Spotlight #2: Llucalcari – Deià’s satellite of infinite tranquillityJuly 27, 2018

Every month we bring to your attention a tiny part of the wonderful West Coast of Mallorca. This month we visit enchanted Llucalcari, located a few minutes outside Deià on the road to Soller below the area known as Son Coll but somehow blissfully outside of time.

Llucalcari is believed to be Mallorca’s smallest village. Think of it as Deià’s quieter little brother or sister, observing the dramas of its famous family member from a distance but wrapped up in its own delicious dreams.

There’s something utterly zen about Llucalcari. We don’t come here to be seen. It’s a place to escape, read, paint and be absorbed in nature. Here, we gaze out at the shifting sea or up at the majestic mountains and contemplate the mysteries of existence.

A sacred space

According to Tomás Graves, son of Robert Graves, ‘They say the name Lluc Alcari comes from the Latin “lucus”, meaning sacred wood and the Arabic word for a group of houses. Llucalcari has long been a refuge for artists.

‘One of the houses, to the left of the chapel, belonged to Sebastià Junyer, a Catalan painter who accompanied Picasso on his first trip to Paris. This is the source of the legend that Picasso came to Deià. I was told by Junyer’s nephew Joan, who inherited the house, that a ruin on the property, bordering the road that runs down through Llucalcari, was the studio of a medieval cartographer – mapmaker – but I don’t know if this is true.

Villas and town houses in Llucalcari are rarely for sale. This old rustic town house in the centre of the village is. It needs complete renovation, but at €650,000 it could become very special.

‘The house on the other side of the chapel was home to Natalie Drache, a Canadian artist who worked in film for almost 50 years. The three houses opposite belonged to another Catalan artist. In the 1960s and 70s, one of these was rented out to hippies and alternative types by the artist’s daughter Maria. She got on so well with them that she became known as Maria de Los Hippies.

‘Sa Guarda, at the end of the village overlooking the sea, belongs to the family of the multimillionaire Catalan businessman Ricardo Sicré. This is where our family would have Sunday picnics after bathing at the slipway at Can Floquer. My father had given Sicré a letter of recommendation when he emigrated penniless to New York after the Spanish Civil war in the 1930s and this was one of Ricardo’s ways of thanking him. Sicré’s is a spy story in itself.

‘The 4-star hotel and restaurant Costa D’Or at the top of Llucalcari originally belonged to a family from Soller. In the late 1970s, it was a health farm run by a Frenchman named Dr Vivini, who offered fasting and mud baths. It was bought up by the luxury Hoposa chain, I think in 2007.’

There’s something utterly zen about Llucalcari.

Living utopia

Today, Llucalcari continues to attract creative individuals, often highly successful in the outside world, drawn to its utter tranquillity.

Stefano Bajetto is a former international bon vivant who settled in Llucalcari to search for a new balance in life through meaningful contact with nature and connection with individuals inspired by their hearts. He says, ‘The main reason I love living in Llucalcari is because it looks and feels like a place untouched by time. There’s nowhere to build new houses here and almost no public car parking space. Mountains protect us from further growth. This makes Llucalcari a living utopia. In the morning, instead of a shower, we swim in the ocean that awaits us. Oranges, lemons, olives, asparagus and almonds can be plucked from nature. My neighbours are all talented and fulfilled, nurtured and inspired by the unique light from the sun that kisses us each morning and by the moon, brighter than usual here because of the absence of artificial light.’

Magic mud

The cala at Llucalcari is much favoured by locals because it’s isolated and a little more private. Which is why clothing is optional.

One of the great things about the beach is the opportunity to cover yourself in magic marine mud. Head for the freshwater stream at the back of the beach. Look for the red mud and slap it on.

Marine mud is believed to improve circulation and detoxify. Its high magnesium content can ease aching muscles – especially if you’ve walked from Soller. Phosphates and sodium help hydrate and reduce inflammation.

Leave the mud on your skin until it’s dry and then wash it off in the sea.

Discover Llucalcari for yourself

One of the many wonderful things about Llucalcari is that it’s both remote and easy to reach. You can walk here by road or, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, along the cliffs from Cala Deià. The bus from Deià to Soller stops in Llucalcari.

If you’re staying in Llucalcari, it’s wonderful to be able to dip into Deià and enjoy everything the village has to offer before returning home to absolute peace and quiet.

Coming home to Llucalcari

Should you fall in love with Llucalcari and want to make this oasis of calm your home, there are a number of traditional houses with potential as well as modern villas with pools.

We would be delighted to tell you more about opportunities for you to create a home in Llucalcari and share our love of this remarkable place. Please email us at hello@charlesmarlow.com or call +34 971 636 427.