By Anton Constantinou
Palma is a city rich in culture and history and, like many urban centres, one teeming with smells and odors. As capital of Mallorca - a beautiful Balearic Island, some 125 miles off the coast of Spain - Palma plays host to all number of aromas and dazzles the senses in more ways than one.
Visiting Palma
For our trip to Palma in October 2024, we’d visit for five days and stay in a cosy apartment, close to the city centre. Our trip would include not only a tour of Palma’s old town - and its many treasures - but take as further afield to a medieval castle and beyond to the idyllic neighbouring town of Soller.
With my nose firmly engaged for the entire trip, I would come to know a side of the island which photos can’t do justice - how it smells.
Here’s a brief(ish) summary of how our trip went down.
The old town
Palma’s old town is a picturesque maze of gothic churches, scenic squares and centuries old patios. Home to pretty shops, cute restaurants and some of the most stunning architecture I’ve ever seen.
As you walk its streets, or cycle them as we did one day, you’re hit with the most delightful array of smells. From fragrant flowers, to fresh coffee, and newly baked pastries.
Women in Palma seem to like their perfume on the traditional side - floral, ambery and sensous - and I love that about the city. I recall at least half of dozens of occasions where I brushed past women wearing distinctly old school fragrances: classic Guerlains and Vintage chanels - that sort of thing.
Coming from London, where most people rock modern fragrances - one either minimalistic scents or sweet, Arabic smelling ones - Palma’s perfume wafts really caught me by surprise. Talking of perfume - Palma has several perfume boutiques that are great!
Palma’s perfume shops
Arquinesia Perfumes - a small fragrance store in the centre of town - has the feel of a perfumer’s workshop combined with a temple. A bowl of oranges sits atop an old tiled mantelpiece and alongside traditional perfume equipment, and provides a magical, old-world feel.
As you enter the shop, you’re greeted with the most wonderful selection of aromas, including not only perfumes but also soaps, candles, lotions, and shower gel.
The shopkeeper is chatty - he talked us through the history of the brand, invited us to try some of the house specialities, and explained how some of the house’s raw materials are sourced - and from where.
Arquinesia, as we learned, is a brand founded on and inspired by both the Balearic Islan and Mediterranean sea. The brand prides itself on its mystical, enchanting atmosphere and, with its perfume store in Palma, set out to provide a “secret place” for discovering its scents.
We didn’t buy a fragrance from the shop but we did come away with a lovely bar of soap.
Institute, the second of our perfumed stops, is a niche fragrance store, next door to a beautiful old bakery - Fornet de la Soca. The fragrances here range from luxury to understated and are lovingly presented in handsome dark wood cabinets.
The shopkeeper here knows her stuff and couldn’t be friendlier. She gave us a tour of the store and suggested a few particularly captivating scents.
Les Temps Perdu by Salle Prive, one of the stand out fragrances, is a woody, ambery scent in the vein of stuff like Molecule 01 and Another 13. Modern and synthetic smelling but also delicate and classy. I bought a 12ml bottle of the fragrance and have worn it the office a few times - it’s a lovely scent.
Rain Cloud by Perfumer H is another scent that caught me attention. An aromatic aquatic with a a glorious floral quality, which instantly made me think of Brut - albeit a higher quality brut. Turns out they share a common note of ylang ylang, which is a note I quite enjoy.
Soller
Soller is a pretty town just half an hour from Palma by car, known for its orange trees and independent boutiques. The best way to get to Soller from Palma is via the Ferrocarril de Sóller: an antique train which takes you through mountains and past olive groves and sheep.
For our trip to Soller aboard the Ferrocarril, I was once again greeted with the aroma of opulent smelling perfume. A 60-something lady sat in front of me on the train was wearing what I can only assume was Jicky: the famous Guerlain oriental fougere, known for its sensous combination of herbs, dusty vanilla and billowy animalic funk. I’ve only smelt the perfume a few times in my life, but I’d recognise it a mile off and love it.
Anyway, back to Soller. This loveiy little town has a lot going for it - quaint cobbled streets, delightful outdoor cafes and restaurants, and charming array of independent shops.
One such shop, a stockist of herbs, spices and condiments, had me sniffing like a dog, with its many samples and tasters.
A few doors along from the store lies a perfume shop home to Palma’s answer to 4711: a bright and herbal eau de cologne by the name of Eau de Soller. This zesty little scent comes in the cutest box, which features an eye-catching watercolour of local church Esglesia de Sant Bartomeu, or Church of Soller as it’s known in English.
Just on from Soller is Port Soller, the town’s fishing harbour. An attractive seaside spot, full of palm trees and fashionable restaurants, which is best reached by tram. A regular tram runs from Soller to Port Soller, which takes just 10 minutes, and offers incredible views of the seafront.
We arrived in Port Soller early evening and decided to go for dinner. Sea Oliveres, the restaurant we chose, is known for its fish and its food is to die for. The razor clams and langoustines that were brought to our table had my nose tingling with excitement. As did the paella we ordered.
Peru in Palma: Last day Ceviche
Our final hours in Palma would see us visiting a food market we had marked from day one: Mercat de L’Olivar. Inside this culinary treasure trove of meat, fish, seafood, cheese and cold cuts is a Peruvian restaurant that serves the most amazing ceviche (fish and shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings) - Cevichería "Lima".
The smells that hit you when eat this stuff are mind blowing. Ceviche is salivating to look at as it is to consume and is, without doubt, one of the most tantalising things I’ve ever eaten.
Our orders included salmon with passion fruit tiger milk (a beautiful marriage of fresh and tropical flavours), and fish tacos (an essential for anyone visiting a ceviche restaurant). As food in Palma goes, Cevichería "Lima” is up there with the best and smells incredible.
My scent of the trip
Finally, my fragrance of the trip. I wrestled with taking a few scents with me, but took just one in the end: Aramis’s Tuscany. A warm and spicy aromatic fougere with piquant notes of lemon, anise, tarragon and caraway. Perfect for mid-October sun and a great fit for Palma’s blend of good food, historical attractions and distinctly Mediterranean weather. Here’s a photo of it in front of Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca: Palma’s main cathedral.
Parting thoughts
So, there you have it - my not so brief smellscape of Palma. Have you been to the Palma? What do you think of the city? What smell do you remember most? Leave a comment and keep below the conversation going.
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