Citytrip at Palma, Mallorca

Julie

We woke up early. Finn always enjoys waking us up at sunrise. This time, it worked out well because we had planned to leave early to weigh anchor and sail to Palma. We quickly managed to unfurl the genoa, though the wind was quite gusty today. Around noon, we arrived in Palma. A marinero guided us to our spot in the Real Club Nàutico. Fortunately, the marina is much more affordable in the off-season. Checking in was smooth. For those unfamiliar with it: when checking into a marina, they usually ask for your boat’s documents (registration and insurance) and your ID. Outside of Europe, you also get a visit from customs, but within Europe, we’ve only occasionally experienced that while at anchor. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing laundry. We had a huge pile built up and were really looking forward to taking a hot shower afterward. Unfortunately, the water was cold, which was quite a disappointment. The next day was a practical day: more laundry, installing a new anchor chain and repairing the engine’s water pump. Our old anchor chain was rusty and kept jamming in the anchor locker, so it really needed replacing. The water pump’s seal was also leaking, so we took care of that as well. It was a productive day, and in the evening, we treated ourselves to a delicious Japanese meal at Buga Ramen. Friday was less eventful. We did some shopping and, in the evening, enjoyed a lovely walk through the narrow streets of beautiful Palma. On Saturday, we brought out the bikes and rode to a small Christmas market hosted by the Swedish church community. Afterward, we cycled further through the city, past the cathedral and through the center. In the evening, we went to see the Christmas lights’ opening ceremony, but it ended up being a bit underwhelming. It felt more like an overly drawn-out kids’ show. In the end, we decided to head back to the boat and save the actual lights for the next day. On Sunday, we took a bike ride to Castell de Bellver. This stunning castle, perched on a hill just outside the city center, was built in the 14th century by order of King Jaume II of Mallorca. It’s one of the few circular castles in Europe and has served as a royal residence, a prison and a military depot over the centuries. Today, it’s a museum where you can learn more about the history of Palma and Mallorca. The views from the hill over the city and bay are breathtaking. On Sundays, entry is free, which made it even better. In the evening, we went back to see the Christmas lights and this time we truly enjoyed the thousands of twinkling lights spread all over the city. On departure day, we squeezed in one last load of laundry, took out the trash and got some fuel for the dinghy. And to our great relief, we finally had hot showers! It may seem like a small thing, but it felt amazing to have a proper warm shower before setting off again.

Boat & Crew

El Burro

Swallow Craft Design Group, Swift 33

Gregory Ramis Ferriol

Owner

Finn

Pet, Male

Nelly

Pet, Female

Julie

Owner