Mallorca Escape to the Continent

In the 16th century, over 80 of these watchtowers were built

to protect this island from marauding pirates,

but what island where they so keen to plunder?

Find out in just a moment.

Today I'm helping with an escape from Scotland to sunnier climes.

Aha. Beautiful.

But not all goes to plan with my home-hunting couple.

-It just doesn't give me a feel.

-It's leaving me cold.

Will we be able to turn things around

and deliver more to their taste?

Absolutely. Fantastic. Could move in tomorrow.

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

I'm on the western coastline of Mallorca in Spain

and this watchtower is the Torre del Verger,

built in the 1500s to warn the islanders of potential naval attack.

And if a ship was spotted, a fire would be lit

and if that fire remained ablaze for more than 15 minutes,

it would mean a fleet of ten or more were seen on the horizon.

Today, around 50 of these defence towers stand proud, looking

out towards sea along this stunning and, thankfully,

a lot more peaceful coastline.

Mallorca is as little as a two and a quarter hour flight from the UK.

It sits off the east coast of Spain

and is the largest of the four Balearic Islands.

With around 300 days of sunshine a year,

it's known as the Golden Isle and, rather surprisingly,

the Tranquil Isle,

despite attracting nine million visitors annually.

Palma has been the capital of the Balearics since 1983

and it's home to almost half the Mallorcan population,

as well as the international airport.

The oldest part of the city features a 14th century cathedral

known as La Seu, one of the island's most prestigious heritage sites.

Directly opposite,

the imposing La Almudaina Palace overlooks the harbour.

Originally built as an Arab fortress,

it became the official Mallorcan residence

of the Spanish royal family at the start of the 14th century.

Most visitors are drawn to the magnificent beaches and coves,

but inland, attractive villages and towns hold on to traditional roots,

such as in the mountain town of Valldemossa,

where the composer Frederic Chopin once rented rooms in the old monastery.

The Serra de Tramuntana mountain range

forms a spine through the island.

The dramatic landscape where pine-covered slopes overlook

the sea, coupled with the warm climate,

makes Mallorca an enticing destination to escape to.

Not a bad, is it?

But there is a premium to pay to live amongst the traditional

villages and the beautiful beaches of Mallorca.

The cost of an average three-bedroom property here

is around £317,000,

which is twice that of mainland Spain

and about £35,000 more than a detached property in the UK.

There's also a discernible difference between the between the west of the island,

frequented by the rich and the famous,

and the more affordable east,

even though the east has some of the most stunning beaches

and a slightly better climate.

So, which part of the island will our buyers want to put down roots and why?

Let's meet them to find out.

Today's home-buyers, husband and wife, Paul and Fiona,

currently live in the Glasgow suburb of Newlands,

but aren't newbies when it comes to overseas living.

They even have some lingo to prove it.

That was rubbish. That was rubbish.

We lived out of the UK for over 20 years.

I think in that time we were in how many countries?

11 countries.

We are very prepared for moving to a new country

because we've done it so many times.

Paul and Fiona may be well-travelled,

but it was their native Scotland, 31 years ago,

that provided their location for courtship.

We met at college.

I kept my eye on her for two or three years

and then one day decided it was time that I made the move.

What I remember about Paul was he had on a very fetching

navy blue, velvet jacket.

Mm. Very smart.

Despite having lived in several countries,

the couple have kept their roots in Scotland with their family home.

Now businessman Paul is semi-retired.

Their youngest child is finishing university

and they are ready to move on.

Once our children are away,

the house is going to be frankly too big for us.

We like Glasgow.

It's just in the wrong place.

The problem with living here is you cannot plan things in advance.

You never know what the weather is going to do.

Yesterday we had four seasons in the space of about an hour.

They've long dreamt of retiring to the sunshine,

so after deliberating, they finally settled on a place to move

themselves and their two spaniels.

We are looking to move to Spain, in particular the island of Mallorca.

And ideally around a town called Santanyi.

Where we're looking at around Santanyi

is still like it was before the big tourist boom of the '60s.

There are some great treks in the hills of Mallorca that I intend to do.

Walking the dogs, obviously.

Just living outdoors for the 300 days a year

when the sun shines in Mallorca.

Paul and Fiona's chosen Balearic island has another big bonus

for the two avid golfers.

We both play golf.

We always play together when we go to Mallorca.

I think I'm probably just the better golfer.

You are the better golfer, but if you give me my handicap, I can beat you.

That's true.

And I've had a hole-in-one.

Golf rivals they may be, but they are both

excited about teeing off a new Mediterranean lifestyle together.

What I am looking forward to most about this next chapter

is the new challenges.

Getting the new house established, meeting new people,

certainly enjoying the climate.

I'm looking on it very much as a challenging opportunity

at this time of my life.

Perhaps the last few years, and everybody would probably say the same

when you get to my age, there's been a bit of stagnation

and you just get into a routine and it's healthy and refreshing

to have a bit of a challenge and do something new.

Paul and Fiona have asked us

to concentrate our search in the south-eastern corner of the island

and are particularly keen to be close to the traditional town of

Santanyi, with its easy reach to and from the UK via Palma airport.

To find out more about what they are after in their new island home,

we are meeting in one of Mallorca's beautiful bays.

-So, Paul, Fiona, welcome to Mallorca.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

You are very well-travelled, aren't you? Both of you.

-We are, yes.

-Yes, we've lived all around the world since about 1984.

What is it about this Balearic island that makes you want to move here?

Well, we've been coming here since the late '90s on holiday,

two to three times a year.

We just love the atmosphere, the climate, the people.

-We speak a bit of Spanish.

-We speak the language.

It's accessible from the UK, so it's a nice thought that

if you are living here, you are still going to see people from home.

Let's talk about this property. Whereabouts would you like to live?

We discovered this part of the island last year.

Around Santanyi.

It's off the beaten track, relatively speaking,

for a lot of the tourists, but you're still only 45 minutes from the airport.

It's probably the most unspoilt part of Mallorca that we've found.

Paint a picture, Fiona, for me. Your dream house in Mallorca.

-What's it like?

-Ideally, a bungalow all on one level.

Outdoor space in the form of a terrace. A swimming pool outside.

A large kitchen and, in the sitting room, coal fires, wood fires.

-How many bedrooms?

-Three, minimum.

Well, it depends because we are quite happy to have two

if we can have additional casita,

which is a little house where it could be transformed into an office

if nobody is staying with us.

Similarly, it could be a little house where guests,

if they are coming to stay, they stay there.

They've got their independence. They're not living on top of us.

We're not living on top of them. That would be the ideal, to have this little casita.

-What do you see yourself doing when you get here? Are you going to put your slippers on?

-Certainly not.

No, definitely not. We both play golf

so we'll be looking to join a golf club.

One thing I have thought about doing is to perhaps

start up a bespoke, premium golf company

for golfers who want to come to Mallorca

to enjoy the best of what it has to offer in terms of golf.

Are you sure that Mallorca is the place that is going to keep you grounded?

Are you not going to want to move again after two and a half years?

-Very much so.

-No doubt about it.

-Oh, yes, this is a long-term move.

Money. How big is your budget?

The budget is £550,000

but there's a bit of stretch in our budget

so if we found the ideal house, then there's a bit of room for manoeuvre.

Brilliant. Are you ready to see the first property?

-Absolutely.

-Very much so.

-Can't wait.

-Neither can I.

For a budget of up to £550,000,

the couple are looking for a single-storey house with at least

three bedrooms or two bedrooms and a self-contained casita for guests.

They'd like a fireplace to keep them cosy in the winter whilst

outdoor space including terraces and a pool are crucial.

We've lined up four fantastic homes to show them,

each of which delivers a different take on their wish list.

Our final property is our Mystery House, where we'll be putting

a surprise twist on what they are looking for.

We are starting our search in the coastal village of Porto Petro,

33 miles east of the capital Palma and the international airport

and a 13-minute drive from Santanyi.

A fishing village which is home to 500 regular residents,

it's the perfect place to see locals hauling their catch,

admire yachts in the marina

or relax in one of the restaurants or bars.

Unlike many coastal locations, Porto Petro offers facilities

year-round, including supermarkets and a pharmacy.

There is plenty of scenic walking in the well-marked

trails of the nearby 2,000-acre Mondrago National Park,

whilst the surrounding wooded hills offer pretty villages

huddled between pine and olive trees.

The property is situated in a small residential

development about a mile from the centre of the village.

-Come on in.

-Lovely.

-Very nice. Very good first impressions.

You feel like you are in the country but there are homes around

so you are not isolated.

Best of both worlds.

But one of the things that I would like about a house

is that there is what I call a flow, so you've got terrace

and then you flow down to the pool and that's got it.

-It's got the flow. I like that.

-Yeah, it's got the flow.

And the house sits in a plot of just under a quarter of an acre

-and the garden goes all the way around.

-Great.

-Ideal.

-So far, so good?

-So far, so good.

-Great.

-Fancy going inside?

-Absolutely.

-Let's do it.

This detached, three-bedroom villa is currently kept as a holiday home

by its British owners.

We are starting off our tour at the kitchen end

of the open-plan living space.

Let me bring you straight through.

-What do you think?

-Good size.

Maybe have to do a bit of renovation but, actually, I love the sink,

the Belfast sink. I think it could do with more cupboard space.

It's fine as a holiday home but if you are living here all year, to me, there is not enough space.

Yes, it's a holiday kitchen and it can certainly be improved on.

Did you want to do a bit of work?

I don't really want to be tearing down walls

but renovating a kitchen is fine.

I sense there is a bit of deflation from the outside.

For me, yes.

OK, well, let's go and look at the living area

-and may be you'll get a different sense of perspective.

-Sure.

-OK. Great.

And here we are. Simple as that.

You said you wouldn't want to knock any walls down

-but there are no walls to knock down here.

-No.

I like the sitting area.

It's a good size and the flow of the French windows going out onto

-the terrace there is great.

-The flow.

-The flow.

-Yes.

This floor also features a shower room and two good-sized double

bedrooms with patio doors to the outside, one of which is an en suite.

Stairs lead up to a generous landing space and the master suite.

So how do they feel about two floors rather than their requested single storey?

-How's the flow up here?

-The flow is very good.

-Yes?

Flow is good.

This is the upstairs bedroom

and there is a master bathroom next door.

I think we'd be downstairs. So it's fine as a guest bedroom.

As a bedroom, adequate.

Not as big as we have at home

but you don't find big bedrooms in Spain.

-You both took in that huge space outside?

-It's lovely.

-Indeed.

A surprise.

That could transform this whole upstairs bit of the house.

I know I said I wouldn't be knocking down walls,

but you could possibly make this one big area up here.

-I could play with that, I suppose.

-She's quite creative, isn't she?

-She is. She comes in handy.

-She's got a visual eye.

-She likes flow.

Now I wanted to whisk you off to a secret destination.

-Flow with me this way.

-OK.

The exterior of the property offers well-maintained gardens,

pool and a selection of terraces,

including a rather spectacular roof terrace.

-Take that in.

-Ha-ha.

-That's something, isn't it?

-Fantastic.

Beautiful.

-I didn't expect this up here.

-And the views of the mountains over there are just spectacular.

I'm getting a sense, as we've gone around the house, that it's good,

you like it, you are being positive but there's no, "Ah".

There's no, "Wow". There's no, "Yes, this is it." It's kind of muted.

Am I right?

For me, yes. It's got lots about it I like.

Has it got the wow factor?

No, it hasn't.

-I think we've lived in about 20, 21 houses...

-21, I think.

-..something like that.

So we know what we like in houses.

We know what we don't like in houses.

-Does that mean you are going to be hard to please?

-I hope not.

So, the price? What's this on the market for, Fiona?

I really don't know. If I had to bet on it I would say £480,000.

I'm going to head a bit lower than Fiona, maybe say 470.

You're both wrong.

-It's on for £525,000.

-So we're under.

So it's actually under your budget

but a lot more than you thought.

-Does that surprise you?

-It does a bit, Anita.

It's a little bit over what I thought it would have been valued at, yes.

-OK. Well, you know, it's a lot to take in.

-Sure.

There's still more of the house that you haven't seen,

so I'd like the two of you to go off and have a real good rummage around

and I'll come and find you.

-OK.

-Terrific.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

I'm just going to stay here and take in the view

cos that is what it's all about really.

At £25,000 below budget,

this three-bedroom detached home

offers everything they are after for outdoor living.

Whilst it's not a bungalow, it could offer them single-storey living

on the ground floor and there is the attraction of that stunning sea view.

My first impression when I saw the house

was that this could be a winner.

The terrace area is absolutely ideal in terms of what we were looking for.

The pool is a good size.

The external part of the property is probably one of the highlights.

-Ah, interesting.

-I say. Four-poster bed.

I think the bed is almost too big for the room.

The bed's too big for the room.

It just swamps it.

Right, let's look in here.

-A bit on the small side but it would work.

-Yeah.

This would be our bedroom because of the size of it

and it's got its own bathroom.

The inside space has got everything that we might look for

but it's probably in the wrong order.

I would like to turn the house a bit on its head

and do different things to it.

It just needs to be stretched a bit for us.

It just needs to be a wee bit bigger.

It's great as a holiday home. Fantastic, the way it is set up.

Somewhere I could live? Probably not.

Here they are. Seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yep.

-Positive start?

-Absolutely.

-Brilliant start.

-OK, in that case, let's go. Follow me. This way.

For our second property we are moving further inland,

a 17-minute drive from Santanyi

and 25 miles east of Palma airport near Campos, an agricultural town.

Campos was founded in the 14th century on the site of earlier Roman and Arab settlements.

It continues to cater more for locals

than tourists with supermarkets, cafes and restaurants.

It's a five-minute drive from the town centre to the detached,

single-storey country house I want to show them.

-Open spaces.

-It's a huge plot. You got 4.5 acres of land.

-OK.

-There is space.

-It certainly feels that we're in the countryside.

No doubt about that.

I guess I'm a little bit put off by the garden area.

It looks a little unkept and a bit sort of shabby.

-How about you, Fiona?

-Very rural.

Bars on the windows, which I don't like,

and that's probably because it's so remote.

-What do you think about the pool?

-Yeah, you see, that's lovely. That's a good size pool.

-I can sense, Fiona...

-It's not grabbing me.

-No.

I think you could make this fabulous

if you wanted to live in such a remote place.

As it stands, at the moment, no, I'm certainly not getting any wow factor.

-I want to show you the inside of the house...

-Oh, yeah.

..cos there's plenty to see inside and I think there'll be things that really stand out for you.

-So, shall we had on in?

-Please.

Not the best start

but I'm hoping the spacious interior will be more to their liking.

The main corridor leads through to a large living and dining room,

where Fiona will surely warm to the real log fire.

-Mm...

-Mm.

-No?

-No. Very dark.

Small room.

Bars on the windows.

-It just doesn't give me a feel.

-It's just, it's leaving me cold.

Even the wood-burning stove is not doing it for you.

-No.

-Come on. Let's look at the kitchen. Let's go this way.

-To your taste, Fiona?

-No.

Even that island thing or whatever it is, is far too big for the room.

-That would just have to come out.

-Yep.

No, there's nothing about this kitchen that I would want to keep.

I can see this might appeal to some people,

but it's certainly not how we would want to have a kitchen laid out

or decorated, I don't think. No.

Although the decor isn't to our couple's taste,

it is fairly neutral and would be easy to change.

Perhaps the bedrooms will get a more positive reaction.

-Master bedroom. That's a Jack and Jill bathroom.

-Right.

Huge bathroom and there is another huge room there

that's attached to it on the other side.

-So?

-No.

-No.

-What if the walls were white?

-It wouldn't make any difference.

-No.

-No?

-What do you think?

-I just don't think the layout of the room,

notwithstanding there is a big bathroom through there.

No, it's just doing nothing.

What I find really interesting is that both of you seem to be

-exactly on the same page.

-Yeah. On houses, yes.

We both know, exactly, immediately, we know whether it's good or not.

You just know when you walk into a house.

-Shall we go outside and get some fresh air?

-Sure.

-Let's have a look at that.

For the right buyers, this house offers lots of potential

with two further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

It really delivers on living space.

And it doesn't stop there.

The four and a half acre plot includes two outbuildings,

grazing for livestock

and home-grown fruit right on the doorstep.

Smell that, Fiona.

-It's fantastic.

-They are lovely.

When we lived in the Canary Islands there was a lot of land

and we had all these orange trees and lemon trees. It's beautiful.

What did you do with them?

-We drank lots of gin.

-Of course.

It's such a shame, isn't it, because this bit,

-look at the orange trees...

-Sure.

-..and, OK, it needs some work.

But you can't even see this bit from the house.

There are no windows on that side of the house.

It's just all disjointed.

It's higgledy-piggledy.

And the pool, I think you can only see properly from the kitchen window.

-Shall we go and have a closer look at the pool?

-Sure.

Now, the pool.

-It's pretty spectacular, isn't it?

-Good pool.

-It's like an oasis.

-Yeah. Great pool.

You just can't see it from the house.

What I've learned very quickly is that you do have quite

-a specific vision in mind.

-Without realising that we do.

It's only when you come and see a house like this that you then think

I know I don't want that.

I want you to try and put a price on it for me.

Paul, what do you think this property is on the market for?

I'd say probably £500,000.

Fiona. What do you think?

I would think it's a lot less.

I would say £300,000.

-It's actually on for £465,000.

-OK.

It's 4.5 acres of land.

There's a whole lot of property for that amount of money.

I want you to go and have another squiz

-and then I'll catch up with you in a bit.

-OK.

-Good. OK.

-Thank you.

Look. At least they know this is not for them

so they have got a definite idea in their mind, even though

at the beginning I thought, "Oh, they're quite open to suggestions."

Turns out, they're not.

At £85,000 below their budget,

this four-bedroom, detached country house

gives Paul and Fiona one more bedroom than they asked for

plus a generous four and a half acres of land to play with.

The two additional buildings could be converted for a range of

uses whilst the main house fulfils their wish for single-storey living.

There's also a very large pool

and a selection of outdoor entertaining areas.

From the outside, the house

initially looks quite attractive, actually.

But the inside of the house, really not to our liking at all.

-Oh, dear.

-Oh.

-It's a very strange layout, isn't it? Dark.

I don't think even with a coat of paint it would brighten up, Fiona.

Now, this is nice out here.

This is lovely, Fiona, but it's the wrong side of the house.

-It all seems disjointed.

-Yes.

There are two outbuildings there which you could

change into a casita, which was one of our ideas.

Or make two casitas, in fact.

It could be lovely but there's just far too much work.

-Hello.

-Hi there.

Are you ready? You've got two choices.

You either stay here and buy the place or we leave right now.

-I think we'll leave right now.

-I think we're going now.

-Seen enough?

-Absolutely.

-Do I need to ask?

Follow me. Come on.

And where we are heading is Paul and Fiona's home for the next few days,

a traditional residential property in the heart of Santanyi.

It's going to give them a flavour of what their Mallorcan life could feel like.

So, here are some keys.

Through the magical gate...

-OK.

-OK.

-..awaits your abode.

-See you tomorrow. Yeah.

-Goodbye.

-Enjoy your evening.

-Thank you.

-Look at this.

-Wow.

-How cute is this?

-Unbelievable. Look at the pool.

-A pool.

-Ha!

-In the middle of Santanyi.

-In the middle of Santanyi.

Incredible. Ha.

Is this not just so cute.

It's like a doll's house.

This three-bedroom detached house has been

converted from a 600-year-old mill.

After settling in,

Paul and Fiona are ready to make themselves at home.

-What about this place?

-Well, I never thought we'd end up in a place like this. Look at it.

-Apparently it's 600 years old.

-It's fantastic.

-And a good day.

-A very good day, today, yes.

I think what today tells me is that what we're looking for is out there.

-It is finding it all in the right order.

-Yeah.

-And that's just time.

Yeah. It's funny actually being here now.

It does make it all very real

because you are actually imagining yourself living there.

I was imagining us on the terrace overlooking the pool

and then the top terrace overlooking the sea.

And that's a very good sign. So, yes, it's exciting.

It's the second day of our house hunt on the Mediterranean

island of Mallorca,

where Scottish couple Paul and his wife Fiona are looking to relocate.

With a budget of £550,000, they are after a detached home with a garden

and a pool in the south-eastern corner around Santanyi.

Relatively untouched by tourism,

the resident population of around 3,500 forms a thriving community.

And Fiona and Paul are already getting a sense

of what life here might involve with a trip down to the centre of town.

It's nice, isn't it?

Look at the side of the church.

As with almost every town on the island,

Santanyi has a weekly market.

These are great places to pick up local specialities.

Whilst you may have the locals conversing in Mallorquin,

Spanish is also an official language on the island

and English generally gets you by on a shopping trip.

Let's have a look at these.

These are lovely, aren't they? The colours.

I'd like one with a long handle.

Esparto shopping baskets are typically Spanish

and cistelleria, or basket weaving,

once involved over 8,000 artisans in Mallorca alone.

Now the number is closer to 1,000.

July sees the native palm leaves harvested and dried for 20 days.

These are later cut and woven into a variety of designs.

Formatge mallorqui, or Mallorcan cheese, is exclusively made here

from local cow, goat or sheep milk.

Hispanic Moorish pottery has its origins in Mallorca.

Large red clay deposits are found near the village of Portol

in the region of Marratxi,

where pottery factories are located to this day.

Spanish skills put to the test,

the couple pause for a coffee and a quick debrief.

It's a bit of a laugh, me using my Spanish

because it's about 23 years

since I lived in a Spanish-speaking country and used it on a daily

basis, but it's amazing how quickly it comes back.

People understand our Spanish isn't perfect

but we can still communicate.

But I think they really enjoy it that you try.

-Of course they do.

-That you are making the effort.

-Of course.

You come down, you do some shopping, have a coffee.

That's got to help the integration process as well.

It gets you out and about.

We've done it so many times,

moving around and making new friends and new contacts.

-Yeah.

-I don't think it will be a problem here at all.

-No.

-Hola, gang!

-Hi there.

-How are you?

-Very well, thank you.

-How are you?

-I'm great. You two look like locals already.

-Feel like them.

-Good. That's what we like to hear.

-Are you ready to see another property?

-Yep.

-Definitely.

Our next property is a 15-minute drive from Santanyi

and located on the outskirts of the village of Cas Concos des Cavaller.

The Castell de Santueri, originally of Moorish construction,

overlooks the area and the village of 870 inhabitants.

It remains open all year with facilities including galleries,

restaurants

and the church of St Nicholas.

It's a five-minute drive to the house.

-And, yes, this is the property.

-Ha-ha!

It looks like a lovely garden.

Beautiful garden.

-This is a 300-year-old traditional finca.

-Wow.

-Does that appeal to you?

-Very much so.

When we started the thought process it was to be a finca.

This happens to be a particularly old building. Keen to see it.

Let's see inside.

Well, the quirky exterior of this historic finca has really

got them curious to see more.

But will the recently renovated interior manage

to hold their initial interest?

-Now, this looks more like it.

-Yeah.

Is this something you could work in?

-Very much so. Very much so.

-Yeah.

-Paul, you've got a nice big smile on your face.

-I'm sure I have. Yes.

Not perfect but a terrific start.

And then you've got the dining room over there.

Yeah, it's great because it's a separate dining room but it's not, almost,

because you've got the two archways going through from the kitchen.

-How's the flow?

-Flow's there.

-Flow is there.

-(That's good. The flow is there.)

-Very important.

-I'm going to take you to the living room.

-OK.

-OK.

It's all flowing positively so far

and there's still plenty more to surprise them with.

-Oh.

-Ha-ha.

-This is lovely.

-Lovely.

This is what I've always thought of as a sitting room

when it's off-season and it's much cooler and it's wet

and you've got the wood-burning stove.

-If I had to imagine a room it would be something like this.

-Absolutely.

In here, there's a storage room. A very big one.

You could easily knock this wall through

-and just turn it into a big old room.

-A big room.

So far, could you imagine yourselves living in this space?

-I could, definitely.

-Absolutely. Fantastic.

Could move in tomorrow.

But there's something even more fantastic through there so,

-yeah, lead the way Paul.

-Okey-doke.

Go on through, go on through.

-This is a bonus.

-They are using it as an office.

We've always wanted an office,

but hadn't thought that we would be able to have that space as well.

To have an additional room like this to turn into a study or an office

-is a real bonus. Absolutely.

-It's just so unusual.

That would have been the original fireplace.

-Behind it, what you can see is the oven.

-Bread oven, yes.

And in the corner would have been the washing machine.

-Isn't this utterly charming?

-Absolutely.

-It is intriguing, fantastic.

-Yes.

-Shall we ascend and go see what's going on upstairs?

-Yes.

'Goodness! Paul and Fiona seem at home already.

'An original flagstone staircase takes us

'to a generously proportioned landing.

'Two guest bedrooms, family bathroom,

'utility room and a master en suite.'

-In you come to the master bedroom.

-Oh, terrific.

-Not huge, but well laid out.

-This ceiling is new.

The family that live here have lifted it to give it this

-height and space. En suite.

-That's great.

-Very functional.

-Good.

Terrific. I really like that window.

Looking out onto what looks extremely interesting.

-Would you like to take a closer look?

-I would love to.

-Come on, this way.

The 1.25 acre plot has beautiful, mature gardens

and a variety of outdoor seating areas.

Just the place to entertain the Mallorcan next-door neighbours,

or enjoy the sunshine.

Although perhaps not on this winter's day.

Right.

Glorious! You have brought the Glaswegian weather with you.

-I've never seen it...like this in Mallorca.

-Putting you off?

-No.

-No.

-Because this will be a very short period, couple of months maximum.

-Yes.

-And, look, you've got... Da-dun!

-Lovely big pool.

-Great pool.

-It is more than I was expecting to see, actually.

-Yes.

-OK.

Well, let's see how we do with the price.

Fiona, we'll begin with you.

-How much do you think all of this comes for?

-It is over budget.

I would say £700,000.

Thank you. Paul?

Likewise, probably over our budget. Not quite as high as that.

But I'm going to probably say 640.

-You are right, in that it is over your budget...

-Yeah.

-..by £15,000.

-What?!

-Really?

It is on for £565,000.

PAUL LAUGHS

-That's amazing.

-I'm very amazed at that.

I am amazed, I thought it would be much higher.

So, I have the contract over here.

THEY LAUGH

No, listen, yes, it is good news.

There's a lot for you to think about. I've been a bit sneaky.

There's a little section I thought the two of you could explore on your own, that might

-put an even bigger smile on your face.

-Right.

-Off you go.

-I'm intrigued.

-I'll come and find you.

-OK.

-OK.

They're going to love it!

They're going to see the casita, they might even be buying it.

Oh, I'm getting very excited.

Paul and Fiona have indicated they have some financial wriggle

room for the right property, so although this fully

renovated, traditional finca is £15,000 over budget,

the main house offers them the three bedrooms they asked for.

The interior boasts character features

and a second reception room, currently used as an office.

Whilst outside, the large pool is surrounded by low-maintenance,

mature gardens.

But the extra surprise is it also comes with a two-bedroom,

self-contained casita, converted from a former donkey stable.

-Oh, look.

-This is amazing. With all the sitting room.

PAUL LAUGHS

-Wow.

-Here's your casita that you need.

-My casita.

-With great views into the garden.

-And the pool.

-And the pool.

I didn't expect to find the second house next to the main house.

-This is amazing.

-What a surprise this is.

-Yes, fantastic.

-What's this?

-Oh, cute. Look.

Look, the bed, it's up on the... For the kids, or whoever,

-somebody.

-It is a big casita.

-This is a big casita.

'And that was a great surprise, seeing the casita.'

Particularly given that it's got the two bedrooms.

'From start to finish, it just looked interesting.'

It's not sort of four rooms off a central corridor type of thing.

That's just the charm of the house.

We are beginning to think about, would our furniture fit?

That seems to be a good sign, I think, when you do that.

We certainly haven't seen the property on the best of days,

but I think if you like a property on a bad weather day,

you'll like it even more when the sun is shining, so that's only

got to be good news when we come back and re-visit the house.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-What do you think?

It is fantastic. Brilliant.

-Very sneaky. But well done.

-Yes, it's incredible, isn't it?

A real surprise.

It is a fantastic house, and I know you really, really love it,

but can I prise you away?

-Just.

-Come on, this way.

Paul and Fiona have spent many holidays in Mallorca,

but living in a country is a whole different ball game.

So I've teed up someone for them

to meet with local knowledge, from a whole new angle...

the air.

Pilot and manager at Sloane Helicopters,

British expat Jonny Greenall has lived here since 1993.

He's giving my house-hunters a tailor-made tour of their chosen area.

-Look how clear that water is.

-Yes, it's gorgeous.

And what is that over to our right, Jonny?

This is Colonia Sant Jordi, a little town, mainly full of tourists,

-lots of hotels and very open in the summer.

-Sure.

-This time of year it's a bit quieter.

-What height are we flying at here?

We are about 600 feet above the ground,

and you can start to see a lot of these little beaches are little coves.

I know the island's not big, but you just realise the scale of it. It is not a big island, is it?

No.

That area straight in front of us, on the horizon, Jonny,

-where would that be?

-The white buildings in the area, that is Cala d'Or.

OK, right. This is a great bit of coastline,

-isn't it?

-It is beautiful, yes.

You can imagine just having a little beach to yourself there.

-You just sit there and enjoy the day.

-Yes.

You can see the pathways where people obviously have...

There are walkways.

I think we are about to come to an area where there are lovely houses.

Yes. A lot of these fincas you can see.

A lot of them are old buildings that have been reformed and restored.

-Yes, you can see that.

-And the first thing you will notice is

-everybody has a swimming pool.

-Yeah.

And it gives you a good perspective of how different

-the island is from the air.

-That's the best thing, I think, about coming up,

you see the really... You talk about the different villages and towns,

but they're not really far away at all.

You're only a few minutes away from the nearest town.

Yes. Fantastic houses.

No shortage of country property, that's for sure.

Absolutely. Absolutely. There are so many fincas on this island.

It's been a fantastic opportunity to see all of this from the air.

The bird's eye view has revealed some fresh pockets

of property potential in their preferred location.

But Jonny and his wife Gillian, who met in Mallorca,

have yet more expat insights

to share with these seasoned travellers.

We're looking to relocate, you know, lock, stock and barrel from the UK.

Are there any pitfalls that we should be aware of in terms of coming to live here?

The one thing I would say is there's something here called a gestor.

They work for you, but they deal with all the government paperwork.

-Right.

-Get a very good one over there.

-OK.

Because lots of people come out here, try and do it themselves,

fall into all the different paperwork problems and issues.

You're much better off to get a really good gestor.

-They'll do it all for you, for a price.

-Right, sure.

But that will make your life a lot, lot smoother.

Let's talk about local culture, then.

How quickly do things happen?

Well, you need to adapt to the "manana" syndrome.

If you adapt to that, you'll not have a problem living here.

-In fact, we've got the "manana" syndrome, very much so.

-Yeah.

LAUGHTER

If anything major breaks, just relax, and it'll happen,

but maybe not exactly in an hour.

It'll happen sometime that day or the next day.

Yeah, I remember we had...

A pipe burst in the apartment years ago, on a Friday,

and so we phoned the emergency plumber, and I was like,

"Yeah, we've got water everywhere. We need help."

And he was like, "Yeah, I'll come and fix it. I'll be there Tuesday."

LAUGHTER

The cost of living - what about simple things like a loaf of bread?

It's not particularly cheaper than England,

especially when you start putting in, you know,

housing and taxes and all the rest of it.

But fresh bread, fresh fruit, fresh veg, fresh fish -

it's all absolutely fresh.

Access to health care - is that easy?

The health care here's absolutely excellent.

Should we be looking into having private health care

on top of the national one?

Most of the Spanish people have both.

Most of the Spanish people have obviously the national health,

but they also have private as well.

I have a slight reservation about living somewhere that is so rural,

when you're living in a finca -

that it's a bit remote, and if there was any kind of emergency,

you're stuck in the countryside at two in the morning,

you're on your own, the neighbours are maybe a mile away.

If you mix with the community,

there's such a big community that they do look out for you.

Yeah, I would not be concerned leaving Gillian here in the finca on her own.

-There's very little crime here.

-It's relatively safe.

I certainly wouldn't worry walking down a road at 11 o'clock at night.

-Can you fully integrate?

-Absolutely, yes.

Especially if you try just a little bit to talk in the language, though.

-Oh, the Mallorquin?

-The Mallorquin, yes.

But you'll be fine with your Spanish.

With the Spanish, 100%, because the moment you speak to a Mallorquin

and you answer them in Spanish, they automatically switch to Spanish.

Because years ago, in Franco's days, they weren't allowed

-to speak Mallorquin, at school or anything.

-Oh, didn't know that.

So you get the older generation that a lot of them

don't actually speak Mallorquin.

Now, Paul has a fantastic idea

for a high-end bespoke golf holiday business.

You obviously deal with a similar sort of clientele.

So what about setting up a business here? How easy or difficult is it?

It's fairly straightforward to set it up,

-but the big thing you'll need is what I call the network.

-Sure.

There's a small island mentality -

it's who you know, to get the contacts

-and get in with the right people.

-OK.

Is there a market for bespoke golfing holidays?

Oh, very much so. I mean, there are 26 courses on the island,

and this market in Mallorca is definitely increasing.

So that's where Mallorca's going,

that's where the future of Mallorca is.

-Are they doing the right thing wanting to move here?

-100%, yes.

-Yeah.

-Do you miss anything?

I mean, I know the two of you have lived here for a long time,

but is there something that you think, "Oh, if only

"they had Marmite in the local shop," or whatever it might be.

-LAUGHTER

-No, you can get everything now in the local shops.

No, no, the one thing I miss is real ale. A pint of real ale.

-Cos you can't get it here.

-There's a gap in the market there.

Someone should set up a little microbrewery doing real ale!

LAUGHTER I'm sure they'll have tried.

-Premium golfers drinking real ale. We'll have to work on that together.

-There's a company there.

-Can I join?

LAUGHTER

Well, if Paul and Fiona do decide to seize

that brilliant business opportunity,

they probably should take the advice of Paul

and use the services of a reputable gestor.

This is an administrator skilled in navigating through bureaucracy,

with the contacts to get things done quickly.

In Spain, they're used for many processes,

from setting up businesses to buying a house.

If Paul and Fiona opt to let out part of their property,

they'll need a holiday rental licence.

Rental income in Spain is always subject to Spanish tax,

even if the owner is a tax resident elsewhere.

As they plan to move with their spaniels,

they must be electronically chipped and have a pet passport,

which will need updating by a qualified vet in Mallorca

should they return to the UK.

There's a lot to take in from the last few days of home hunting,

and Paul and Fiona are taking the chance to share some tapas

and reflect on their future here together.

Boy, what an interesting time.

I feel comfy about coming to live here.

-And retiring?

-Yes, I could switch off here very easily.

Play golf.

I don't see that being an issue.

No, I don't either. What about a business, though?

You've often said that you would like to do something.

But the way I'm feeling just now, after what we've seen this week

and the environment that's here...

-You could do it.

-If there was nothing on that score,

-I don't think I would be unhappy.

-Mm-hm.

I think there's still plenty to do to keep ourselves busy.

And you know, going back to all of our moves in the past,

this is the big one. This is coming out here to live.

-Still comfy with that idea?

-Yeah.

We didn't want to retire in Scotland,

primarily cos of the weather.

-Yep.

-So yeah, I do see it as a forever home.

-Good.

-Gracias.

-Gracias.

-De nada.

In coming here, I don't think I would ever say

we were complete locals,

but I think we would be a bit more than...

Well, I know we'd be a bit more than tourists

because this is where we're going to put down roots.

-We'd be as local as we could be.

-Yeah.

-Which is great.

I'd like to be known as from this part of Mallorca.

We're on the Spanish island of Mallorca

with Paul and Fiona from Glasgow, who are looking to relocate.

They've been staying in a traditional home

to get an authentic feel of Mallorcan life, and I've shown them

a mix of varied properties around their budget of £550,000.

I've still got the Mystery House up my sleeve,

and what it has to offer may surprise them.

Fiona and Paul indicated that they'd like an extra couple of rooms

for the inevitable flow of friends and family

that will be descending on their home in Mallorca.

Well, with our Mystery House,

let's just say space is not going to be an issue.

The Mystery House is a 30-minute drive,

and the furthest of our properties from Santanyi.

It's 20 minutes by car from Palma airport,

close to the village of Randa, the site of Mallorca's first monastery.

On a clear day, the monastery, which dates back over 700 years,

offers a vantage point to see most of the island,

including 30 towns and villages.

In 1913, the building was turned over to the care

of the Franciscan order, and is currently inhabited by four friars.

For those who'd like to take their time in this atmospheric location,

it's possible to stay in the guest accommodation.

Randa village itself offers somewhere

to enjoy simple refreshment.

It's a five-minute journey to the final property.

-Right, the mystery.

-The mystery.

-Mystery House.

It's certainly difference to what we've seen so far.

It looks very colourful. Trees might need a bit of pruning, I think.

How's the wind working for you?

The wind's working OK. I'm holding on.

-THEY LAUGH

-We're about to take off!

I've certainly seen a different side of Mallorcan weather

thanks to you guys.

Very typically local.

There's nothing typical about this property.

-That's all I'm giving away.

-OK.

-Let's go in and it will reveal itself.

-OK.

There's plenty that's unique about this home, which was self-built

by a design-loving German couple in the year 2000.

With far more accommodation than they bargained for on their budget,

it comes with an unusual interior,

including a glass-roofed open-plan living space.

A-ha, not what I expected.

Good. Let's get you right into this property,

and into the huge living area.

-Yes.

-Yeah. The space, the area - great.

-The decor, no, not for me.

-Can you see beyond the decor?

I have trouble seeing beyond it, because it's so vivid, but I'll try.

-This is the Mystery House, after all.

-It is the Mystery House.

-Let me show you the kitchen.

-Sure.

-Fine.

-The kitchen.

-Oh, dear.

-Go on, expand on "Oh, dear," please.

-LAUGHTER

This is very quirky.

It's just, the kitchen is small, to me it's old.

That window is a waste of a window -

I would rather have a French door or a bigger, wider window.

In terms of working space in the kitchen, there's hardly any.

We'd have to wholly redecorate this big room

and put in a new kitchen,

so I'm struggling.

This spacious and attractive home

may have a more extrovert interior,

but there's no struggle when it comes to space for guests.

The main house comes with five double bedrooms,

each colourfully styled and with its own en suite facilities.

So can the generous amount of sleeping accommodation here

brighten Paul and Fiona's opinion of this home?

It's still not doing it for me. I'm sorry.

-THEY LAUGH

-Come on! Come on, Fiona.

-What is it?

-I do believe that you walk in the door of a house,

and there's a split second, and you know,

"I'm going to like this place," or, "I'm not going to like this place."

Can you appreciate the size of this room, the fact that it comes

with an en suite, that it's a five bedroom house, all with en suite?

Five bedrooms, all with their own bathrooms, is fabulous.

-I mean, I would love that. Just not in this house, for me.

-OK.

-I think we should take you both outside.

-Do that. Yes, please.

-OK.

Well, lead the way. Let's go out.

But I sense the rather individual interiors

are failing to win Paul and Fiona over.

Perhaps they'll find more to like in the two-acre landscaped garden,

with patios and terraces

plus two more en suite guest rooms with their own private access,

all surrounded by exotic plants.

An incredibly magical garden.

I really love the garden.

I can see it in the summer, when that's all in bloom. Beautiful.

This is by far the best feature.

Manageable size pool, which looks fantastic. Lots of variety.

Absolutely. The inside is not doing it all, the outside's lovely.

As it is, we are here -

how much do you think it's on the market for, Paul?

Um, I would say 440.

You're in the right ballpark, I would say, but maybe a bit more.

-I would say 460,000.

-460.

It's actually on for £565,000.

I'm very surprised it's that much.

Well, look, there is a lot of this house for you to see,

-so go and have an explore, and I'll come and find you.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy.

-Thank you.

It's not for them.

But you know, if you can't see beyond bright blue walls,

then it's going to be a hard sell.

Paul and Fiona do have some financial flexibility

should they decide to opt for this generously sized

and highly original property.

At £15,000 over budget,

this country house offers a lot of property for the money -

a five-bed, five-bath main house,

plus two additional en suite bedrooms.

There are unique design features such as the glass roof,

and the two-acre plot includes a swimming pool

and tropically planted garden areas.

If I'd been driving past it and someone said,

that could be your house, I guess I would have kept driving.

This house has a huge number of bedrooms - seven of them,

for goodness' sake, and seven bathrooms,

which is far more than we ever wanted,

and it would be fantastic to have that.

-This is very pretty.

-Yeah.

This is more what I envisaged - one room with a...

-Presumably a bathroom.

-..a sitting room and a bathroom.

-Yeah.

Absolutely ideal for guests, or...

-See, this is lovely.

-Yeah.

-It's more toned-down.

-It's toned-down. That's it.

-Just a place to sleep and have a shower, yeah.

-That's it.

-Ideal.

For somebody who likes that kind of extrovert, bohemian,

avant-garde decor - fantastic. It certainly isn't my style.

It influenced my overall opinion of everything else we saw.

-How are we feeling? Zen?

-Zenned out.

-Yeah?

-Yep.

-No.

-No?

-Tell it like it is. No.

-That's the Glaswegian.

-Absolutely.

-In that case, let's do one.

-Yeah.

Tourism forms the most lucrative share

of the modern Mallorcan economy, but the fertile soil

and warm climate once made the island a boom location for farming,

especially in the production of oranges.

To see the influence the fruit has played here,

I'm heading northwest to Soller,

now a 30-minute journey by car from Palma via a road tunnel,

but previously cut off by mountains and best accessed by sea.

The fortified harbour walls attest to regular attacks by pirates,

their constant threat causing the main town

to be located a couple of miles inland.

It's there I'm meeting Aina Mora,

a member of an orange growing co-operative,

to discover how selling citrus made Soller special.

Wow, Aina, what a beautiful little square.

It doesn't feel like Mallorca. Why is that?

Well, Soller has been always different

from the rest of the villages of Mallorca,

maybe because centuries ago we were trading with oranges and lemons

with the South of Europe, with France.

It was easier to go by boat to France

than to go over the mountain range to Palma in the 18th century.

Wealth and foreign influence generated by the orange trade

lent many of the buildings an impressive grandeur.

Of note are the early 20th-century modernista facades

of the Banco de Soller and Iglesia de Sant Bartomeu.

-So this is very... I mean, it looks very French to me.

-It's Catalan.

-Catalan.

-Because the architect was a pupil of Gaudi.

So it must have been quite an affluent part of the world.

It was. It was in the past.

The trade is so different,

architecture styles in Europe, and so they brought it here to Soller,

But in 1863, the orange suffered a big disease,

and all the orange trees died.

They tried to replant them five times,

but they have never been the same as before.

Testament to the citrus growers of the area is the orange express,

a train connecting Soller with Palma since 1912

via many miles of orange groves.

Aina is taking me to meet a local orange farmer

whose family have been linked to this land for generations.

Here ancient orange terraces dating to Roman times

surround groves producing 100 tonnes of fruit a year,

all tended by 79-year-old Joaquin Alcover Estades.

I'm very pleased to meet you.

What a beautiful spot you have here.

This is just gorgeous.

-Paradise.

-It is paradise.

My family rest here in 1229.

-Since the 13th century?

-Si, si.

-Yeah.

And have they always grown oranges here?

-I think yes.

-You think yes.

-I think.

So are you still growing oranges to export?

Si. We have a co-operative in Soller.

This co-operative each week sends to Germany.

How many orange trees do you have here?

-72,000.

-72,000!

So is it still lucrative? Are you still making money from the oranges?

-Not very much money.

-No?

-No, Germany buys for five...centimos?

-Cents.

-De Euro.

-Really? Per orange?

-No!

-Kilogram!

-Oh, per kilogram, OK.

-Wow, five cents a kilo?

-Five, si.

So why grow them? Why continue doing this?

HE INHALES

We hope all the time.

Do you love this land?

Si. You must love.

It's good to know that small farms

and co-operatives are preserving such an ancient landscape,

and I can't wait to taste the fruits of their labour of love.

Do you eat oranges?

-Not much. One in the year.

-One a year?

-Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

Si. Possibly this year, I'll eat more,

-because now I eat.

-There you go.

Mm. Oh, that is honestly

the tastiest orange I've had in a long time. Full of flavour.

It's got a great sharpness.

And look, you can tell how juicy it is.

When Paul and Fiona do settle on their Mallorcan property purchase,

they could be growing some of their own juicy fruit.

As our house hunt comes to an end,

it's time for my couple to decide which, if any,

of the properties I've shown them

could be their new home here in Mallorca.

I finally get to find out what Fiona and Paul are actually thinking,

and I've got a feeling these two Scots know their mind

and won't be afraid to tell me straight.

Fiona and Paul, we've come to that time - the end of our time together.

But before I leave you,

I want to really get to the bottom of what you're thinking.

So is this still on? Are you still planning on moving to Mallorca?

I've always wanted to do it - we've both always wanted to do it -

but I think the few days here made me even more keen to do it.

Cos I love Mallorca. It's great, even with this hellish weather.

Let's talk about the first property,

cos you were certainly quite taken with it, weren't you?

It's a lovely house. A beautiful house for rental,

beautifully furnished, but to live there full-time,

I would want to change it around a bit.

-Yes, I know. The layout.

-The layout of it.

Which takes time, it takes money - do we want to do that?

-I don't think so.

-Yeah.

What's been the highlight of our time together?

The one that stands out for me, and I think you as well, is the finca.

Beautiful house. Everything we asked for.

Beautiful garden, pool. And having first thought when I saw it

it was too rural, having thought about it a bit more

and also done the helicopter ride, I can see now that it's not rural.

Nothing in Mallorca is far away from anywhere else. Lovely.

I think because it's still early in our overall search,

we're not going to rush into buying a 300-year-old property overnight.

So maybe next time we're here, and if it's still available,

we'd love to revisit it.

If I came to knock on your door in Glasgow this time next year,

-would you still be there?

-You've got to buy the right house.

This isn't just a holiday home that we're going to buy

and think about selling in a couple of years - this is our home.

And whilst we saw the finca and just loved it,

we didn't see it on a very good day.

We would naturally want to go back and see it again.

You'd never buy it just first time around on seeing it.

What will you take away from our time together, Paul?

I'll take away two things specifically.

One, the travelling around has confirmed that really

nowhere in Mallorca is very far from anywhere.

Secondly that, given the variety of properties that we've seen,

what we want is out there. Of that there's no doubt.

-And what about the business idea?

-It's still at the back of my mind.

It always was a very embryonic idea,

but people that we've met this week and experiences that we've had -

I don't think I'll have time, perhaps, to start a business.

But still just an idea.

Gosh, you're going to be doing some great stuff out here. I'm jealous.

Well, I must say, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here with you, so best of luck to you.

-Thank you very much.

-Cheers.

-Thank you very much. Cheers.

-Chin-chin.

When I first met Fiona and Paul, I thought,

what new information could these two possibly learn?

They've travelled the world, they've been coming here since the '90s,

they both speak fluent Spanish.

But as it turns out, after our time together, they've quite literally

got a whole new perspective on the place,

and I have no doubt it won't be long

before they find their dream property here in Mallorca.

Join me next time for another Escape To The Continent.

Paul and Fiona are planning their next visit to the island

to view some of the additional properties they identified

on their helicopter trip,

and will view the 300-year-old finca we showed them a second time.