HUMANS OF MALLORCA IS A SPECIAL PRINT EDITION CELEBRATING THE ISLAND OF MALLORCA AND ITS PEOPLE
N º 1 / SANTA CATALINA ISSUE
Co-founder of Fleurs Santa Catalina Geraldine Sabatini:
“Selling flowers is very poetic”
Tell us a little about your background.
I was born in Lyon, France. I completed high school there, then moved to Germany for three years before returning to France to study for a BTS in trilingual secretarial work. My parents were both hardworking hairdressers. From them, I inherited a strong work ethic, respect for others, humility, and a love of freedom. Thanks to them, I grew up bilingual — French from my mother and Italian from my father.
As a child, I dreamed of becoming a psychologist, an investigative journalist, or a theatre actress. I was always drawn to emotions, stories, and human expression.
Where do you live now, and why do you like it?
I live in Palma de Mallorca. It offers a rare balance: calm and inspiration. The sea, the mountains, the rhythm of life — It feels like home in a very intuitive way.
How did you find your profession?
TEXT BY ANASTASIA BARYSHEVA
After years of working in sales — from jewelry to pastries — Geraldine Sabatini has found her most poetic expression yet: flowers. Together with her partner principal master florist Christel Chevrier she runs Fleurs Santa Catalina in Palma’s bustling market.
Life led me to it. I’ve always been a seller — pearls, jewelry, ice cream, pastries. I even ran a Subway franchise for ten years. Flowers arrived as the ultimate expression of my career in sales. Selling flowers is incredibly poetic — it connects beauty, emotion, and human stories. I couldn’t have dreamed of anything more fulfilling. And it’s not a solo adventure — I share it with my business partner Christel and our wonderful team.
What is the most interesting part of your work?
The incredible variety. Every request is different: birthdays, weddings, farewells, spontaneous gifts. No bouquet is ever the same because behind each one there’s a unique story and a feeling we try to capture.
Who are your clients?
We serve everyone — from someone who wants to cheer up a friend with a single flower to clients who ask us to decorate
homes, yachts, or entire weddings. We love working with all styles and stories.
What flowers are especially popular?
Roses are always a classic. But hydrangeas, gerberas, sunflowers, tulips, and all the fresh spring flowers are very loved too. People seek out color, freshness, and the beauty of the seasons.
What was your first professional success?
More than a professional success, I see it as a personal one: learning how to organize, to manage, and to support a team. I wouldn’t say I ‘lead’ a team in the traditional sense — what I’m most proud of is being part of the team, working side by side with everyone.
What difficulties have you faced?
The biggest challenge was surviving COVID. We opened Fleurs Santa Catalina in December 2019 — and just three months later, we had to close.
It was a hard time, but the support we received — from the Santa Catalina Market community, our suppliers, friends, family, and loyal clients — made all the difference. Without that network, we might not have made it. Now we feel we are slowly finding our place in Mallorca’s floral world.
Were there moments when you didn’t know how to continue?
Many times. Starting something from scratch always brings doubt. But I’ve always believed in intuition, signs, and inner strength. That belief — plus the unwavering support of my family, my husband, Christel, and our community — helped me keep going.
What are you most proud of?
Building something meaningful from nothing. Creating a space that touches people — with beauty, emotion, and authenticity. I’m proud of our team spirit, the way we work with care and respect, and of staying true to our values
“We want Fleurs Santa Catalina to continue growing, to become even more established, and to keep developing as a team and as florists”
What are art limited editions and why is it perfect fit for the Mallorcan art scene?
Humans of Mallorca tells the story in words and photographs of people. Random souls who live, work and visit the Island of Mallorca. Humans of Mallorca is a media platform about the people and stories of the island. It’s about the real Mallorca — soulful, surprising, and full of character.
Do you have a story to share? Whether you’re making waves in sports, music, art, business, or another field, we want to hear from you!
Get in touch with us at: hola@humansofmallorca.com
Hi! My name is Sergey Gridchin. I’m a collector and gallerist. Three years ago, I moved to Mallorca with my family and began exploring the local art scene with great interest. It’s very different from anything I’ve experienced before, largely due to the constant flow of tourists.
That’s how the idea of creating limited edition prints came about — Art Limited Editions. These are high-quality printed artworks from my production project, Spring Editions.
I also launched Mallorca Correos project. I’ve been collecting stamps since childhood, so the idea is a fictional postal service for Mallorca — imagining what kind of stamps it might issue if it were separate from the Spanish postal system
Sergey Gridchin, gallerist and founder of Spring Editions. Follow our updates at springeditions.com
DESIGN BY EUGENE TIM
Marcela Moreno, ‘La Bottega di Michele’:
“The best thing is dealing with so many diverse and interesting people”
TEXT BY ANASTASIA BARYSHEVA / PHOTO BY RICHARD MARTINS
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Medellín, Colombia. I studied primary school on an island called San Andrés and later went to university in Bogotá.
What did you dream of becoming as a child?
I wanted to be a flight attendant.
And what about Santa Catalina? What makes it special?
It’s a lively neighborhood with a personality of its own. It’s welcoming, full of energy, and always buzzing.
How did you meet Michele?
Here in Palma, at his restaurant. I fell in love after getting to know him better.
Who are your customers at ‘La Bottega di Michele’ — locals or tourists?
It’s about half and half. Mornings are mostly locals, while evenings bring in more tourists.
Your personal favorite dish on the menu?
Pappardelle alla Sophia Loren.
And what do you recommend to guests?
The pasta with lobster — it’s fantastic!
What’s the most interesting part of your job?
Dealing with so many diverse and interesting people. Meeting people from different nationalities and cultures — it’s always fascinating.
Do you remember your first professional success?
When a customer leaves happy — that gives me a real sense of achievement.
Marcela Moreno, co-owner of ‘La Bottega di Michele’ in Palma’s vibrant Santa Catalina, shares her journey from Medellín to Mallorca, the joys and challenges of running a beloved Italian eatery, and why she wouldn’t trade island life for anything.
When a customer leaves happy — that gives me a real sense of achievement
What were some of your biggest challenges?
At first, I didn’t have the proper documents to work here in Mallorca — only to study. There was a moment when I even considered returning to Colombia because I couldn’t find a job. But Michele and his business partner helped me get my work papers.
What did you learn from that experience?
That if you truly set your mind to something, you can achieve it.
What are you most proud of?
Building a family and a respected business, despite the sacrifices it took.
Do you like to travel?
I do, but I just love being in Mallorca. I’ve been to Italy, France, and the U.S. And we want to visit Portugal and explore the U.S. a bit more.
What makes Mallorca better than Madrid or Barcelona?
It’s more manageable and peaceful — perfect for raising a family. And I can’t live without the sea!
What’s your ultimate goal in life?
To be a good person, a good citizen, a good daughter, a good wife, and a good mother
Saša Tomić was born in Bremen, raised in Hamburg, and built a 30-year career in sales, including nearly two decades in the energy sector. Today, he lives in Santa Catalina, Palma, where he’s found both community and calm. Saša spoke to Humans of Mallorca about his early dreams of becoming a footballer, the thrill of his first big sales win, and the years he spent battling addiction, depression, and a dangerous poker habit — before turning his life around and choosing self-awareness over self-deception.
Where are you from, and how did you end up in Mallorca?
I was born in Bremen and moved to Hamburg at five. My parents came from Serbia with nothing but a suitcase and built a new life in Germany. I’m deeply grateful for the freedom and opportunity they gave me — just being born in the West is a privilege many don’t realize. And they gave my sister and me a wonderful childhood.
As a boy, I dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. I played for the Hamburg selection team, and many coaches saw a future in me. I even got scouted for the junior national team at 16 — but I didn’t have a German passport. And while I had the talent, I lacked the mindset. At that age, I didn’t yet understand what mental strength really meant.
In February, I moved to Santa Catalina, and I love it here — the energy, the diversity, the sea, the cafés. You really have everything on your doorstep. I’ve met so many people here and love the international flair.
What drew you to sales?
Sales expert Saša Tomić:
“You can lie to everyone — but not to yourself in the mirror”
TEXT BY ANASTASIA BARYSHEVA
After training as a bank clerk, I quickly realised I wasn’t meant to sit behind a desk. I loved freedom. In the summers of ’95 and ’96, I worked at Playa de Palma handing out flyers for Club Zorbas — that’s where I learned how to sell. I realised I could win people over with my personality. I’ve been in sales ever since.
When people ask what I do, I tell them I’m a storyteller. Because that’s what good sales is: persuasion, psychology, emotion.
What do you enjoy most about the work?
Meeting people — decision-makers from
major companies — which means dealing with all kinds of personalities. I love the challenge of convincing people.
What was your first big success?
In one project, I earned €100,000 in under three months. That kind of success is motivating. It showed me that if you’re good at sales, you can earn real money — and build something for yourself.
What are you most proud of?
My two kids. And the handful of real friends I know I can count on
‘Agabar’ — it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere
TEXT BY CAT POWELL
It’s safe to say that bars in Santa Catalina are pretty much ten a penny. There’s possibly more bars than hipsters, and that’s saying something. I strolled past Agabar almost daily for an entire year, but for one reason or another, it took me an age to finally go. Fast forward to a celebration, and being in need of somewhere to fun to toast a birthday boy, I headed to Agabar on a cold Saturday night in December. Reader, it was rammed. Agabar is clearly not reliant on tourist trade. It’s a place where locals head in their droves, all in search of an perfect pisco sour, or a marvellous margarita. First impressions count and the immediate feeling was one of friendliness, where the atmosphere was laid back. But rest assured, you definitely feel as though you are ‘someone in the know’ upon entering this perfect spot for pre or post dinner copas
Address: Carrer de la Fabrica, 14, Palma de Mallorca
Club Palma: a stylish concept store in Santa Catalina
TEXT BY CAT POWELL
There’s no other way to describe walking into Club Palma, other than being launched into an explosion of colour. The kind that makes you feel like you’ve popped open a bag of skittles and you don’t know which one to choose first (or maybe that’s just me). Either way, it’s impossible to dispute that Club Palma, is both a kaleidoscope of colour fused into a stylish concept store, that suits the hip surroundings of Santa Catalina to perfection. Located on the perennially popular Carrer Sant Magí, it is filled with wall to wall gorgeousness. So much so, that I would gladly hand over my salary to them every month, if it wasn’t for a pesky thing called a mortgage.
Address: Carrer de Sant Magí, 81A, Palma de Mallorca
From souvenir shops to mountain bike adventures: Toni Abrines Paniza on turning passion into profit in Mallorca
TEXT BY ANASTASIA BARYSHEVA
Toni Abrines Paniza, founder of Tramuntbike, is a man whose journey from reluctant student to successful entrepreneur is as almost as thrilling as the mountain bike trails he now navigates. Starting work at just 16 because he hated studying, Toni learned the ropes of running a business in the family souvenir shop, not in a classroom. His passion for cycling eventually paved the way to his current ventures, where his hobby has become a thriving business, as Toni tells us in this lively interview with ‘Humans of Mallorca.’
Where were you born?
I was born in Palma in 1967. I also studied in Palma. All my family is from Mallorca. I think I was born in a great place.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a teenager, I never thought about what I wanted to be. I just wanted to have fun!
Who are your parents?
My mother is from Palma and my father is from the middle of the island. I’m from a mixed family: one half was rich and the other one was poor.
How did you choose your occupation?
I didn’t like studying, so I started working
when I was 16 in the family business: they had a souvenir shop in a tourist area. It was my first job. My mother asked me: what do you want to do, to study or work? I said — work! And I liked it. Now I have two businesses of my own. I learned a lot in my family business. Sometimes you learn more on the street than in university. Anyway, I worked for the family business for seven years. Then I worked in different places: in a hotel, for 15 years, in a telecommunications company, and ten years ago I started my own business. In the telecommunications company, my job involved coin-fed phone boxes and then
suddenly mobile phones appeared, and I had to think about my future. And I decided to start doing mountain bike tours.
Why bikes?
It was my hobby. I was trying to do something that I liked. Mallorca is a great place for cycling. I opened a bike-rental shop. Business started growing and I couldn’t do the tours and be in the shop at the same time. So I hired tour guides, but the problem with them is when you have a good tour guide, you lose clients, because they get in touch with him or her directly next time.
What’s a typical day in your life like?
I work every day. I wake up at 7 am, have coffee. Around 8.00, I’m in the bar, because as well as the bike business, I have a bar where five people work. I check if everything is okay there and we open the doors. We work from 9 am till 7 pm every day. During the high season we don’t even get days off. That’s from March till October. After October, we work from 1 pm. During the winter we have to prepare for the next season.
What kind of people come to Mallorca? What has changed?
We’re seeing more and more people from the States, because two years ago direct ‘USA – Palma’ flights started. We get Canadians too. But most people are from Europe. And almost all of them are living in their tourist bubbles. Only a small fraction of them want to know about local traditions.
Address: Carrer de la Fabrica, 14, Palma de Mallorca
Santa Catalina: Why is everyone moving to this once sleepy fishing quarter in Palma
Santa Catalina is one of Palma’s oldest neighborhoods, emerging in the 19th century as a settlement for fishermen and dock workers near the mill of the same name. The area takes its name from the chapel of Santa Catalina, built in the 18th century, which still stands as a testament to its historical roots. In the 20th century, the district maintained its character despite the city’s industrial growth and urbanization. Today, Santa Catalina is known for its vibrant food market, Mercat de Santa Catalina, and a lively mix of restaurants, cafes, and bars. According to local government data, approximately 7,000 people call the area home, with nearly 30% of them being expatriates. The neighborhood remains a favorite not only for locals but also for international residents, thanks to its authentic charm and proximity to the sea.
Address: Av. Sant Ferran 21, Palma de Mallorca
MARINA PLANAS, FOUNDER OF PHOTO ARCHIVE CASA PLANAS
