A Summer in Mallorca

East coast creative, Holly Blanshard, recently captured our latest arrivals throughout her Summer in Mallorca. We sat down with Holly to get to know her most loved destinations, places to swim, where to eat, and her insiders guide to the island.

Q. What does a quintessential day in Mallorca look like?

The perfect day in Mallorca starts with an early wake up! We started at sunrise every day and didn’t regret it once. Following the early rays, head on over to the nearest coffee shop or bakery for your morning fix, all of them equally delicious and the perfect accompaniment for your travel to our next stop - Port Soller. From here you can hire a boat and head north along the coast of Mallorca. The boat company supplied us with snorkels and an esky. Our favourite swimming spots along here were only reachable via boat so I honestly think this is the best way to see a lot of Mallorca in one day. A must see spot is Sa Calobra beach, at the foot of the Sierra de Tramuntana. We docked the boat here for hours, swimming into the tiny beach nestled amongst the mountains. Once you swim into the beach you can climb through a cave inside the mountain and follow it along until you reach an opening, we jumped off the rocks here to get back to our boat. Once you’re back at Port Soller, Deia town is a short drive away. A sunset dinner here is really the cherry on top.

Q. Where was your favourite swimming spot?

Cala S’almonia was a personal favourite for me, we set ourselves up nice and early along the rocks facing the small boat sheds. We didn’t want to leave here all day, spending our time reading, jumping off the rocks, swimming and chatting with other travellers. Make sure you bring your own food and water if you’re planning on staying for a good part of the day.

Q. What were you reading / listening to on those long travel days?

My sister Sophie and I had ‘Tomorrow Comes Today’ by Route 8, Quails on repeat during our Spanish escapades. I was reading the ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ series by Sarah J Mass.

Q. Where to eat in Mallorca?

We spent 10 days in Spain total. We wanted to eat our way through as many local tapas spots as possible. I often find that the best food you find when holidaying is when you stumble into a small local restaurant, usually away from the hustle and bustle. Our first night in Mallorca we headed to the town closest to us - Llucmajor, for dinner. We pinched one of the last tables at a small restaurant called Bistro Mercat. We were served by the amazing owners Claudia and Luis and ate our way through as many Tapas as we could, they really set the food experience high for the remainder of our time here.

Q. Where to stay in Mallorca?

We stayed in a restored 16th century farmhouse called Agroturisme Son Sama in Llucmajor. With views of Southern Mallorca and Cabrera Island, it honestly was the perfect spot to base ourselves as it was halfway between all of the towns and swimming spots we wanted to visit. It was such an intimate, relaxing place to stay - they also have a pool and restaurant for the days you feel like staying local.

Q. How would you describe your European Summer style?

Comfort is always my number one priority when travelling. Most of my outfits in Mallorca consisted of a bikini, sarong, and an oversized shirt.

Q. What was it like shooting overseas again?

A real pinnacle moment for me this year has been shooting internationally. Starting in Italy and ending in Spain, it felt very much like a ‘pinch me’ moment. The dream for me has always been working with like minded brands and people, in beautiful locations - and this shoot really brought that dream to life. Shooting my sister Soph is also a core memory I will hold close to me forever.

Q. Where do you look to for inspiration when shooting a campaign? 

Films, books, fashion, people, music, architecture and most often other photographers whose work I love. My inspiration comes from so many different avenues but they all eventually funnel down into one specific creative angle. I like to have full confidence in the overall feel of a campaign before shooting, but I also find that the really special moments are ones that are born out of the freedom of spontaneity on set. Finding the perfect incorporation between these two is where the magic happens.