Fundació Miró Mallorca
Running your hand along the outer wall of the Espai Estrella allows you to feel the thermal contrast of the architecture. At the Fundació Miró in Palma de Mallorca, one can sense the roughness of the concrete in contrast to the smooth, slippery feel of the ceramic glaze warmed by the sun.
An angular wall of light-coloured concrete stands in front of a still pond with circular stone steps. The façade features a large ceramic mural with abstract designs, in the long shadow of a palm tree. You can sense the contrast in textures: the concrete is rough and warm, whilst the tiles are cool, smooth and glass-like to the touch. This work by the Joan Miró Foundation in Majorca transforms the exterior into a canvas of clay, exposed to the elements and the island’s erosion.
Ensaimada and Chocolate
Dipping a piece of ensaimada into a cup of thick hot chocolate is to experience how the crisp, sugar-sprinkled crust gives way to a light, fluffy pastry that melts in the mouth. A traditional breakfast that captures the essence of Palma de Mallorca.
Several golden, spiral-shaped ensaimadas, dusted with icing sugar, sit on a plate next to a cup of hot chocolate. When you dip the pastry in the chocolate, you can taste the contrast between the crunch of its thin, baked layers and the soft, moist crumb. The icing sugar melts instantly on the tongue, whilst the cocoa gives it an intense, bitter flavour. The sweetness balances the rich, buttery flavour of the bite. This traditional sweet from Palma de Mallorca owes its flaky texture to ‘saïm’, the lard that gives it both its form and its name in the Balearic Islands.
Mahón
Biting into a piece of artisanal aged Mahón cheese is like feeling the north wind burst across the palate. The firm texture gives way to salty and tangy notes, along with a slight metallic tang that encapsulates all the ruggedness of Minorca’s landscape in a single bite.
Thick wedges and whole wheels of mature cheese are piled high on a market stall. Its flesh, which is pale yellow and dense in texture, contrasts with a rind of orange and golden-brown hues. When you put a piece in your mouth, the firm paste breaks apart and melts on your tongue. On the palate, there are aged dairy notes, with an intense salty profile, a sharp acidity and a very persistent spicy, metallic aftertaste. This complex flavour has a direct geographical origin: the tramontana. This north wind carries water particles from the Mediterranean and salts the pastures of Minorca where the cows graze, allowing the essence of the seascape to be reflected in their milk.
Lithica Minorca Quarry
To run the palm of your hand along these high walls is to read the history of a thousand-year-old craft. One can make out the porous texture and the rhythmic grooves carved into the sandstone by the tools at the Cantera Antigua de Líthica quarry in Ciutadella, Minorca.
Imposing vertical rock faces in shades of ochre, criss-crossed by regular striations, guard an intricate grid-like labyrinth of stone at their base. When you run your hand over it, you can feel the rough, porous surface of the marès. Your fingers trace the concave relief of the furrows - the dry, coarse marks left by the constant blows of the stonemasons' pickaxes. You can feel the slight grit of the fine sand that comes loose and the thermal stability of a wall that still retains its underground coolness. This excavated landscape is the exact inverse of the island’s architecture. Each groove bears witness to the manual labour that hollowed out the earth over centuries at the Old Quarry of Líthica in Minorca, transforming the bedrock into the blocks used to build the island's towns.
Es Vedrá
To gaze out from the cliff at dusk is to feel the rhythmic lullaby of the waves mingling with the breeze. As the sun sets, the expectant silence is broken by a collective round of applause that echoes along the entire coastline opposite Es Vedrà, in Ibiza.
Through a natural arch of rough, orange-hued limestone, the pyramidal silhouette of an islet comes into view, rising from the waters as the sun goes down. The constant crash of the waves against the base of the cliff blends with the whistling of the wind in the hollows of the rock. As the light fades, a silence settles in, only to be broken by a burst of applause that reverberates along the coast. Every day, this collective sound ritual bids farewell to the sun in front of Es Vedrà, a rock nearly four hundred metres high in the south-west of Ibiza, known for the magnetic anomalies that surround it.
Dried fish and Bescuit
Taking a bite of a piece of dried fish on bescuit bread is like savouring the pure essence of the sea. You can really taste how the sea salt and the sun have permeated every fibre of the fish, creating an intense, crisp and rich flavour on the tranquil island of Formentera.
Dozens of thick, pale strips of fish hang in the sun from dry branches and intertwined ropes, silhouetted against the turquoise blue of the Balearic Sea. The palate detects the robust flavour of the dried fish. When served with a piece of bescuit – the traditional twice-baked bread – there is a striking contrast: the dry crunch of the crumb gives way to the firm, fibrous texture of the fish. The flavour is intensely salty, with hints of iodine and a long finish. This age-old method of air-drying originated from the sailors’ need to preserve their catch and has become the basis of Formentera’s traditional ‘ensalada payesa’.
Maspalomas Dunes
Walking barefoot across this vast sea of sand feels as though with every step you sink into a warm, silky surface. The body’s weight is cushioned by thousands of fine grains shaped by the wind in the dunes of Maspalomas, Gran Canaria.
An endless succession of golden sand dunes dominates the landscape, their surface marked by fine, undulating striations carved by the wind, until they meet the deep blue of the ocean in the distance. There, you can feel your feet sinking with every step into fine, slippery sand. There is a clear temperature gradient: a surface layer heated by solar radiation and, when you dig your heels in, a cooler, denser interior. The breeze carries tiny particles that brush against the skin. This landscape forms a living sedimentary ecosystem where the trade winds and ocean dynamics shape the relief of the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve on a daily basis.
Gofio and Banana Ice Cream
Savouring gofio and banana ice cream means letting tropical sweetness and the toasted notes of the grains melt on the palate. Just one spoonful is enough to experience the volcanic and agricultural character that defines the cuisine of Gran Canaria and the other Canary Islands.
A white bowl rests on a grey cloth and a rustic wooden table. Inside, two scoops of sand-coloured ice cream are served with slices of fresh banana and mint leaves. When you taste it, you can feel the creamy coolness melting on your tongue, releasing an intense, fruity sweetness. The palate is then filled with toasty and slightly smoky notes, with an earthy texture that contrasts with the creaminess of the dairy. That flavour comes from gofio, a flour made from roasted grains dating back to pre-Hispanic times. An ingredient that sustained the ancient Guanches and which today, alongside the bananas grown on volcanic slopes, encapsulates the agricultural heritage of Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands.
Palmetum Tenerife
Walking along the winding paths of the Palmetum is like being immersed in a rich botanical atmosphere. With every step, the heat releases essential oils from the leaves and volcanic soil, enveloping the walk in an intense, verdant aroma within this subtropical oasis in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
A narrow path of light-coloured cobblestones winds its way across a layer of dark, porous volcanic soil. On either side, the sharp leaves of giant agaves, in shades of green and deep yellow, stand out, contrasting with the cacti with their ridged trunks. Here, you can sense how the heat retained by the basaltic gravel releases a deep mineral scent that intertwines with the fragrance of the vegetation. The air is filled with resinous notes and a sweet undertone from the clusters of ripe fruit, creating a dense, earthy, botanical atmosphere. This sensory landscape, which today hosts Europe’s largest collection of tropical palm trees, is situated on land reclaimed from the sea that served as a municipal landfill site for decades, demonstrating the potential of ecological restoration.
Anaga Forest
To venture into the laurel forest is to feel the living dampness beneath your fingertips. When you run your fingers over its thick, waxy leaves, you can feel the fine layer of water that the mist constantly deposits on them. Constant condensation shapes the Anaga Rural Park on Tenerife.
Slender branches support small, deep-green leaves, glistening with moisture, which stand out against dark trunks covered in thick, spongy moss. As you run your fingers over the foliage, you can feel a coarse, waxy texture on the surface of each leaf. You can feel a subtle chill on your fingertips and the dampness of a thin film of cool water. This persistent dampness in the Anaga Rural Park, in Tenerife, is not caused by a downpour, but by the phenomenon of horizontal rain: the trade winds push the mist against the summits, and the laurel forest acts as a natural sponge that traps the mist and condenses it drop by drop, allowing this prehistoric ecosystem to regenerate.
Puerto de la Cruz
Sitting down to a dinner of fresh fish with the breeze on your face is like letting the rhythmic roar of the waves set the pace for the evening. The sea crashes powerfully beneath your feet on the volcanic coastline of Puerto de la Cruz, in Tenerife.
The deep blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean crash against formations of dark, porous volcanic rock, creating white foam that swirls between the cliffs. The deep roar of the sea provides the soundtrack to this place. You can hear the crash of the waves as they break against the cliffs, followed by the hiss of the foam as it recedes over the rough rock, creating a wild and ceaseless soundscape. This natural percussion defines the northern coast of Tenerife. Its basalt geography acts as a resonance chamber that amplifies the power of the Atlantic, turning the experience in Puerto de la Cruz into a sensory immersion in the island's character.
Picón de la Geria
To sink your hands into the black earth of La Geria is to feel the lightness of thousands of tiny fragments of volcanic ash. Its porous, rough texture retains the sun’s heat during the day, protecting the roots of crops on the island of Lanzarote.
A vast landscape of black volcanic sand stretches out, shaped by deep conical pits. In the nearest hollow, sheltered by a small, curved wall of dark stone, the bright green of a vine springs forth. As you dig your hands into the earth, you can feel the light, crumbly texture of the picón. These lapilli fragments have a porous surface and small, rough edges that scratch the skin. When you squeeze them between your fingers, they retain the sun’s heat and release it as a dry, steady warmth. This layer of volcanic ash acts as a heat shield, trapping the moisture from the night-time dew and reducing evaporation, thereby enabling Malvasía grapes to be grown on the basalt of Lanzarote.
Puerto del Rosario
Walking along the avenues of Puerto del Rosario is like feeling the trade winds become a constant companion. The clothes flutter vigorously, creating a rhythmic fluttering against the skin that, with every step, serves as a reminder of the untamed nature of Fuerteventura.
A long stretch of golden sandy shore blends into turquoise waters, sheltered by a breakwater of dark rocks topped by a small red and white lighthouse. One can sense the contrast between the visual tranquillity of the landscape and the force of the trade winds buffeting the body. The breeze blows against my clothes, causing them to flutter rhythmically against my skin. The salty air envelops and tousles the hair, exerting constant pressure as you walk towards the coast. Fuerteventura, whose name evokes the intensity of its gusts, is shaped by these Atlantic currents that sweep across its landscape and make the wind its most defining physical feature.
Silbo and viewpoint
Stepping out onto the glass cantilever of the Mirador de Abrante viewpoint is to allow wind to convey a language articulated without words. High-pitched, powerful whistles can be heard cutting through the air, crossing the chasm to link the deep ravines of the island of La Gomera.
A viewpoint with glass walls and flooring projects out, suspended over the void, anchored to a red-earth cliff overlooking a deep green valley and the blue ocean. The constant wind battering the structure breaks into sharp, powerful frequencies. There is a clear tonal articulation, with variations in pitch bouncing off and being amplified by the valley’s basalt walls, creating a long-lasting natural reverberation. This soundscape brings to life the Silbo Gomero, a whistled language that replaces the vowels and consonants of Spanish with tones, created to overcome the island’s rugged relief and enable communication over several kilometres across the ravines.
Valverde, El Hierro
Walking through the upper streets of Valverde, you can feel the cool, fine silk caressing your face. It is not raindrops falling, but the mist itself driven by the wind - a tangible, horizontal rain that soaks into the skin on the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Islands.
In the foreground, the sharp, dark crowns of a pine forest break through a dense mass of white clouds that descend, skimming the hillsides. On the upper streets of Valverde, you can feel that mist transforming into something dense and substantial. One experiences the sideways impact of horizontal rain which does not fall from the sky, but travels close to the ground, driven by the wind. You can feel a constant touch, moistening the skin on your face as if a piece of cold, damp silk were clinging to you. This hidden precipitation occurs when the constant, moisture-laden trade winds from the ocean collide directly with the rugged volcanic relief. The vegetation traps these suspended microdroplets, a vital condensation mechanism that silently waters the lush forests of the island of El Hierro.
La Palma Volcano
Walking over recent lava flows is like breathing in the earth’s very breath. A dense, sulphurous, mineral aroma contrasts with the freshness of the pine forest and envelops the volcanic landscape of the island of La Palma.
A vast blanket of ash and deep black volcanic rock contrasts with the vibrant green of the small pine trees scattered across the slopes. In the distance, a thick layer of white clouds drifts over the mountain ridges. The air has a striking olfactory contrast: the breeze carries the resinous freshness of the pine needles, whilst the dark ground gives off a mineral, sulphurous smell, similar to the scent of a freshly extinguished match. This landscape characterises the young terrain of the island of La Palma, where the ground is still being shaped by recent lava flows and the Canary Island pine takes root directly in the ash.