Mallorca in autumn is a time of recollection, a time to go back to routine and order after the usual busy summer social agenda.
However, it is no less beautiful in autumn, the milder and still warm temperatures allow us to enjoy all the possibilities that “outdoor” life in Mallorca has to offer, even activities typical of summer such as enjoying days at the beach, sailing, hiking, and of course, cycling, are all perfect at this time of the year.
At the gastronomic level…
September is fishing season on our island for the “llampuga” (dorado / Coryphaena hippurus) that comes to the Mediterranean at the beginning of autumn. This blue beautiful fish is highly appreciated in our gastronomy, with typical local recipes that we can only enjoy this time of year.
Photo: @Santi Taura
Hiking in Mallorca…
Not all of them are eatable, some are actually very toxic.
Hikers will surely be crossed by on the trails by mushroom seekers who load their baskets with the extraordinary varieties of this season, mainly the Golden Stecker, (Hydnum albidum) that we call “Picornell”. Another very popular variety on the island is the chanterelle (Lactarius sanguifluus) which we call “slatsang”, the name comes from the fact that when splitting them, they are pink on the inside and even red, reminiscent of blood (sang in Catalan).
As for cycling in Mallorca, we have a wide range of routes to enjoy this time of year.
The Serra de Tramuntana is in its full splendor, offering us the different shades of flora and the intense blue of the sea and the highest concentration of olive trees of more than 75 years of the island.
Autumn is harvest time in Mallorca
Autumn is the time when the olives are harvested in Mallorca. Our island has its own variety of olives, the so-called Mallorquina olive, whose main characteristic is its slightly bitter taste and flesh that comes away easily from the stone. It is consumed as a table olive or to make oil, since it gives the oil softness, sweetness and ripe almond-like flavour.
The other two varieties authorized for oil production on the island are the Arbequina variety that gives the oil a green fruit flavour, while the Picual is more spicy and bitter. During this time, the island’s oil mills are in full production of olive oil. Visits can be arranged, so you can come and see the amazing process. Speak to me about my insider favourites like Aubercassa, an authentic Mallorcan farm that offers guided tours and olive oil tasting by appointment only and Caimari, one of the villages at the gateway to the Serra de Tramuntana, whose oil production runs from October to December with an excellent restaurant where you can try “pà amb oli”
To enjoy all the Mallorcan delicacies and more, there’s nothing better than to do it in one of the wonderful restaurants of the island. For autumn, I’d recommend the following.
El Olivo – its name could not be more appropriate. The well-known and award-winning Chef Guillermo Méndez delights us with Mallorcan produce taken to the maximum expression.
This restaurant, located in the Hotel Belmond La Residencia, has the most romantic terrace on the island.
In Caimari you must eat at Ca Na Toneta Restaurant, where the Solivellas sisters have opened up Mallorcan cuisine to the world, and where every year they welcome famous people like Michelle Obama and others. The restaurant is located in an old Mallorcan house, it offers a cosy atmosphere and an unbeatable service.
And to see an old oil mill located in one of the most spectacular places on the island, have a drink and a meal at not-to-be-missed Hotel Son Brull, in Pollensa. This old Jesuit monastery- turned style refuge has a well-preserved oil mill, once used by the resident monks in the 18th century.
Most of these places require an appointment and / or prior reservation, which we will be happy to organize for you as part of your itinerary.
