Reial Cartoixa de Valldemossa

From the top of the tower the whole of Valldemossa lies below, its stone houses giving way to terraced slopes and the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana. That view is the high point of the visit.

Below it, the Cartoixa is part monastery, part mansion. Monks' cells open onto their own gardens, the church ceiling carries frescoes by Manuel Bayeu, and the old pharmacy still keeps its shelves of glazed jars. The rooms tied to Chopin and George Sand's winter of 1838–39 are what most people come for, and occasional concerts bring his piano music back into the building. Behind the stone walls the rooms stay cool. On a hot afternoon that matters.

• The tower is a separate ticket from the basic entry. It holds the best views of the visit, so buy both at once.
• Concerts are held occasionally, including piano recitals of Chopin's music.
• Free public toilets stand about 75 m away, and the museum has a wheelchair-accessible toilet of its own.
• The museum suits children, as long as they are kept close among the exhibits.

Buses stop at Valldemossa 1 and Valldemossa 2, both about 200 m from the Cartoixa in a straight line. Drivers have a paid car park about 240 m away and paid street parking in the village. A private car park lies at a similar distance, so check the signs before pulling in. From any of them the last stretch is on foot through the village streets, with a map board about 40 m from the monastery and a guidepost about 75 m out to get your bearings.

Best: a weekday morning from the 10:00 opening, on a clear day.

Avoid: Sundays, when it is closed, and the middle of the day in high summer.

The tower views need clear air, and midsummer middays bring both the heat and the heaviest day-trip crowds to Valldemossa.