Slow Travel with a Toddler
I’ve just got back from a holiday to Mallorca and it was truly blissful. It was our first holiday since having a baby and we brought my parents along as reinforcements. I kept my expectations low as I’d heard ‘it’s not a holiday, it’s parenting in a different location’ a million times, but to be honest it was lovely. I think the key was taking it very slowly (and having a 4 to 1 adult to toddler ratio).
I’ve just got back from a holiday to Mallorca and it was truly blissful. It was our first holiday since having a baby and we brought my parents along as reinforcements. I kept my expectations low as I’d heard ‘it’s not a holiday, it’s parenting in a different location’ a million times, but to be honest it was lovely. I think the key was taking it very slowly (and having a 4 to 1 adult to toddler ratio). We didn’t sight-see, we didn’t go to markets or galleries, we didn’t do day-trips and we only ate out three times. We just relaxed and took things at Herbie’s pace and found that with his naps and early bed time there was actually a lot of time to just chill out and read. I even had time to set up a still life of some lemons I picked in the garden and paint them. We even embraced the cloudy days, painting the moody skies and wrapping up warm and going to the beach regardless. Here’s to taking things slowly. You can read my top tips for slow travel here, buy a copy of my guided journal Slow Travel here and see more of Mallorca in my post from 2018.
A Little Guide to Sóller, Mallorca
My husband and I love a European city break, but I've realised in the rush to do and see as much as you can in three or four days it's not always that relaxing. We decided to book a springtime European getaway with a focus on slowing down and relaxing. Sóller in Mallorca was the perfect solution.
My husband and I love a European city break, but I've realised in the rush to do and see as much as you can in three or four days it's not always that relaxing. We decided to book a springtime European getaway with a focus on slowing down and relaxing. Ideally we wanted somewhere beautiful and rural, but neither my husband or I drive which poses a bit of a problem. Sóller in Mallorca was the perfect solution, as this small town is surrounded by stunning countryside, yet it’s easily accessible by bus and train.
Sóller
We flew into Palma and then got the antique train through the mountains straight to Sóller. I had read reviews on Trip Advisor urging me to get there early and be prepared to fight for a seat. As we were travelling out of season and mid week there was no queue at all and our carriage was almost empty. The beautiful antique train takes a scenic route through the mountains, passing olive groves and fields of sheep. A single ticket is €18, so it’s not cheap but it’s a beautiful journey. It’s also worth checking out the train station in Sóller, which includes a free permanent collection of works by Miro and Picasso. Possibly the most cultural train station I’ve ever been to.
Sóller is a gorgeous little town, fairly untouched by modernisation. The main shopping street is still full of independent boutiques, butchers, greengrocers and many, many ice cream shops. The main plaza is particularly picturesque as it features a huge church, orange trees, outdoor restaurants and cafes and an antique tram which winding through it all. The antique tram runs regularly between Sóller town and Port de Sóller carrying waving tourists. We stayed in a hotel in the centre of town then walked and cycled in the surrounding areas. Our favourite restaurant was Bar Molino, a family run place on the edge of own. It doesn't look like much but it is the place to find authentic flavours, friendly service and big portions.
On our second day we hired bikes and planned to cycle to Port de Sóller via the scenic route. The scenic road actually involved cycling up a mountain. We zig-zagged up the mountain for over an hour, at every corner hoping we were at the top, and when we finally made it to way we thought was the top my husband got a massive puncture and we had to walk the bikes all the way down the mountain to the bike shop. You’ve got to laugh. The tire was replaced and we decided just to take the main road and cycled to the port in less than 10 minutes. We had a lovely lunch on the sea front, I did some painting and we explored the area on our bikes.
Ecovinyassa
I developed a bit of an obsession with oranges whilst in Sóller: I probably drank about a gallon of freshly squeezed orange juice and came home with a memory card full of pictures of orange trees. To fuel this obsession further we paid a visit to Ecovinyassa, an organic orange farm in the Sóller valley that offers tours. We spent an hour wandering around the orange groves and learning about different varieties of oranges and organic farming methods, and just generally taking in the beauty and tranquillity of the scenery. The tour finishes with a jug of orange juice and a snack of bread with fresh tomatoes.
Fornalutx
There are lots of beautiful walks in the surrounding area. Our hotel gave us a map of hiking trails, and we did a few of the shorter ones, walking to Biniraix and Fornalutx. The walk to Fornalutx via Binibasi is particularly lovely. The scenery is so magical, I'm not sure that photos really do it justice. There are miles of orange and lemon trees in every direction, remote stone villages dotted along the mountains, wildflowers growing along the edge of every road and blue mountains rising in the distance, with a delicious smell of orange blossom, jasmine and woodsmoke everywhere you go.
Deia
Another day we decided to get the bus to Deia. The timetable said it would only take 25 minutes, but it took more like 40 as it wound its way through the mountains, slowing to a crawl every time we passed another car. There were a few hair raising moments as we squeezed past another bus along a cliff edge. Deia is a mysterious, quiet town, once home to the writer Robert Graves, and the setting for the BBC drama The Night Manager. The bus dropped us in the town and then we decided to walk down to the sea, which as it turns out is quite a challenging 30 minute walk following the path of the river until it meets the sea. I don't mind clambering over styles or small streams, but it's something to bear in mind if you're planning at visit. We had a drink in a picturesque restaurant jutting right out into the sea (it was used in The Night Manager). It was the most expensive orange juice I'd had all week but it was worth it for the breathtaking views. We sat and watched braver folk than us swim in the crystal clear turquoise waters.
The Can Prunera
On our last day the weather was a little cooler so we explored Soller town a bit more in the morning. We visited the Can Prunera, a stunning art nouveau townhouse that is home to a collection of modern art. The rooms are beautiful, and the way the furniture and artefacts are arranged you feel like the owners have just stepped out for a minute. It’s easy to imagine these elegant people of the Fin de Siecle catching the wooden tram down to the port, or strolling in the main Plaza.
Mallorca is such a gem of an island, and so much more than just a party destination or somewhere for a bit of sun and sand. I feel like we have only just scratched the surface of the wonders that Mallorca has to offer, and we are keen to go back. I would recomend it to anyone; pack a book and some comfy walking shoes and prepare to relax.
How to Sketch While You Travel
Is there anything more relaxing than sitting painting in the sunshine whilst on holiday? However it’s so easy to pack your paints and sketchbook in your suitcase and then leave them there all week! I’m definitely guilty of taking my art materials on holiday, but never actually using them. When you are on holiday and you’ve got a limited amount of time to do and see things it can be difficult to make time to sketch. Here are my top tips for making it happen.
Is there anything more relaxing than sitting painting in the sunshine whilst on holiday? However it’s so easy to pack your paints and sketchbook in your suitcase and then leave them there all week! I’m definitely guilty of taking my art materials on holiday, but never actually using them. When you are on holiday and you’ve got a limited amount of time to do and see things it can be difficult to make time to sketch. Here are my top tips for making it happen.
Preparation
Paint
Think carefully about the materials you are bringing. You want to choose things that are compact and lightweight. At home I use a Schmincke Horadam Watercolour Set that comes in a metal tin, however this is very heavy, so on holiday I take this Winsor & Newton Watercolour Set which comes in a light plastic palette with lots of mixing space. It's the perfect paint palette for travelling with.
This was my first time travelling with gouache. I had just bought a set of Holbein Artists Gouache, which come in tiny 5 mL tubes. These teeny tiny tubes are perfect for travelling as they take up no space at all.
Brushes
Water brushes, brushes that contain water in the handle, are ideal for painting on the go. I also like to bring small travel brushes with me. The set of Winsor and Newton watercolours I linked to above comes with a size 5 brush with a short handle so it fits perfectly inside the palette. You can get travel watercolour brushes with detachable or retractable handles that keep the bristles intact whilst travelling.
Sketchbook
I might be completely biased, but I love my sketchbooks from Papier. Yes, they might have my illustrations on the front, but the paper inside is great for pencil sketching, gouache and watercolours. The sketchbook is paperback and staple bound so it opens up completely flat and is very light to pack. The pages are thick enough that you can paint on both side.
Pencils
If you are packing traditional pencils make sure you bring a pencil sharpener, and if you are taking a mechanical pencil make sure you bring some spare leads. I bought my Blackwing pencil with me which has a great rubber on the end.
Pencil case
I used a make up bag as a giant pencil case which I could fit my sketchbook, paint set, brushes and pencils into. Having everything all in one bag made it easy to keep everything together.
Choose your Colour Palette
It’s a good idea to pick a colour palette before you go as it will allow you to limit the amount of art supplies you need to bring. Some people might say that you never know what will inspire you, and therefore what colours you will need, but realistically knowing that I was going somewhere with stone houses with green shutters and lots of orange groves that I would need a good green, orange and stone colour. Think about the place that you are going and the colours you are most likely to use. For example if I was going to Japan during cherry blossom season I would want to take some great pinks with me. If you are bringing watercolours you will probably just bring the whole set, this applies more to tubes of gouache, colour pencils or felt tip pens. On my holiday I brought five tubes of gouache - white, raw umber, permanent yellow, permanent green and flame red. I also took a set of watercolours.
Top tip -
If you are short of space you can just take a set of watercolours and a tube of white gouache. You can mix the pigment from the watercolours with the white on the palette to make gouache of different colours.
Make it Happen
Make Time
Doing a sketch or painting takes a bit of time, it’s not like taking a quick photo. Plan times when you are likely to be able to do some painting and take your sketchbook out with you. I found that waiting for my food to arrive in a restaurant was a great time to sketch, as we were always eating outside in picturesque locations.
Compromise
One of the tricky parts of painting on holiday is compromising the people you are travelling with. Explain to your travel partner that you want to do some painting and suggest that they have a go sketching as well, or bring a book to read. On holiday I did lots of painting and my husband read.
Edit
Don’t feel like you have to paint everything you see in front of you. If you are inspired by one small detail of what you can see, like a particular person, a beautiful tree, or a cute dog it is fine to just paint that one thing. It’s also fine if you don’t finish your painting or sketch in one sitting. Take photos of the scene and use them, plus your memory, to finish it later.
Save it for Later
If there is something you want to paint and you don’t have time grab a sneaky photo and paint it later. I always like to do some holiday paintings in my sketchbook when I get home whilst it is all still fresh in my mind.
Enjoy the Moment
Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece or a beautiful sketchbook. Painting on holiday is about the experience, not just the end result. Painting while travelling is a great way to force yourself to slow down and really take in your surroundings. Enjoy the moment and don’t worry too much about the outcome.
