Travel: 48 hours in Northern Majorca
RUTH Brindle spends a weekend in Northern Majorca's sun-drenched natural beauty
Wednesday, 10am
Check in to the five-star Barcelo Formentor, the only hotel on this part of the Sierra de Tramantuna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (www.serradetramuntana.net). Sip a cocktail as the staff take care of your every need, (the hotel reopens on 17 April, rooms from £151, B&B, www.barceloformentor.com).
11am
Sign up for a masterclass with conductor Felipe Aguirre ahead of the open-air gala concert with renowned baritone Thomas Hampson. Artists including Kiri Te Kanawa and Lang Lang have performed here too. (www.formentorsunsetclassics.com).
1:30pm
Enjoy lunch at Las Palmeras restaurant, one of seven at the hotel, and the one closest to the pool.
3pm
Take a stroll through the bloom-filled manicured grounds to the large pool for a swim and relax where Agatha Christie, Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin and Sir Winston Churchill once holidayed. The Spanish royal family still favours its seclusion.
4pm
Play tennis, book a horse ride or hire a bike to explore the mountain paths, or just enjoy a spectacular walk.
7:30pm
Dinner at El Colomer restaurant – beef tartar with pea salad, mustard sorbet and Caviar de Riofrio, followed by lobster stew with crusty bread and saffron aioli, topped off with roasted pineapple tiramisú with pina colada sorbet. Drinks on the terrace under twinkling lights.
Thursday, 10am
Take a boat excursion around the bay where the mountains meet the sea to admire the beauty of the area.
1:30pm
Enjoy a light lunch at the beach restaurant Platja Mar before swimming in the sea, sunbathing or trying a watersport.
3pm
Enjoy a relaxing massage in a private cabana, a few steps from the sea.
7:15pm
Put on your glad rags and savour a glass of champagne before the Formentor Sunset Classic concert. A truly magical setting.
10pm
Conclude a special two days with a gala dinner to die for (concert and gala dinner, from £230).
• Jet2 (www.jet2.com) operates flights to Majorca from Edinburgh with fares starting from £108 return.