Near Algaida, in the heart of Mallorca, an olive estate with a view of the Puig de Randa has opened its doors to day visitors with a new restaurant based on its own produce.
From hotels to olives
Joan Miralles spent years in the hotel business before changing direction around 16 years ago. He bought land near Algaida and planted a young olive grove of 3,200 trees, with computer-controlled irrigation and fertilisation.
The first harvest, in the winter of 2009–10, produced 3,600 litres of Arbequina olive oil. Today the grove produces up to 19,000 litres a year, sold under the Treurer brand.
The farm stay
Three years ago, part of the property was turned into a rural hotel offering guests a “holiday on the farm”. Now Miralles has gone a step further, opening the restaurant to visitors who are not staying at the hotel.
The menu offers modern versions of traditional Mallorcan dishes made with local, zero-kilometre ingredients, many from the estate itself — from pork loin with creamy mash to salads from the garden and desserts using island citrus.
The qanat
One feature of the estate is a restored qanat, an ancient underground water channel of the kind introduced to Mallorca during the Islamic period. It has been cleaned and returned to use, helping to irrigate the land and offering visitors a glimpse of historic water engineering.
Randa and Ramon Llull
The farm looks out on the Puig de Randa, one of the most symbolic mountains in Mallorca. In the 13th century, the philosopher and writer Ramon Llull retired there to meditate, and it was there, according to tradition, that he received the inspiration for his great work. Today the mountain is home to three sanctuaries — Cura, Gràcia and Sant Honorat — and is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists.
A growing trend
The project reflects a broader trend in rural Mallorca: farms that combine agriculture with tourism and gastronomy to make their land viable. For visitors, it offers the chance to taste the island’s olive oil where it is produced, with one of Mallorca’s most historic landscapes as the backdrop.
