Ah, Valldemossa. The village that adopted Frederic Chopin as its favorite son is a classic composition unto itself. Getting there from Puerto Portals or Palma is an exercise in steep, winding, mountainside driving—not exactly the stimulation a carload full of hangovers needs—but it is worth the trip. I’d been there once before during a charter, but only in the typical drop-in-for-lunch fashion. On this day, I had oodles of time to explore.

The more I looked, the more I found to enjoy. Valldemossa dates back to the ninth century, but still has only about 1,300 residents living along its narrow stone streets and alleyways. As in much of southern Europe, all the buildings are of similar, pale construction, so homeowners dress their dwellings with intricately carved front doors that are works of art. Flowerpots abound and overflow. Cafes do, too. It is delightful to sit, sip, and ponder the romance that Chopin and the female writer George Sand shared here in 1838-39.

I wonder if it was anything like the scene we witnessed at a nearby restaurant—so small that I promised not to reveal its name, for fear of deluging it with tourists. (Gertrud Annevelink, a Camper & Nicholsons International charter broker in Palma, says she will tell all if you call her to book a trip.) She led us to the sparsely lit and heartbreakingly charming eatery for a true local dining experience, and since we had no place else to cruise to, we lingered there for hours. Across from our table, in the corner, was a couple in their early 20s. They provided the night’s entertainment.

The young man had would-be sideburns and looked uncomfortable in his silk maroon tie; his companion wore a top with invitingly sexy black straps that made us think this was perhaps their second or third date. As we enjoyed our suckling pig, roast lamb, and cod, we watched them nervously toast what remained of their red wine. She leaned toward him a bit, and he crossed his arms in a desperate act of self-control. Then he gave in and delicately slipped his hand onto her knee. She giggled and smiled, and gently touched his cheek. He leaned in to kiss her nose. She didn’t pull away.

How nice, we thought, that they have all the time in the world ahead of them to fall in love with the world around them—even if they are in no great rush to leave this enchanted island.