Following in the footsteps of Frédéric Chopin

Protagonist of musical romanticism, Chopin left an indelible mark on the town of Valldemossa, where he lived between November 1838 and February 1839 longing for an improvement in his weak state of health. Despite the brevity of his stay, no one will ever be able to replace the essence he left behind on the island of Mallorca. 

“I will probably live in a charming Charterhouse in the most beautiful country in the world; the sea, mountains, palm trees, a cemetery, a church from the time of the Crusaders, a mosque in ruins, ancient olive trees… Now, my dear friend, I enjoy more of life; I am very close to the greatest beauty in the world; I am a better man.” These are the wonderful words that Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) dedicated to Valldemossa on 15^th November 1838 in the first of four letters sent from Mallorca to his Parisian friend Juli Fontana. 

Discover the towns in Mallorca that you must visit.

Believed to be the greatest exponent of musical romanticism, his stay on the island profoundly marked his life course as a “poet of the piano” and the quiet passing of the days in rural Valldemossa. Anchored at the heart of the spectacular dry stone construction scenery and water network system that make up the Serra de Tramuntana, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Majorcan town is located 20km from Palma.

Serra de Tramuntana: guide fot visiting it.

With his fragile health and motivated by the benefits the Mediterranean climate could bring him, in the autumn of 1838, Frédéric Chopin travelled to Mallorca with his wife, the writer George Sand, and her children. At first they stayed in the Son Vent cottage located in Establiments, then two weeks later moved into one of the rooms at the Valldemossa Charterhouse, one of the most known historical and artistic buildings in the municipality. However, after not noticing any improvement in his health, the famous Polish composer and pianist, along with his partner, made the decision to leave Mallorca on the 13^th February 1839.

The cobbled streets of Valldemossa garlanded with flowers and potted plants are testament to his presence on the island. His presence, traceable in the Pleyel piano or manuscripts and first editions of the play ‘A Winter in Mallorca’, can be felt when visiting the Charterhouse, a place packed with history and surrounded by beautiful gardens. The essence of the Polish composer is revived every year thanks to the International Chopin Festival, established as one of the most remarkable cultural events of the Majorcan summer.