My Guide Website?
Real Cartuja de Valldemossa
Mallorca
Valldemossa is a much visited and beautiful hill town with a lovely ambience and plenty of history. The approach to the town from the Palma side is rather like entering a different world as the road squeezes through a narrow river ravine before opening up to reveal a panorama of mountains, terraced fields, little houses all supporting each other, and one or two significant spires and towers.
Some of these belong to the Real Cartuja de Valldemossa (Royal Carthusian Monastery), whose resounding full name is much longer! The original buildings were the site of a royal palace for King Sancho, but in 1399 they were given to the Carthusian monks, who extended and converted the site into a monastery.
The monks were expelled in 1835, and some of the rooms were let out to visitors. Famously, these included the composer Chopin, his lover George Sand and her two children. On all the available evidence, they had a thoroughly unpleasant winter here, but the island has traded on this visit since then, the rooms have been preserved, and you'll find Chopin memorabilia on sale.
The buildings are only moderately interesting internally, and we feel that the entrance fees are very high. However, the views are splendid and the town is lovely.