Monastery of Miramar
This monastery is a bit of hidden gem. It can be found not so much down the long and winding road as the short and narrow road. My first thought as I entered the driveway was to hope that there was nothing coming the other way! Fortunately however, there is a separate entrance and exit – at least there was when I was there, and I sincerely hope that is still the case.
The Monastery of Miramar is situated just over 3 miles (5 km) from Valldemossa heading towards Deia. The monastery was established in 1276 by Mallorquin mystic, philosopher and religious thinker Ramon LLul, and it was subsequently purchased in 1872 by Archduke Louis Salvador of Austria. The remains of the monastery cloisters, the gardens, the house and above all the spectacular views of the rugged Tramuntana coastline make this very much worth a visit.
It’s not one that appears in most top ten lists of where to visit, and as a result tends not to be as busy as some of the better known attractions. Indeed when I visited in early May I virtually had the place to myself – one of those moments where you could actually hear the silence.
Photos: top – monastery cloisters with church in the background; middle – view north east towards Sa Foradada (with Son Marroig in the distance); bottom – ruins of the watchtower.
