The sun is setting as I wind my motorbike along Mallorca’s eastern coast, navigating the sharp curves. When I reach Deià, I’m greeted by sandstone houses climbing the rugged shoreline, with the deep blue Mediterranean stretching endlessly to my right.

This village has long been the island’s creative heart, offering a stark contrast to Palma’s urban energy. Here, Bronze Age stone walls line narrow streets where Mallorca’s ancient past and modern life visibly intertwine.

While I’m always thrilled to visit the Balearics in June—with its turquoise coves and pine-scented air—this trip has a purpose beyond enjoying the scenery. I’m here to explore how new tours, projects, and hotels are helping visitors connect with the island’s living craft traditions.

My bike rumbles up a dirt road to Son Rullan, my home for the week during Thread Caravan’s first Mallorca Creative Island Retreat. This 14th-century monastery, nestled among ancient olive trees in the Tramuntana mountains, embodies Mallorcan charm with its whitewashed walls, dark wood beams, and wrought iron beds.

Thread Caravan specializes in craft-focused trips that connect travelers with local artisans worldwide. For this Mallorca program, they partnered with Clara Polanco, a Madrid native who spent childhood summers here and now runs the Mexico City haberdashery Donde Clara.

“Craft reveals the soul of a place,” Polanco tells me. “It uses local materials shaped by generations. When people create with their hands, they learn in a different way—through rhythm, care, and memory.”

Her words resonate when we visit Llanatura, a project reviving Mallorca’s neglected wool industry. Most local wool now gets burned as waste, but Llanatura gives it new life.

During a felting workshop, cofounder Eugenia Marcote explains their water-conscious approach—critical on drought-prone Mallorca, where summer tourism strains resources. “We love plant dyes,” she says, “but water scarcity led us to work with wool’s natural colors. It’s practical, but also a statement.”

Their undyed creations—from cream-colored pillows to earthy felt shoes—carry the faint, sweet scent of lanolin. Nearby, stacks of felted wool await transformation by local partners like design studio Accidente con Flores.

Water concerns surface again when we meet Victor Alacron of perfume house Viti Vinci. Rather than a sleek lab, his scent workshop takes place on a regenerative farm growing drought-resistant Mediterranean plants. His sister Clemintina, a regenerative farming expert, joins us to discuss how healthy soil sustains the island’s future.She emphasized that projects like this are crucial for showing both visitors and business owners how environmentally conscious initiatives can succeed.

Photo: Luna Antonia Arboleda

The next day, we gather for our final workshop as textile artist and chef April Valencia prepares a seasonal lunch featuring island ingredients like heirloom Sineus peaches and local blue cheese. Against the dramatic backdrop of the Tramuntana mountains, artisan Pep Toni Ferrer introduces us to llata, the traditional Mallorcan craft of palm weaving. His fingers move deftly as he demonstrates how to tie the starting knot, using palm fronds I’ve trimmed with a wide-toothed comb-like tool.

Chef April Valencia preparing lunch.
Photo: Luna Antonia Arboleda

Once widespread across Mallorca, palm weaving is now practiced by only a few artisans. The process is labor-intensive—harvesting, drying, soaking, separating, and trimming the fronds before weaving can begin. A single bag can take two months to complete. Because of their handmade quality and heritage craftsmanship, these pieces can sell for over $300, while cheaper, mass-produced imitations are available for under $30.

As we weave together on the shaded stone patio of Son Rullan, Toni Ferrer speaks about the communal aspect of the craft. Some of his most skilled students, who have been weaving for years, still return to his classes. “They come just to sit and weave with others,” he says. “You’ll find that when our hands are busy, we often connect more deeply.”

A weaving workshop with Pep Toni Ferrer.
Photo: Luna Antonia Arboleda

Thread Caravan’s immersive workshops are among the most hands-on craft experiences on the island, but they’re just one of several initiatives connecting travelers to Mallorca’s artisanal traditions.

Dada-days, for example, links visitors with local artists and artisans for one-day workshops across various creative fields. “When you visit Mallorca, you sense there’s something deeper to explore—you just need the right access. We aim to provide that,” says Lucy Ehrlich of dada-days.

At Studio Jaia, designer Anna Lena Kortman blends traditional cordat mallorqui (rope weaving) with modern aesthetics, crafting minimalist furniture from oak, artisanal linen, and recycled cotton. Located just outside Palma, her by-appointment studio often draws curious passersby who recognize the craft from their grandparents’ time.

Anna Lena Kortman of Studio Jaia in her atelier.
Photo: Pep Bestard

Kortman, who founded Studio Jaia six years ago, notes a growing interest in handmade processes. “Craft is definitely making a comeback,” she says. “We need to find sustainable ways for the island to thrive beyond beach hotels.” Next, she hopes to launch workshops to teach both locals and visitors the art of rope weaving.

Many hotels also support these traditions. At Son Bunyola, Richard Branson’s five-star retreat in a 13th-century estate, the team spent 23 years securing permits before restoration began. Committed to authenticity, the hotel partners with Araceli Iranzo of Antic Mallorca and La Escuela Artesana, two initiatives preserving llata weaving in Capdepera.

The women of Antic Mallorca.
Photo: Courtesy of Antic Mallorca

Meanwhile, La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel—a historic property nestled in the Tramuntana mountains—also champions local craftsmanship.Nestled in the Tramuntana mountains of Deiá, La Residencia celebrates Mallorca’s rich artistic heritage. The hotel showcases 33 original lithographs by Joan Miró, who lived on the island for years, and runs an active artist-in-residence program. Guests can join workshops with visiting artists or learn to paint siurells – Mallorca’s traditional clay whistles.

The island’s craft scene got a global boost when XTANT, an artisan textile market and conference, chose Mallorca as its home in 2021. Founded by Kavita Palmar, this annual event brings together makers from around the world and has helped establish Mallorca as an international hub for artisans.

As I depart in mid-June, tourist crowds are beginning to fill the streets. While visitors will surely enjoy the island’s picture-perfect beaches, I feel privileged to have spent my week discovering Mallorca through its creators. My guide Polanco’s parting words at the airport stay with me: “Exploring craft lets you travel with more empathy – and find belonging, even if just briefly.”

(Photos: Luna Antonia Arboleda)