We have a favorite hotel in Mallorca which is located in the middle of the island and only about 15 minutes drive from the place of peace and serenity called Santuari de Lluc.
When we're on the island we come here regularly. This is where we wander around and enjoy ourselves. Surprisingly, there are not that many tourists but this can be because as usually we keep coming when it's the hottest outside 馃檪
The Santuari de Lluc is located in the heart of the mountain range Serra de Tramuntana, so be prepared for beautiful views of the island. It is in the region called Escorca which is the least populated municipality in Mallorca. Being situated in the mountains means that there are many cyclists visiting the monastery too. It is also a pilgrimage meeting point, and there are even some rooms to accommodate tourists.
There is a ticket office next to the parking, so it's easy to find. The entrance ticket is 4 EUR per person which is a great price for what you get to see. There is a restaurant, a bar, a souvenir shop with local jewelery (I recommend to have a look when you're there as they have many original pieces), a church, a museum, large gardens, a botanical garden, a swimming pool, and a viewpoint on top of a mountain. You need to work out a bit to get there but it is worth it. I'm certain that there is something for everyone.
Let me take you on a tour in the complex!
The Santuari de Lluc is the first monastery on Mallorca dedicated to Virgin Mary. It dates back to the 13th century, and its origins are linked to a young boy who found a statue of Virgin Mary in the mountains and brought it to the village to give it to a priest. However, the next day the statue has returned to its original location. There is no explanation about why this happened and the locals interpreted this as a miracle and as Virgin Mary wanted to stay at that place they built a small chapel which was the foundation for the monastery as we know it today. Legend
I have also read that there are discussions about how the monastery got its name. Some say that the name of the young boy was Lluc, while others say that it's coming from the location of the monastery called 'Lucus' or 'Sacred Forest'.
We have walked around the monastery before entering the church and the museum. All buildings have stone constructions which is adding to the medieval feeling of this place.
This is one of my favorite spots as you can sit here under the trees and read a book. I always have a book with me.
Statues of Virgin Mary in Pla莽a dels Pelegrins. This is where you can find small shops with local produce. We bought two jars of spicy olives. They were delicious and so hot! We also got the best olive oil ever here.
In the back, there are Els Porxerets, also known as former pilgrims quarter.
Look at the view! And we haven't even climbed the mount Rosario route.
We will start our tour of the complex in the church called Bas铆lica de la Mare de D茅u de Lluc. This square is receiving sunshine all day, so it's better to first go inside and cross the building instead of going through the main door.
Once you enter the church you will feel a relief. The temperature there is so pleasant and it's dark as well, so also your eyes can take a break from the brightness outside.
The church is dominated by the altarpiece. It's richly decorated with many golden details. In the middle there is a painting of Virgin Mary.
Its construction started at the beginning of the 17th century. It's certainly not as old or as big as other churches in Spain but it has that something that makes you want to sit down and enjoy the moment.
Bas铆lica de la Mare de D茅u de Lluc has also received several honorary achievements. King Charles III of Austria granted it the title of royal chapel and Pope John XXIII declared it a minor basilica.
It's an active church until today. You can attend scheduled masses in a small chapel. I'm not sure but I guess that the main church is used for celebrations such as weddings as well.
Next on our tour will be the museum which was inaugurated in 1952.
The museum is situated on two floors and contains 8 rooms. You can learn about Mallorcan culture and traditions, see their traditional clothing, ceramics, textile, paintings or sacred objects.
This room is called Mallorcan Chamber. It is built as a bedroom of a wealthier family. The clothes come from the 19th century. They represent formal attire of that time.
I love ceramics, so this was my favorite room. The exposition is divided into three parts, each of them representing a certain part of Spain. There is also a smaller part which is dedicated to imported ceramics.
Those who know me know that I never miss a chance to sit down. My husband enjoys expositions at different pace than I do, so it's always a plus when there is a place for me to sit and wait for him. I will never understand how he can be that slow.
This room is called Pinacoteca. It showcases canvases painted by different artists. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of paintings in general but these ones caught my attention because of their lush colors and passion.
Next stop is the botanical garden.
Botanical garden is located less than 100 meters outside of the complex. It was opened in 1956 and it holds a wide variety of endemic plants. Watch out, there are mosquitos too!
It focuses on local plants, and currently there are around 200 varieties of plants from Mallorca.
There is only one path which will lead you around the botanical garden. It's different to any botanical garden that I visited before because it's situated in the nature and there is no greenhouse.
On the way you can enjoy the views of the monastery too.
I think it took us about 20 minutes to walk around in the botanical garden. We were on the way to the car when we saw this stairway. We visited the monastery on several occasions, but never went up the hill. It was getting a bit late but we decided to give it a go.
Who would resist walking up such a pretty stairway?
We knew it was a good decision only a few minutes after we started walking as we could already see Serra de Tramuntana mountains.
This hill is called Hill of Mysteries or Rosario Mountain, and it's used as a Rosary route by pilgrims.
The stairway is steep at times and also a bit slippery when you're wearing beach sandals like I was 馃檪
When you reach the top with the cross you can contemplate the panorama of the Lluc Valley, mountains and sanctuary.
Let's have a look!
After a while it was getting hot and we had a dinner table booked at our hotel, so it was time to go.
We were sweating once we came back to the car but it was all worth it. We visited a place that we know so well and manage to see something what we haven't before. Let's see what we discover next time 馃檪
Thank you for reading!
Cheers,
Martina