As the days grow warmer and the light stretches a little longer each evening, I always find myself dreaming about summer. Where we’ll go, who we’ll gather with, and the places that will end up shaping the memories we carry with us long after the season ends.
This time of year especially has me looking back to the summer before last, when I hosted a retreat in one of my favorite places in the world — Mallorca.
Tucked into the mountains above the small village of Deià sits a place that feels almost suspended in time: Son Rullan.
It was the setting for a retreat I had been dreaming about putting together, bringing together a group of people in a space designed for slowing down, connecting, and creating.
It also held another special meaning for me. It was the first real international trip Michelle and I had taken together — aside from when I visited her in her hometown of Tapie Tiwan. Sharing that experience together while hosting something so meaningful made the entire trip feel even more significant.
Arriving at Son Rullan
As you leave the coastline behind and begin winding your way up the narrow mountain road toward Son Rullan, something starts to shift.
The road curves higher and higher into the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, and suddenly the noise of the outside world fades away.
By the time we arrived, it already felt like we had crossed into another time.
Ancient olive trees lined the entrance, their twisted trunks shaped by centuries of wind and sun. Sheep roamed freely across the hillsides, grazing quietly as if they had always been part of the landscape — which, in many ways, they have.
Standing there for the first time, you realize just how secluded the place really is.
Mountains and rolling green hills stretch in every direction as far as the eye can see, and beyond them, the shimmering blue of the Mediterranean Sea.
It’s the kind of place that instantly slows you down.
When you’re there, it almost feels like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. The usual rush of everyday life fades into the background, replaced by the quiet rhythm of the land — wind moving through olive branches, the distant bells of sheep, and the changing light across the mountains.
For those days we spent there, it felt like we had stepped outside of time.
A 14th-Century Monastery in the Mountains
Son Rullan isn’t just beautiful — it’s layered with centuries of history.
The origins of the property are not entirely clear, but there are indications and testimonies suggesting it may have once been an Arab farmhouse, later a Templar monastery, a working farm, and eventually even a cultural center.
What remains today is extraordinary.
The main house, originally built in the 14th century, still preserves much of its ancient structure. Stone terraces step down the rugged mountainside surrounded by centuries-old olive trees.
Today the property spans more than 5,000 square feet and can host up to 12 guests, with eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, making it an ideal place for intimate gatherings or retreats.
With its semi-wild Mediterranean garden, mountain views, and a pool overlooking the sea, the home feels like a sanctuary suspended between land and water.
The property is now the mountain home of clothing designer Sybilla Sorondo Myelzwinska, who began restoring both the house and the olive groves in 1994 after finding them in serious deterioration.
Instead of reshaping it into something modern, she chose to listen to the place — gradually restoring the buildings and the land while respecting their history.
Today the olive groves once again produce olives, oil, and even soap. And the house is shared with the wider community, hosting retreats, gatherings, and events.
Mornings in the Mountains
Mornings at Son Rullan had their own quiet magic.
The light would slowly spill over the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, filtering through the olive trees as the island woke up. The air carried that unmistakable Mediterranean softness — warm, salty, and alive — drifting up from the sea.
Before the day fully began, there was always this moment of stillness. Birds moving through the trees, the quiet rustle of wind across the hills, and the feeling that time had slowed down just enough for everyone to actually notice it.
Each morning we gathered together for yoga, moving slowly and intentionally while the landscape around us came to life.
Creativity, Exploration, and Connection
During the day we hosted creative workshops with a local artist, allowing the landscape and history of the place to guide the process.
Some afternoons we wandered the winding streets of Deià, exploring the small village, stopping for coffee, and taking in views that seemed to appear around every corner.
One day we set out on a boat trip along the coast, watching the cliffs of the Tramuntana mountains rise dramatically out of the Mediterranean.
Evenings brought a different kind of energy.
As the sun disappeared behind the mountains, we gathered for sound healing sessions, the vibrations echoing softly through the old monastery walls beneath the stars.
Being in a place that had likely held centuries of prayer, work, and community added a kind of quiet depth to those moments.
The Heart of the Retreat: Rocío’s Kitchen
And then there were the meals.
Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner was prepared by a woman named Rocío — someone who had grown up on the island and, as she told us, had never left. Mallorca wasn’t just where she lived. It was woven into everything she made.
She poured herself into every meal.
There were moments during the retreat where I would step into the kitchen just to check in on her and the girl helping prepare the food for everyone. The kitchen always felt alive — warm light, the smell of herbs and olive oil, vegetables being chopped, something slowly simmering on the stove.
Rocío had this natural beauty about her, the kind that felt effortless and deeply rooted in the place she came from.
Watching her cook felt like watching someone completely in their element — in their art.
Her recipes were all handwritten, pages filled with notes and ingredients, the kind of recipes created over years and passed down through families. Nothing felt rushed or performative. Every dish felt thoughtful and deeply personal.
You could feel that she cared.
At the end of the retreat, when it was time for everyone to leave, emotions were high. People had shared so much of themselves over those days together.
And Rocío cried.
It was one of those moments that stays with you, because it reminded me that what we had created there wasn’t just a retreat people passed through.
For a brief moment, it felt like a small community had formed inside those old monastery walls.
And somehow, through her cooking, Rocío had been just as much a part of that experience as anyone else.
A Place That Stays With You
Trips like this remind me how powerful it can be to gather people in meaningful places.
Perched in the mountains above Deià, Son Rullan is one of those rare spaces where history, nature, creativity, and community seem to meet effortlessly. Surrounded by ancient olive groves in the dramatic landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana and overlooking the shimmering blue of the Mediterranean Sea, it feels both deeply rooted in the land and completely removed from the noise of everyday life.
When you’re there, the outside world seems to fade away.
Days unfold slowly — mornings in the mountains, shared meals around the table, conversations stretching long into the evening. The kind of experience that reminds you how good it feels to disconnect from the constant movement of life and reconnect with the people around you.
Looking back now, it’s the small moments I remember most: the quiet light spilling over the hills each morning, the laughter around dinner, Rocío moving through the kitchen creating meals from recipes written in her own hand, and the feeling that for a few days we had stepped into a different rhythm entirely.
Some places stay with you long after you leave.
Son Rullan is one of them.
How You Can Stay at Son Rullan
The best part is that this incredible retreat isn’t just a memory — it’s a place you can experience for yourself.
The historic monastery at Son Rullan can host up to 12 guests across eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, making it perfect for retreats, creative gatherings, or a private getaway with friends or family.
The property features:
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A Mediterranean-view pool overlooking mountains and sea
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A fully equipped kitchen
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Outdoor barbecue and dining areas
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Indoor fireplace
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On-site parking and Wi-Fi
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Secluded surroundings in ancient olive groves
Groups can rent the entire property for retreats, workshops, or private stays, creating the kind of immersive experience that’s hard to find in traditional hotels.
If you’re dreaming about hosting a retreat, gathering friends for a meaningful getaway, or simply experiencing one of the most magical corners of Mallorca, Son Rullan is waiting for you.
Because once you’ve watched the sun rise over the Tramuntana mountains, felt the quiet stillness of the land, and tasted a meal made with care and centuries of tradition, you’ll understand why some places stay with you forever.
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