Ca’n Marcel is a lavish townhouse in Palma’s old town with Gothic origins. During the 18th century, a French corsair from Marseille acquired the property and added first floor balconies to the front façade in breach of the prevailing building laws of the time, or so I’m told.

The house is arranged around a courtyard with Tuscan style columns and pilasters. Today, this patio is elaborately decorated with fountains, murals, plants and bird cages with feathered creatures aplenty. Since 1978, Ca’n Marcel opens at night as an expensive cocktail bar (Abaco), with hundreds of candles lit in the patio as well as inside. Apart from candles, birds, paintings and the most beautiful flower arrangements you will ever have seen outside the Chelsea Flower Show, you can spot some famous faces there, at a price well worth the money, at least once. The background music selection is exquisite and discerning as well.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 16th, 2009. The time was 11:59:44. The photo (bottom) was taken from the Internet, courtesy of S Walker/Flickr. Thank you.