours to discover and what better way to travel there than via the 1912 wood panelled train that takes you through the orange and lemon groves for the 28km journey from Soller to Palma.