When someone thinks of Mallorca, they almost always imagine the same things: There are padel matches that leave you breathless. And then there are places in Mallorca that leave you speechless.

The Caves of Génova belong more to the second category, although after an intense match, any staircase also counts as extra training.

When we think of Mallorca, we almost always imagine the sea, sunshine, coves and terraces. And yes, all of that is part of the island. But Palma also hides corners that surprise you precisely because they are not visible at first glance. Some places are discovered by walking through the old town. Others, by entering a Mallorcan patio. And others, quite literally, by going underground.

That is what happens with the Caves of Génova, a small underground world located very close to the centre of Palma. A different, short and surprising plan that fits perfectly after a morning of padel.

In these four years of playing padel, I have learned that a good match does not end when the last point is over. It ends afterwards: talking about the play, laughing about that ball off the glass that nobody understood, recovering your energy and thinking about what to do with the rest of the day. And in Palma, that question always has many answers.

One of them is visiting the Caves of Génova.

I went in May, and what I liked most was precisely the contrast. You come from an island full of light, noise, sea and outdoor life, and suddenly you enter a cool, silent and mineral space.

You move from the sound of the ball against the glass to the silence of stone. From running after every point to walking slowly. From the sun on the court to an underground world that seems to move at a completely different pace.

The Caves of Génova are made up of limestone galleries, with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and natural formations that water has slowly created over millions of years.

And perhaps that is what impresses you most: after such a fast sport as padel, entering a place where everything has been formed slowly.

In padel, we want to improve quickly. In a cave, nature reminds you that some important things are made drop by drop.

Although, to be honest, that reflection sounds much deeper when you are not focused on avoiding tripping over a step or a rock.

The Caves of Génova are a simple visit and easy to combine with a padel trip to Palma. They are close to the city, do not require half a day, and work very well as a complementary plan to discover a different side of Mallorca.

They also offer a mobile audio guide in several languages, which is especially practical for international groups. That said, it is worth remembering that there are stairs and narrow areas, so this is not a plan for rushing, but for slowing down and letting yourself be surprised.

At Grip and Trip, entry to the Caves of Génova is included in the Sunday plan. And that is no coincidence.

After training sessions, matches, meals, walks and plans around Palma, we like to close the experience with something different. Something that reminds you that Mallorca is not only beach, not only padel and not only terraces in the sun. Mallorca also has hidden corners underground.

For me, this type of plan sums up very well what we want to create with Grip and Trip: padel trips in Mallorca where the court is the starting point, but not the only memory.

Because playing padel in Palma is already a great experience. But playing, sharing, discovering the city and ending the trip by entering an underground corner formed over millions of years… that is another way to experience the island.

One you may not have expected. And precisely for that reason, one you remember.