White clouds against a deep blue sky are reflected in the clear green water of the pond. What almost looks like a swimming pool is part of a sophisticated irrigation system. Turning the dry mountain in fertile ground. With the cypress trees and the neoclassical facade the impressive estate reminds of a Tuscan villa embedded in a lush park.  In fact, Finca de Raixa at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains has Arab roots and a Roman touch. Today, the magic place is open to the public. Whether you…

Sunlight flashes through the high tops of the palm trees. Water splashes and bubbles everywhere. A walk through the Jardines de Alfabia with the historic manor and surrounding gardens is full of fabulous discoveries. The estate at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains is a rare piece of paradise.  Entire colonnades are covered in dark purple by bougainvillea, while lavender, wisteria, and agapanthus compete for the most intense blue. It was the Arabs who laid out the sophisticated irrigation…