Mallorca and Menorca: Gardens, Art and Cuisine

Katherine Greenberg, Pacific Horticulture Society,
Northwest Horticultural Society, and Sterling Tours present
Mallorca & Menorca: Gardens, Art and Cuisine
April 14 – 24, 2012
Escorted by Katherine Greenberg
Limited to 24 guests, limited space still available

Join us for a spring tour of Mallorca, where
we have invitations to visit spectacular private
gardens and art collections. Our tour will take
us from the lovely patios of Palma to elegant
country estates and charming seaside villages.
We will also explore the island of Menorca, a
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with fascinating
archaeological sites and distinctive architecture.
Along the way, we will experience the generous hospitality, regional cuisine, and scenic beauty
of the Balearic Islands

April 14, Saturday: USA – Palma
April 15, Sunday:   arrive Palma                                                                               Reading List for this tour, click here
Individual arrivals. Check into the Hotel HM Jaime III in the center of Palma for a four-night stay. This evening we
will meet for a welcome reception of drinks and tapas, and our special guide, Sofia Barroso, will give us an
overview of the tour. (Dinner)

April 16, Monday: Palma
This morning we will enjoy Palma’s architecture, art treasures, and hidden
gardens. After visiting the cathedral, with works by Gaudi and contemporary
artist Miguel Barcelo, we will visit the Bishop’s garden. Then we will stroll
through the upper quarter of the old town to see Palma’s beautiful patios
and some private gardens. For lunch we are invited to the private home and
patio garden of Chantall Jourdain. Her husband Luis will show us his
impressive wine cellar and offer us a wine tasting.   After lunch, we will enjoy
coffee and dessert next door at Can Joan de S’Aigo, Palma’s oldest tea room,
famous for its homemade ice creams and “ensaimada” pastries. Then we will walk up Palma Ramblas to the
gardens of La Misericordia to see the famous ficus tree, the oldest on the island. The remainder of the afternoon
will be free with time for optional visits to the Juan March Foundation and Caixa Foundation. In the evening we will
meet for drinks at Ferran Cano Art Gallery, which promotes young artists. Dinner on your own and the possibility of
a free concert in one of Palma’s patios. (Breakfast, Lunch)

April 17, Tuesday: Palma – Raixa – Alfabia – Soller – Fornalutx
Today we will depart by coach to visit Raixa, a recently restored 18th century
Italian-influenced garden that was built by Cardinal Despuig. From there we
will drive through Soller Valley, famous for its terraced groves of oranges and
lemons, to Soller Botanical Garden, currently short-listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Director Josep Lluis Gradaille and Curator Magdalena Vicenz
will give us a guided tour of this outstanding garden and seed collection.
Lunch today will be in Fornalutx at Hort del Bisbe (the Bishop’s orchard),
the private home of artist Francesca Marti and her husband Gunnar Dahl. After lunch we will walk through the
garden and see Francesca’s studio. On our return to Palma we will stop at Alfabia, Mallorca’s oldest country
estate and garden dating from the 9th century. In the evening, we will walk to the home of Joan and Teresa
Buades in the lower quarter of the old town where we are invited to have drinks and see their art collection. The
home has a lovely garden landscaped by Antonio Obrador. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

April 18, Wednesday: Palma – Esporlas – Valldemossa
This morning we will drive to Esporlas to visit the country estate of La Granja.
We will continue to Valldemossa and see a short film on the spectacular
north coast of Mallorca, its history and nature, at the Michael Douglas private
museum Costa Nord. Then we will walk through the charming village,
famous for its narrow streets decorated by pots of flowers. We will enjoy a
tapas lunch in the private home and garden of artist Monica Areiliza. After
lunch will visit the Carthusian Monastery and its gardens, followed by a Chopin
concert at the Palace of Rey Sancho. We will also visit the gardens of Miramar Monastery, created by Raymond
Lully in the 14th century, and Son Marroig, the late Archduke Luigi Salvatore Habsburg’s main residence on the
island. Continuing our scenic drive along the coast, we will stop in the village of Deia, home of the late poet and
author Robert Graves, for English tea in La Residencia Hotel and gardens. Return to Palma for a free evening.
(B, L)

April 19, Thursday: Southern Mallorca
This morning we will depart for the Campos area, where we will visit the lovely garden of Son Bernardinet, a rural
hotel owned by Francesca Bonet. Coffee will be hosted and we will see the garden, designed by German
landscapers Breimann & Bruun. Then we will drive to Es Carritxo to visit an extensive private garden landscaped
by Begona Basagoiti. We will continue to Ses Alquerias for lunch in the private home and garden of Asun
Gutierrez-Soto, landscaped by Alvaro de la Rosa. After lunch we will visit Son Oliver, the lovely private home and
garden of Olivier and Margarita Winckler. The garden has a new addition of citrus trees planted by Olivier. Return
to the hotel. Tonight there is an option for a paella dinner at Ca Cranca. (B, L)

April 20, Friday: Palma – Port Alcudia – Ciudadella, Menorca
This morning we will depart with our luggage and drive to Alcudia and a
visit to the Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation, with its new sculpture
park, rose garden, and private art museum that includes an impressive
collection of Old Masters paintings and a contemporary art collection.
After a tapas lunch at the Foundation, we will drive to the Port of Alcudia
and take the ferry to Ciudadella, Menorca, where we will be staying at the
Hotel Patricia for two nights. We’ll take an evening walk around the city to
see its lovely aristocratic palaces and churches, followed by dinner on your own at the port. (B, L)

April 21, Saturday: Ciudadella – Mahon, Menorca
Today we will discover the archeology and nature of this beautiful island. First we will visit the Ciudadella
Museum, located in an old fortress, for an introduction to the island.   Then on to the “naveta” burial site of Es
Tudons, followed by a visit to the dolmens of Talati del Dalt. Lunch today will be at a country estate, the largest in
private hands on Menorca. The estate has an archeological site on the property and a private beach where we
might have time for a swim. After lunch we will drive to Mahon and take a stroll through the city with free time for a
coffee in its charming port. Return to Ciudadella with a free evening. (B, L)

April 22, Sunday: Ciudadella – Port Pollensa, Mallorca
Morning at leisure to explore Ciudadella. At noon we will have a
picnic and hike to Punta Nati light house, located in one of the
wildest areas of the island. Here we will see the impressive stone
towers that have an unusual ziggurat shape. These towers have
been used since ancient times by the shepherds to protect their
cattle from the wind. In the late afternoon we will return by ferry to
Alcudia and transfer to Port Pollensa, where we will be staying
at the Hotel Illa Dor for two nights. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

April 23, Monday: Port Pollensa
This morning we have a special visit arranged to Torre de Ariant, the private garden and country estate of Heidi
and Enrique Gildemeister. Heidi is a past president of the Mediterranean Garden Society and author of several
important books on Mediterranean gardening. She will show us her amazing garden and host a light lunch. In the
afternoon we will have free time in the village of Pollensa for shopping and to see the typical Majorcan fabrics.
Maior Gallery will host drinks for our group. Our farewell dinner this evening will be at the hotel. (B, L, D)

April 24, Tuesday: Pollensa – Palma Airport – USA
Transfer by coach to Palma airport for return flights to the USA.

Food and Wine: Majorcan cuisine makes full use of local almonds,
olives, and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Breakfast often includes
an ensaimada, a delicious spiral yeast bun dusted with sugar.
Lunch is the main meal in Mallorca, and typical dishes include
tumbet, made with vegetables; fideua, the local paella made with
noodles rather than rice; salt cod and fresh fish. Mallorca is producing
some exceptional wines from varieties largely indigenous to this Mediterranean island. The oldest winery, Hereus
de Ribas, has been in the owner’s family since 1711. The picturesque village of Pollensa hosts an annual wine
festival in the month of April.

Tour Guide: Sofia Barroso was born in London, the daughter of Spanish diplomats, and has a degree in art
history from Madrid Universidad Complutense. She is an art collector and has been involved in the Spanish art
and museum scene as well as with historic gardens and the new Spanish school of landscape design. Sofia
currently lives in Madrid after living in Mallorca for a number of years, and she is a lecturer for Syracuse University
in Spain’s Menorca program. This is a rare opportunity to travel with Sofia, and she will give us an insider’s view
of the Balearic Islands.

Tour Escort: Katherine Greenberg, a fifth-generation Californian, is a garden designer with a special interest in
Mediterranean-climate gardens. She is a past president of Pacific Horticulture Society, the Friends of the Regional
Parks Botanic Garden, and the Mediterranean Garden Society (MGS). Katherine studied Spanish history and art
history at the Madrid Universidad Complutense, and she has led a number of tours to Spain with a focus on
gardens, culture, and cuisine. During her term as president of the MGS, she started a branch of the Society in
Mallorca.

TOUR INCLUDES:
•        9 nights select accommodations, all rooms fully en suite
•        All hotel taxes and service charges
•        9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 2 dinners (lunch is the main meal in Spain)
•        Deluxe private coaches and top drivers
•        Special guide, Sofia Barroso and local guides where obligatory
•        All sightseeing and entrances as per the itinerary
•        Porterage of 1 main suitcase in/out of all hotels
•        Deluxe portfolio of documents
•        Escorted by Katherine Greenberg.
•        Donation of $200 to Pacific Horticulture Society or the Northwest
Horticultural Society

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:
•        Airfare and Travel insurance

Tour Price is based on a minimum number of guests and exchange rates as of May 2011. See Terms and
Conditions for full details.

For tour pricing and more information please contact:                                  Online Registration
Sterling Tours, Ltd             Itinerary, Booking Form, Terms and Conditions
2907 Shelter Island Drive Suite #105-262
San Diego, CA 92106      Tel: 619 299-3010 800-976-9497
CST2023849-40

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