Picnic with a view

Autumn has officially arrived, and that means cooler weather and often clearer skies, making it a great time to head to one of Mallorca’s high points to take a picnic and soak up the beautiful views across the Pla de Mallorca and, weather conditions permitting, further parts of the island.

The Ermita de Bonany is a sanctuary on top of the Puig de Bonany, near Petra. Take the Carrer de Bonany from Petra and wind your way up to the top, where there’s parking space. For those who like decent exercise, there’s a hiking route up too from Petra.

Before you arrive, you’ll see the Juniper Serra cross, marking the spot where the Petra-born Franciscan monk is said to have delivered his last sermon in Mallorca before leaving for the West Coast of America.

The sanctuary itself is worth a visit. It’s a small church built in the early 20^th century to replace the original 17^th-century chapel, which was destroyed by lightning. Still a building of religious importance to the Mallorcans, it’s home to a statue of the Virgin Mary that probably dates from the 1600s.

Around the church are terraces and picnic tables, more than 300 hectares of protected natural land, and beautiful views.

History buffs keen to discover more about the link between Mallorca and California should visit the Juniper Serra Museum in the missionary’s former home, located in one of Petra’s oldest streets.