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Village · Palma, Balearic Islands
Valldemossa e a Reial Cartoixa
A stone village in the Serra de Tramuntana, 18 km from Palma, with the charterhouse where Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838, flowered streets and coca de patata.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Valldemossa e a Reial Cartoixa
Valldemossa lies in a valley of the Serra de Tramuntana, about 18 km north of Palma, at 400 meters altitude. It is a village of stone houses with green shutters, narrow streets and flowering pots, surrounded by olive trees and mountains.
The Reial Cartoixa, the royal charterhouse, was founded in 1399 in a former palace of the kings of Mallorca and was occupied by Carthusian monks until 1835, when monasteries were secularized and the cells were rented out. In the winter of 1838–1839, composer Frédéric Chopin and writer George Sand stayed in one of those cells with Sand’s children. Chopin, ill, composed part of the Preludes there, and Sand later wrote A Winter in Majorca.
The visit includes the neoclassical church, the monks’ old pharmacy with ceramic jars, the cells with objects and Chopin’s piano, and King Sancho’s palace. Beside it, the gardens offer views over the valley.
The village has the birthplace of Saint Catalina Thomàs, the local patron, and bakeries sell coca de patata, a sweet, fluffy potato bread.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
Half a day, including the charterhouse.
Best time
Early morning, before the tour buses arrive, or late afternoon. The charterhouse closes on some Sundays of the year; check ahead.
How to get there
About 18 km from Palma, roughly a 25-minute drive. Buses depart frequently from Palma’s intermodal station. From Sóller there are buses along the mountain road, passing Deià.
Tip
Try the coca de patata with hot chocolate at one of the bakeries. At the charterhouse there are often small piano recitals of Chopin; check the times. Combine it with Deià, an artists’ village 10 km away.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Valldemossa e a Reial Cartoixa
Did Chopin live in Valldemossa?
He spent the winter of 1838–1839 in a cell of the charterhouse, with George Sand and her children.
How to get from Palma to Valldemossa?
By bus from the intermodal station, or by car, in about 25 minutes.
What is the coca de patata?
A sweet, fluffy bread made with potato, typical of Valldemossa, eaten with hot chocolate or coffee.