Category: Spain

“Active Tourism” in Mallorca – A Spanish Cooking Course for Beginners –

One of the most memorable activities we did at our recent stay in Mallorca, was a cooking course, which got me thinking about the concept of “active tourism.”

Years ago, I watched a BBC travel show featuring a 25- to 30-year-old American exploring this idea. He was in a small Spanish village, diving into a river to inspect a stone bridge in need of renovation, actively engaging with the presenter and the task at hand. He got his hands dirty inspecting a dilapidated stone bridge; I laughed and wondered, did he really need to do that?

It was fascinating and also slightly embarrassing. He was just SO enthusiastic, acting as an amateur archaeologist / stone mason!

This concept of active tourism stuck with me; and to be honest, I’m not even sure if that’s the correct word(s) to use?

So last month, when my other half and I visited Mallorca, someone recommended a cooking course, inspired by a similar experience they’d had. We decided to give it a try and booked a course in downtown Palma, near some historic windmills (no longer in use).

It cost about £80, and it was well worth it. I expected we’d be the only ones there, but the course was fully booked! Our group of 10 to 12 shared one room, while another group of 12 was in a separate room. They ran the course twice a day, so around 40 people were learning authentic Mallorcan, Catalan, and Spanish cuisine daily. The expert chef leading the course had trained in London and was excellent.

There was even a “free bar” with wine, beer, and soft drinks—though I stuck to a beer and a couple of Diet Cokes. We prepared a five-course meal, including paella (with expert tips), Crema Catalana (similar to Crème Brûlée), a stock, and padrón peppers (the mild green ones, lightly salted and pan-fried). The ingredients were fresh, and the process felt surprisingly simple, though it clearly required skill.

The experience was engaging and hands-on, making it a highlight of the trip. We shared the course with a diverse group—Americans, Germans, and plenty of Brits. It was such a rewarding experience that I’d love to do it again, whether in Spain or another destination. Active tourism (or whatever it’s called), like this cooking course, seems to offer a unique way to connect with a place and its culture.

CB

Off to Mallorca again . . . Part 1

Palma, Mallorca – Harbour

Once again, we’re off to Mallorca. This vlog will likely be split into three parts. The first part covers the general activities we enjoyed—cafés, restaurants, hikes, and running.

  • Palma – Cafe Breakfast
  • Palma – Market – Superb!
  • Palma – More of the Market
  • Palma – Cheese at the Market
  • Palma – Bevvy!
  • Palma – Fruit & Veg
  • Palma – Meat
  • Palma – Street Sign
  • Palma – Cartoon

The second part focuses on why we actually went: to attend a tennis tournament, part of the ATP Tour. It’s a small ATP 250 event, the final grass-court tournament before Wimbledon.

The third part is about what I believe is called Active Tourism. We took part in a cooking course focused on Mallorcan and Spanish cuisine, which was fascinating.

  • Palma cafe for Breakfast
  • Palma Breakfast
  • Balcony at our hotel Breakfast
  • More of our buffet Breakfast
  • An ice cream Sunday in the 35 degree heat
  • Port Adriano morning Shandy
  • Late night Santa Ponsa pint
  • Vermut by the Bay – Beautiful

As usual, we did the typical things: visited restaurants and cafés, strolled around, and ate plenty of ice cream. Temperatures reached 37°C, but with humidity often at just 20–25%, it wasn’t too unbearable. Santa Ponsa is lovely—very calm and welcoming – and has a plethora of German and Spanish tourists.

  • Santa Ponsa beach Views
  • On the Santa Ponsa beach
  • Santa Ponsa at Night
  • Santa Ponsa on St John’s Night

Some areas are predominantly German-speaking, with fewer British tourists, which is nice. You can get by with Spanish, German, or English. Most locals are trilingual or even quadrilingual, as many also speak Catalan.

  • Port Adriano – Beach
  • Port Adriano – Directions
  • Port Adriano – Harbour
  • Port Adriano – Cafe’s
  • Port Adriano – Dry Dock
  • Port Adriano – Yacht
  • Port Adriano – Smaller Yacht!
  • Port Adriano – Eco Photo

One day, for some reason, we decided to jog 25 minutes to the neighbouring village, Port Adriano. It’s not a huge port, but it feels fairly new, with massive yachts docked there. However, it’s still too small for the truly mammoth yachts—you can practically smell the wealth! Interestingly, breakfast there cost about €11, while in Santa Ponsa, it was €12–15.

Without an influx of tourists, prices felt like standard Spanish rates, which was refreshing. We didn’t rent a car this time and relied entirely on public transport. We took a bus from the airport to Palma, then another to Santa Ponsa—a direct 65-minute ride that’s both convenient and affordable.

Speaking about tourists and Mallorca, please see here. Where it seems that another problem that Mallorcans face, has little to do with tourism. Once again, it’s a problem that many urban areas face, when far wealthier foreigners, put the local housing stock out of reach for the local, historical population. It’s also something that I’ve noticed, in the last 3 years, since I’ve been visiting this island regularly.

  • Peguera – Cheap Clothes
  • Peguera – Market
  • Peguera – Lidl!
  • Peguera – German Newspapers
  • Peguera – More of the Market
  • Peguera – !!!
  • Peguera – Lunch
  • Peguera – Lunch Cafe

One day, we took a bus to the nearby village of Peguera to visit its Tuesday market. It’s massive, stretching about a mile, with all the usual touristy offerings you’d expect in Spain—beach, shops, and so on. Peguera is nicknamed “Little Germany” because many locals and visitors speak German, which made communication easy.

Besides that, we did plenty of walking. Santa Ponsa, as always, was peaceful and felt to have more Spanish than tourists. There’s even a Scottish pub called The Jagged Thistle, which felt very unthreatening and added to the charm.

CB