In addition to the views of the mountain and the sea, the fascinating Mediterranean flora and fauna and the manors that one can visit along the way, what makes the hikes of Mallorca special is the possibility to move from a world-famous glamorous hotel like La Residencia (pictured below), immediately into areas that were basically isolated from the rest of the world until just a few years ago.

When it comes to winemaking, the only reason that I can find to explain why Mallorca is not world-famous for its wines is that hardly any bottles leave the island. Mallorcan reds are full-bodied, rounded wines. The best whites remind one of California, without being too “oaky.” The best place to taste them is the area between Benisalem and Biniali.

As for cuisine, in today’s Mallorca seafood is the way to go, but – somewhat surprisingly for an island – this hasn’t always been so. As a matter of fact, the islanders only developed a true fishing industry within the last 50 years. In addition to seafood, they are particularly proud of the way they cook lamb, which is considered the dish that represents the region, together with sobrassada and ensaimada.

I am a huge fan of both the simple, traditional Mallorcan food that one can taste at noon in one of the many menu del dia restaurants along the way, and the new, innovative, glamorous gourmet restaurants that have mushroomed in Mallorca, especially in Palma and in the region of the Tramuntana mountains.

If I sum up all the weeks that I’ve spent in Mallorca working as a guide, connecting the dots, preparing routes, sampling gourmet meals and wine tasting, the total time easily amounts to one year of my life. And trust me, it was one hell of a year.