Marlow’s Marvellous Map of Mallorca – the storyJune 22, 2017

The printed copies of Marlow’s Map of Mallorca arrived in our offices in Deia this week and we’re thrilled. Designed and illustrated by Carole Chevalier, they’re a thing of practical beauty.

We thought you’d like to know the story of how Marlow’s Map of Mallorca came to be.

Where do you start?

We’ve lived in Mallorca for many years and we’re constantly discovering places we never knew existed. Anything from a tiny, secluded beach almost on our doorstep to a bakery that makes the best ensaimada ever.

If you’ve come to the island on holiday, it’s hard to get a real feel for Mallorca. Especially if it’s your first time. And there’s nothing worse than going somewhere and having the sense that, somehow, the real essence of the place is eluding you.

We wanted to introduce you to our Mallorca, the place where we live and work, that we love and know a little bit about.

A most peculiar kind of map

Marlow’s Map of Mallorca is unashamedly selective. We’ve shared our favourite places with you simply because, well, they’re our favourite places.

So, you’ll find the beaches and magical places we and our friends on the island adore the most. But you’ll also see our favourite yoga studio, an excellent vegan restaurant, a beautiful organic vineyard and even one of the best tattoo parlours in the world.

Because what’s astonishing about Mallorca is the sheer diversity of things to do, experiences to have. You can journey from majestic mountains through fertile rolling green valleys to long sandy beaches in a little over an hour.

Our lovely map is a good place to start. It’s an invitation to explore the island. And to lose yourself.

Giving back

It’s impossible to ignore the fact that Mallorca is sometimes overcrowded. Until tourism is managed in a radically different way, this is the price Mallorca pays for making it and related industries the island’s main source of revenue.

We feel a responsibility to do everything we can to help protect and preserve the island. After all, it’s the reason Charles Marlow exists in the first place.

And we have faith that you feel the same way. We hope you buy our map because, like us, you appreciate that it’s a thing of beauty – a sophisticated souvenir, if you will. But above all, we’d love you to buy a map because most of the proceeds go to supporting initiatives dedicated to preserving the ecology and environment of the island and the glorious Mediterranean.

There is a powerful movement promoting ecological awareness on the island and it’s growing stronger all the time. We’re proud to be part of it, in our own small way. Wouldn’t you be?

A gateway

We’d be the first to say our map is by no means comprehensive. This is because it’s a first edition of a never-ending exploration in progress. We’d love it if, after you’ve bought your copy, you feel inspired to enter into the spirit of the map and share your discoveries with us.

Your copy

These are early days for Marlow’s Map of Mallorca so we’ve yet to establish where you’ll be able to actually buy it on the island.

For the time being, you can pop into our offices in Deia – opposite Belmond La Residencia, and pick up a copy for €5. When you rent a villa with us we’re sure you’ll be delighted to discover a map in your welcome hamper along with our Deia Guidebook.

Now please excuse us. It’s time for us to go back to poring over the map, squealing with delight and sighing with pleasure.

The team at Charles Marlow.