Son Marroig House Museum in Deià

Son Marroig House Museum was founded in 1922, according to the museum’s own history, to share the life and work of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. The house is protected as a historic site.

Between Valldemossa and Deià, in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, Son Marroig combines a visit to the historic house with a walk through its gardens overlooking the sea.

Archduke Ludwig Salvator bought the Son Marroig estate in 1877. It still holds some of the objects he collected during his years in Mallorca, and you can see changes he made to the house and gardens.

The house is next to the sa Foradada viewpoint and the start of the walk to sa Foradada. Part of the route crosses the estate on a path the Archduke had laid out to reach the headland.

There’s a paid car park next to the museum. Deià’s parking rules set charges for both summer and winter. We’d allow about an hour for the house and a stroll through the gardens.

What to see at Son Marroig

The square tower stands out as you approach the house. The museum dates it to the 15th century and explains that it was built to protect the estate from raids by corsairs.

You can buy your ticket at the entrance. It’s a short visit and we found the route well signposted.

We started inside. A narrow, steep staircase leads up into the tower, where there’s a Portuguese four-poster bed bought by the Archduke. The rooms hold books, drawings, notebooks, maps, textiles and furniture connected with his life in Mallorca.

The display cases hold Greek and Roman ceramics, Phoenician necklaces and an original edition of Die Balearen, his work on the Balearic Islands. There are also photographs of his yacht, the Nixe.

The main room displays works by Joan Bauçà, Hermen Anglada Camarasa and Joaquim Mir, among other painters.

From the arched terrace you get a different view of the sea, sa Foradada and the white pavilion. The museum says this terrace is open from May to September and closed from October through April.

The gardens at Son Marroig

The second part of the visit takes us through the gardens. They’re fairly small, but lovely to wander around, especially in spring.

There’s a small ornamental pond, a large cistern and several places to stop and look out over the sea. The most striking sight is the Carrara marble pavilion, surrounded by eight Ionic columns. It’s probably the most photographed spot on the visit, and you may recognise it from weddings held here.

Walks and viewpoints near Son Marroig

Before or after the museum, we’d stop at the sa Foradada viewpoint. It’s one of our favourite sunset spots in Mallorca (guide in Spanish).

Alongside the sa Foradada walk, here are two shorter walks nearby that we enjoy as a family.

• Valldemossa hermitage circular walk (in Spanish).
• Camí de S’Escolta circular walk.

Son Marroig visitor information

Location · Valldemossa–Deià road, km 65.5, next to the sa Foradada viewpoint.

Visit length · The museum suggests 25 to 45 minutes.

Opening times · Monday to Saturday, 9:30 am to 2 pm and 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Closed on Sundays.

Tickets · Admission is charged. See the museum’s opening times and admission prices (in Spanish).

Access · There are stairs inside, including the flight up to the tower. A baby carrier is more practical than a pushchair indoors.

Phone · +34 971 639 158