There are days in Mallorca that seem made to be remembered.

Not necessarily because you do something extraordinary, but because everything falls into place: an outdoor padel court, the morning sun, the energy after a good match, a cove with crystal-clear water and a relaxed meal with the flavour of the island.

If I had to choose a combination that truly represents how I feel about Mallorca, it would be this: padel, hidden coves and Mallorcan gastronomy. Three very different plans, but together they explain a way of experiencing the island that I love.

I arrived in Palma in 2008 and, since then, Mallorca has gradually become my home. For years, I discovered the island through its villages, its roads, its markets, its beaches and its less obvious corners. But since I started playing padel in 2022, I have also begun to see it in a different way.

Padel gave me a new excuse to enjoy the island.

Because playing a match in Mallorca does not have to be just playing a match. It can be the beginning of an entire day. It can start on a court, continue in a cove and end around a table.

One of those plans I always feel like doing starts in Palmanova, a part of the island that combines sport, coastline and outdoor plans very well. There, you can begin the morning playing padel at one of the clubs in the area, with that very Mallorcan mix of sunshine, relaxed atmosphere and the desire to move.

For me, the perfect plan starts with a morning match.

You arrive at the club, say hello to the group, have a quick coffee if you are still waking up, and the usual phrases begin: “today we’ll take it easy”, “we’re only here to have fun”, “no need to run for every ball”.

But as soon as the match starts, everything changes.

Padel has that magic. You may arrive with the intention of playing gently, but as soon as a tricky ball appears, a bandeja goes well or a long point begins, that little competitive spirit we all carry inside wakes up.

And that is also part of the fun.

A good match activates you. It makes you run, think, miss easy balls, laugh at your own mistakes and celebrate points that may not have been that spectacular, but at that moment feel worthy of a tournament final.

The best thing about Mallorca is that, when you leave the court, the day does not end.

Just a few kilometres, or even metres, away, the sea is waiting for you.

One of the coves I love going to is Cala Sa Bella Dona, in the municipality of Calvià, near Cala Falcó. It is one of those coves that needs no big introduction because, when you arrive, you understand.

Although perhaps the first thing you discover about it is that it has almost as many names as stories. Some know it as Cala Bella Dona, others as Es Caló de sa Nostra Dama, Caló de la Dona Morta, Caló de ses Paparres or Caló des Suro. Whatever you call it, the truth is that it has something special.

But before reaching paradise, you have to earn it a little.

To get down to Cala Sa Bella Dona, you have to descend a stone staircase. There may be more than a hundred steps, and after a padel match, your legs remind you that perhaps it was not the best moment to be brave.

But then you start going down, the sea begins to appear between the trees and suddenly you understand that the effort is worth it.

At the bottom, a small, peaceful cove awaits you, with soft sand and waters of a light blue that is hard to forget. It is one of those places where your body changes rhythm almost without you realising. You take off your shoes, feel the salt on your skin, put your feet in the water and everything slows down.

After padel, the sea feels like the best possible recovery.

Sitting on the sand, you can look towards Illot del Sec, where the remains of one of Mallorca’s best-known shipwrecks rest: an ancient Greek vessel. And if the water is calm and the weather is good, the cove invites you to swim, snorkel a little or simply float without thinking about anything.

Cala Sa Bella Dona has been declared a nudist beach by Calvià Town Council, and perhaps that is why it keeps that free, natural and peaceful feeling that you do not always find on the most popular beaches. It is not a cove to visit in a hurry. It is a cove for turning down the volume, resting and letting the Mediterranean do its work.

And then comes the third part of the plan: gastronomy.

Because if there is one thing Mallorca knows how to do very well, it is to sit you down at a table after a day of sea and sport. It could be pa amb oli with good olive oil, ramallet tomato, cheese, ham or sobrasada. A coca de trampó to share. A simple tumbet full of flavour. Fresh fish, rice by the sea or an ensaimada if the day calls for a sweet ending.

Padel can be the perfect excuse to discover the island in a different way. A sporty morning can become a complete experience. A group of people can start by sharing a court and end up sharing a swim, a table, laughter and memories.

That is also the essence of Grip and Trip.

Creating padel trips in Mallorca for people who do not want to limit themselves to playing matches, but want to experience the island from the inside. Trips where there is sport, yes, but also sea, gastronomy, local culture, special corners and moments that cannot be measured on a scoreboard.

Because Mallorca can be enjoyed in many ways.

You can come for its beaches, its climate, its landscapes or its food. But when you bring all of that together with padel, something different appears: an active, social and Mediterranean experience that stays with you.