Els Calderers de Sant Joan
Overview
If you are driving along the MA-15, at the roundabout (H3C9+CPJ Vilafranca de Bonany) leading off to Sant Joan, you'll find a large billboard that states "Museum of Els Calderers".
This old manor house was formerly a large wine estate, and having reopened in 1993 is now an 18-th century house with a museum of Mallorcan furniture and various items that display the tradition of past times. Els Calderers is set in the beautiful countryside dating back to 1229, where the estate was first mentioned in historic records, belonging to the family Calderers. Later in the 18th century the noble Veri family bought the entire estate and, roughly from 1750, the current main building was built and continuously expanded upon into the early 19th century.
The museum is a self-guided tour with over 30+ stops (rooms) to visit. Tickets can be obtained at the entrance or, depending on the day, at the main shop, where you'll find a small restaurant with snacks and drinks. Tickets are purchased here, and then you head to the main entrance of the house, starting in room 1. Each room displays historically the layout and setup, as can be seen in pictures. Children will find it interesting to see the various items and rooms and discover what it was like to live prior to the internet age, however, younger children may get bored if you tour to slowly. The pace is up to you.
The nice thing about the visit is that at the end you end up being outside and can see the animals, which will definitely be interesting for younger children and toddlers. At the end of your tour you can sit inside the main entrance area and have a drink or outside in the garden and relax under the shade. Our recommendation is bringing a picnic basket and eat outside in peace and tranquility.
Parking is free, however the museum price is fairly high in comparison with other activities. Nonetheless, a recommendation to visit and support, learn and see what history was like, especially for children.
The museum is great and worth a trip. It is a bit off the main roads like many things in Mallroca. Plain beautiful, nice and calm museum with animals, but a bit in poor condition. The walkthrough was nice, but expensive especially for children as well. Then again I understand the upkeep.