What better way to start a ten day September holiday in Mallorca than in Bar Lorien, Palma? 
 http://sauep.com/
This small and unpretentious bar is tucked away in a quiet street in the old town.  Pep provides a range of local and international beers, which make a welcome change to the ubiquitous, mass produced San Miguel and Cruzcampo. 

Catapulte, a strong craft beer brewed in Catalunya, was enjoyed by my better half and is available on draft.  


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My friend and I enjoyed Galilea, a flavoursome beer brewed locally in the Tramuntana mountains.   I am hoping that more and more microbreweries will appear in the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain.  

On our third visit we tried Domus, from Toledo and Tyris, a Valencian beer. The latter was gorgeous!

A good place for breakfast if you are staying near Placa España, is Cervecería 31 de Diciembre, situated in the calle of the same name.  We assume the street is so named to commemorate the fall of the the Moors to Jaime I de Aragón on 31.12. 1229.  
Paco provides a warm welcome, good coffee and fresh pastries including the local variation known as ensaïmada (on the left).

http://trescantpermallorca.com/restaurantes/cerveceria-31-de-diciembre/

It is still summer in the Balearic Islands in September.  How lovely to escape the early autumn chill and first fall of leaves.  Temperatures remained in the high 20s for the entire stay and not a drop of rain was seen. 

  

The Basilica de Sant Francesc, is a 13th century church and previous monastery.  It is typically Mallorcan,  a huge edifice of pale sandstone, untarnished by an industrial age and featuring  a delicately carved entrance and a rose window.

It has beautiful Gothic cloisters, the potential serenity of which were challenged by the sounds of children playing in a near by college.  Inside the church is the tomb of Ramon Llull (1235-1316), a Catalan celebrity who became a pious evangelist following a wild past and failed seduction attempt.  He was eventually stoned to death attempting to convert Muslims in Tunisia. 

Santanyí is a small town situated in the south east of Mallorca.  Although Northern European tourists and ex-pats have a presence in the town, it remains unspoilt and typically Mallorcan. 

The municipality has a variety of beaches popular for their scenic beauty. Cala Mondrago is a totally natural beach situated in a National Park with dunes and wetlands hosting many different bird species. Despite some cloud, a few waves and the sighting of one jellyfish, a good swim in warm water was enjoyed by all.

Central Palma features several examples of modernismo architecture.  Lluis Domenech i Montaner built the lavish Gran Hotel.  Today this is the home of the Fundacio La Caixa, which is free to enter and contains interesting exhibitions, a cafe bar and a video explaining the modernismo background of Palma.  

 Josep Cassayas built two exquisitely curvaceous twin apartment buildings on the Placa Mercat, just opposite the Gran Hotel.  See below.  

One of several Modernista shop fronts is shown above

The Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró is situated in the inner suburbs of Palma.  It is one of the few museums where visitors can see the artist’s creative surroundings and studios.  

 

In 1979, Joan Miró (1893 – 1983) and his wife, Pilar Juncosa, donated the Son Boter studios and another studio designed by J. L. Sert to the city of Palma. These buildings were the starting point for the creation of this foundation. Years later, in 1992, a new building by architect Rafael Moneo was added. All three buildings are surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, with sculptures by Miró that blend skilfully into the natural setting.  The formula is very successful, we were bowled over by the surroundings and loved the gallery and the artist's work.



A turtle popped up and said hello as we relaxed in the cafe.