On the north west coast of the Balearic island of Mallorca lies the small coastal village of Deia. You may have heard of Deia either for its ties with the literary legend Robert Graves (author of I, Claudius), its famous musical residents, the La Residencia hotel purchased by Richard Branson in the late 80’s or perhaps simply for it’s astonishing natural beauty – the pink hued Tramuntana mountains (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and its many rocky coves and inviting blue waters.
I was lucky enough to visit in July for a long weekend and invited to stay in an incredible six-bedroom villa called ‘Sa Quinta’ high up in the exclusive area of Ca L’Abat. Up there -possibly the closest I’ll get to heaven, the blue Mediterranean stretches out for miles around. The bells of the local church ring in the distance and the mountains covered in olive, lemon and orange trees fill the landscape. Not a human in sight, only donkeys and the occasional sheep rambling the terrain. I was in paradise.
During my short stay in Deia, what struck me most was how such a small seemingly unknown village offers so much. The food, art, scenery, history – it blew me away.
I’ll break it down for you. We dined out at Restaurant Nama, a new restaurant on the Deia block opened in spring of this year. The owner Namali – elegant and welcoming, much like the restaurant, was the perfect host. She carefully explained each dish as it arrived to our table – a clever mix of Asian and Mediterranean fusion – the colours, the presentation and the tastes were wonderful. It’s a special place and Namali is passionate about her restaurant – and she explains how she and her family came to be here and how much they love Deia. That’s the thing, everyone has a story in this village and over dinner I hear there is a saying “do you choose Deia or does Deia choose you?”
The next day’s itinerary was a blend of English refinery, artistic delights, a sunset sail and a rustic meal in the Cala.
We enjoyed afternoon tea on the terrace at La Residencia and later in the hotel’s beautiful garden, where under a shaded spot we met with local artist Arturo Rhodes. A British born surrealist painter who moved to Deia in 1980, he has a studio in his home in Es Clot; painting collections he says are inspired simply by “things people say, or don’t say”. In the 70’s Arturo was a cartoonist for the New York Times – here he would be given a caption and a picture would come, humour often plays a part in his paintings. Deia is a hub for creativity. Artists of all ages, all styles, all pouring there passion onto a canvas, into clay on a wheel, through their fingers on the string of a guitar. Talent lies in every nook of this village you just need to know where to look.
Charles Marlow, our hosts for the trip, are a British run agency in the village. Their charming office is just opposite La Residencia and is also homage to Deia’s art, displaying 10 local artists paintings.
You just have to check out their Instagram to see daily tips of the island. Or read their Deia Olive Press blog to understand the history and happenings of the village.
I was impressed and there was more to come.
The evening was a sunset sail with Mezzo Magic. We boarded the boat at nearby Port Soller at 7pm and we cruised along the coast to a blue cave for snorkelling. Then onto the breath taking Sa Foradada, this hole in a rock formation is magnificent. Hundreds gather each night over the summer to watch the sun set from the nearby cliff top but to see this from a boat was truly magical.
We were dropped at ‘Cala Deia’ to eat at the famous and always packed C’as Patro March restaurant – known by millions for its appearance in the BBC’s The Night Manager series. No dress code was de rigueur here, so arriving from the sea, salty haired and barefoot is very acceptable. We ordered freshly caught fish, we drank local wine and we were all giddy from the sun as it turned to dusk around us. The end of a perfect day in paradise. Just make sure you pre order a taxi if you want to get back up the hill.
Our final day touched on the history of Deia, not the bohemian 60’s and 70’s rock and roll history but the ancient history – we saw relics of a 5000 year old cave goat. The Deia Archaeological Museum, housed in a converted mill and one of the oldest buildings in the medieval village was founded in 62 by Jackie Waldren, a striking American woman from California – and her late husband Dr. William H. Waldren, an archaeologist and artist. Jackie knows Deia, she raised five girls here, and it is a pleasure to listen to her stories.
As my brief stint in Deia drew to an end and it was time to head to Palma Airport, I felt that I had only scratched the surface of a village that is really magical. Deia has a vibe, a pulse, you can’t quite put your finger on and I know that I’ll be back for more.
