Lugares emblemáticos
On the northern tip of Mallorca is the Cap de Formentor, where the top end of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range meets the Mediterranean. Cap de Formentor literally means ‘end of Formentor’
The Platja (or Playa) de Formentor is a lovely pine-clad beach in a beautiful cove on the peninsula, with views of the mountains. You can also get there by boat, from the port of Pollença.
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Cap de Formentor
231D Diseminado Poligono 9On the northern tip of Mallorca is the Cap de Formentor, where the top end of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range meets the Mediterranean. Cap de Formentor literally means ‘end of Formentor’
The Platja (or Playa) de Formentor is a lovely pine-clad beach in a beautiful cove on the peninsula, with views of the mountains. You can also get there by boat, from the port of Pollença.
Sa Calobra is a stunning set of two beaches tucked in among steep rocky cliffs and divided by the Torrent de Pareis (river gorge), on the northwest coast of the island. Sa Calobra is rather difficult to reach but the scenery around it is so breathtaking that it has become one of the most popular beaches to visit, particularly in the summer months. Located off the main route that runs through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, the journey to Sa Calobra is as much a part of the day’s adventure as the beach itself. Most easily accessed by one of the ferry boats that come a few times a day in July in August, it can also be reached by car or bus along an extremely winding road that is not for the faint hearted, though it boasts spectacular views.
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Sa Calobra
Sa Calobra is a stunning set of two beaches tucked in among steep rocky cliffs and divided by the Torrent de Pareis (river gorge), on the northwest coast of the island. Sa Calobra is rather difficult to reach but the scenery around it is so breathtaking that it has become one of the most popular beaches to visit, particularly in the summer months. Located off the main route that runs through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, the journey to Sa Calobra is as much a part of the day’s adventure as the beach itself. Most easily accessed by one of the ferry boats that come a few times a day in July in August, it can also be reached by car or bus along an extremely winding road that is not for the faint hearted, though it boasts spectacular views.
The town of Sóller in the west of Mallorca became wealthy because of the valley’s abundant citrus groves. In the 19th century, when the area was isolated from the rest of Mallorca by mountains, the oranges were shipped to France from the nearby west coast Port de Sóller . Many locals went to work in France and returned – their fortunes duly made – to build some of the handsome Modernista properties that grace this town today.
The opening of the Sóller road tunnel means that the town now has good access to the rest of Mallorca; an alternative is the snaking mountain pass (not for those who suffer from vertigo). Take the popular excursion to Sóller, on the old wooden train, leaving from its quaint station in Palma’s Plaza de España. The 28 km journey is on a narrow-gauge line opened in 1911, for the transportation of fruit to Palma. It’s a very picturesque journey once you’ve left the suburbs of Palma behind.
On arrival in Sóller, you’ll find numerous bars and cafés in the main square, in the shadow of the imposing church of Sant Bartomeu. Art lovers should visit Can Prunera – a beautifully restored Art Nouveau building housing an excellent collection of art, with work by artists including Kandinksy, Picasso, Warhol, and local artists Miquel Barceló and Francesca Martí. On the main road on the outskirts of the town – a short walk away – is the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals and the Jardí Botànic, a sectioned garden where you’ll find many species of Balearic plants.
A frequent tram service rattles along through citrus groves between the town and Port de Sóller. The port underwent considerable refurbishment in recent years – in advance of the opening of the 5-star Jumeirah Port Sóller Hotel & Spa in 2012. Port de Sóller offers many restaurants, spanning all tastes and budgets, and has the sandy Platja d’en Repic beach. Safe for children, it proved to be dangerous for the Moors who famously fought a battle here with the Christians in 1561. The event is commemorated with a noisy re-enactment during the second week of May’s Festa de Nostra Senyora de la Victòria.
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Sóller
The town of Sóller in the west of Mallorca became wealthy because of the valley’s abundant citrus groves. In the 19th century, when the area was isolated from the rest of Mallorca by mountains, the oranges were shipped to France from the nearby west coast Port de Sóller . Many locals went to work in France and returned – their fortunes duly made – to build some of the handsome Modernista properties that grace this town today.
The opening of the Sóller road tunnel means that the town now has good access to the rest of Mallorca; an alternative is the snaking mountain pass (not for those who suffer from vertigo). Take the popular excursion to Sóller, on the old wooden train, leaving from its quaint station in Palma’s Plaza de España. The 28 km journey is on a narrow-gauge line opened in 1911, for the transportation of fruit to Palma. It’s a very picturesque journey once you’ve left the suburbs of Palma behind.
On arrival in Sóller, you’ll find numerous bars and cafés in the main square, in the shadow of the imposing church of Sant Bartomeu. Art lovers should visit Can Prunera – a beautifully restored Art Nouveau building housing an excellent collection of art, with work by artists including Kandinksy, Picasso, Warhol, and local artists Miquel Barceló and Francesca Martí. On the main road on the outskirts of the town – a short walk away – is the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals and the Jardí Botànic, a sectioned garden where you’ll find many species of Balearic plants.
A frequent tram service rattles along through citrus groves between the town and Port de Sóller. The port underwent considerable refurbishment in recent years – in advance of the opening of the 5-star Jumeirah Port Sóller Hotel & Spa in 2012. Port de Sóller offers many restaurants, spanning all tastes and budgets, and has the sandy Platja d’en Repic beach. Safe for children, it proved to be dangerous for the Moors who famously fought a battle here with the Christians in 1561. The event is commemorated with a noisy re-enactment during the second week of May’s Festa de Nostra Senyora de la Victòria.
The small town on the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range is one of the most dramatic and least known areas of Mallorca. Very popular with Mallorcans all year round, many visitors also like to explore this area, the majority of which is still 100% natural and construction free.
To get there you will need to take a sharp right followed by a road which descends dramatically towards the sea, so much so that you will need to keep your foot firmly on the brakes. Halfway down the hill you can park your car in the small public car park and then continue your descent on foot till you reach Cala Banyalbufar.
Once you have come level with the Mediterranean, you will see a small narrow bay off to your right. This fine stone bay is protected by a cliff, and fresh water flows down over some of its rocks, providing an improvised, and extremely refreshing, natural shower. These who make it down here are on the lookout for peace and quiet. There are no boats around and the stunning beauty of the landscape makes a swim here a real pleasure.
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Banyalbufar
The small town on the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range is one of the most dramatic and least known areas of Mallorca. Very popular with Mallorcans all year round, many visitors also like to explore this area, the majority of which is still 100% natural and construction free.
To get there you will need to take a sharp right followed by a road which descends dramatically towards the sea, so much so that you will need to keep your foot firmly on the brakes. Halfway down the hill you can park your car in the small public car park and then continue your descent on foot till you reach Cala Banyalbufar.
Once you have come level with the Mediterranean, you will see a small narrow bay off to your right. This fine stone bay is protected by a cliff, and fresh water flows down over some of its rocks, providing an improvised, and extremely refreshing, natural shower. These who make it down here are on the lookout for peace and quiet. There are no boats around and the stunning beauty of the landscape makes a swim here a real pleasure.
The small coastal village of Deià, on the northwest coast of Mallorca, is one of the prettiest villages on the island. Perched in a ravine at the foot of the Teix mountain, with views out to the Mediterranean below, Deià has long been a magnet for famous artists, writers and other creative people – most notably the writer Robert Graves. Today’s famous Deià property owners include Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and PR guru Lynne Franks.
The road through Deià is the main coast road and can be very busy: parking in the village can be difficult during the summer, when the small public car park is often full. To the right of this road, on the Sóller side of the village, the Hotel La Residencia is a haven of peace (with its own gated car park), formerly owned by Sir Richard Branson.
There are a few interesting small boutiques, galleries and shops in the village, and plenty of places to eat and drink – including the Michelin-starred Es Racó d’Es Teix. It’s worth taking time to stroll around, admiring the sympathetically restored old stone houses nestling in narrow alleys. Walk up to the church graveyard and you’ll find the simple headstone marking Robert Graves’ final resting place.
A 20-minute stroll from the village takes you down to Cala Deià – a small rocky cove with a shingle beach, and beach restaurants known for their fish. You can also drive down, taking the signposted route from the main road north out of the village.
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Deià
17 Carrer del PorchoThe small coastal village of Deià, on the northwest coast of Mallorca, is one of the prettiest villages on the island. Perched in a ravine at the foot of the Teix mountain, with views out to the Mediterranean below, Deià has long been a magnet for famous artists, writers and other creative people – most notably the writer Robert Graves. Today’s famous Deià property owners include Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and PR guru Lynne Franks.
The road through Deià is the main coast road and can be very busy: parking in the village can be difficult during the summer, when the small public car park is often full. To the right of this road, on the Sóller side of the village, the Hotel La Residencia is a haven of peace (with its own gated car park), formerly owned by Sir Richard Branson.
There are a few interesting small boutiques, galleries and shops in the village, and plenty of places to eat and drink – including the Michelin-starred Es Racó d’Es Teix. It’s worth taking time to stroll around, admiring the sympathetically restored old stone houses nestling in narrow alleys. Walk up to the church graveyard and you’ll find the simple headstone marking Robert Graves’ final resting place.
A 20-minute stroll from the village takes you down to Cala Deià – a small rocky cove with a shingle beach, and beach restaurants known for their fish. You can also drive down, taking the signposted route from the main road north out of the village.
The town of Valldemossa is only around 15-20 minutes’ drive from Palma de Mallorca into the Tramuntana mountains, but feels a world away from the capital. Perched on a hilltop, surrounded by terraced terrain, Valldemossa was named after the area’s original Moorish landowner, Muza. With its car-free cobbled alleys and rich cultural heritage, the town is a treat to visit.
Here we provide all the information you want to know to enjoy Mallorca’s most elegant of villages.
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Valldemossa
The town of Valldemossa is only around 15-20 minutes’ drive from Palma de Mallorca into the Tramuntana mountains, but feels a world away from the capital. Perched on a hilltop, surrounded by terraced terrain, Valldemossa was named after the area’s original Moorish landowner, Muza. With its car-free cobbled alleys and rich cultural heritage, the town is a treat to visit.
Here we provide all the information you want to know to enjoy Mallorca’s most elegant of villages.
Playa Illetas is a beach on the southwest coast of Mallorca, about 10 km away from Palma, in the community of Calvia, between Portals Nous and Cala Mayor. It is situated on a calm, beautiful bay with higher-end hotels, restaurants and shops set up on the surrounding cliffs, which makes for a dramatic scenery. This is the largest of three small beaches which form the community of Illetas.
It can get quite busy with locals as well as tourists, particularly Italian and British, and though all age-generations appreciate this beach, including families, there is a younger crowd that comes here for the beach clubs and more lively and exclusive atmosphere. The roughly 200-metre long beach is white sand and the water is calm and Caribbean blue. A small, paved walkway backs up to this beach that leads up to the streets.
You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas but there are really no water sports or activities for hire except for some paddle boats and SUP, due to its relatively small size. Directly on the beach are a few restaurants and beach bars where you can eat casual and good food, and further back along some of the side streets and on the edges of the bay are more options for food and drinks. There are a handful of good shops, beach focused of course, as well as souvenir shops. There are showers and bathroom facilities onsite. Illetas is surrounded by activity, yet the cliffs create an intimacy that makes this beach feel more exclusive, and special.
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Illetas Beach
6 Carrer Cala ContesaPlaya Illetas is a beach on the southwest coast of Mallorca, about 10 km away from Palma, in the community of Calvia, between Portals Nous and Cala Mayor. It is situated on a calm, beautiful bay with higher-end hotels, restaurants and shops set up on the surrounding cliffs, which makes for a dramatic scenery. This is the largest of three small beaches which form the community of Illetas.
It can get quite busy with locals as well as tourists, particularly Italian and British, and though all age-generations appreciate this beach, including families, there is a younger crowd that comes here for the beach clubs and more lively and exclusive atmosphere. The roughly 200-metre long beach is white sand and the water is calm and Caribbean blue. A small, paved walkway backs up to this beach that leads up to the streets.
You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas but there are really no water sports or activities for hire except for some paddle boats and SUP, due to its relatively small size. Directly on the beach are a few restaurants and beach bars where you can eat casual and good food, and further back along some of the side streets and on the edges of the bay are more options for food and drinks. There are a handful of good shops, beach focused of course, as well as souvenir shops. There are showers and bathroom facilities onsite. Illetas is surrounded by activity, yet the cliffs create an intimacy that makes this beach feel more exclusive, and special.
As parts of our review of the best places to live in Mallorca we feature Port d’Andratx, an exclusive corner of the island offering cosmopolitan lifestyle in what has remained a picturesque fishing village.
One advantage of living on Mallorca is the numerous ports and marinas that link the land to the crystal clear waters. Port d’Andratx, on Mallorca’s southwest coast is one location that, over the past 25 years, has welcomed a cosmopolitan invasion of locals and visitors, all of whom enjoy the smart boats, cool bars, boutique shopping and beautiful vistas of the harbour. Local real estate executive Heinrich von Goetz is busy selling properties to an international crowd of buyers and knows that the local environment simply sells itself. “It’s by far the nicest village in Mallorca. There’s the natural harbour, fantastic restaurants, a good selection of shops, excellent marina and nice people – a good mixture of locals and international people all living in the same village.”
During the mid 80’s the port was the place to go, thanks to a certain Ms. Claudia Schiffer who was at the height of her supermodel stardom and could often be spotted at Tim’s Bar or eating dinner at Miramar (a favourite of King Juan Carlos). The steep hillsides that have always protected the port were yet to be developed but people were already buying property in the area, realising the potential of the surroundings.
Today the panoramas have changed, villas and apartments sit proudly on the hillsides and the sailing club has been joined by an excellent marina. The quayside offers a wide selection of bars, cafés and restaurants – most of which have several tables set close to the water. Tim’s Bar is still serving the beer chilled and if you like ice cream try Gelateria Capri. Those in the know come to the port during the summer months, spoiling themselves with a cocktail before dinner while enjoying the sunsets. Those who choose to stay longer certainly enjoy life at the water’s edge.
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Port d'Andratx
As parts of our review of the best places to live in Mallorca we feature Port d’Andratx, an exclusive corner of the island offering cosmopolitan lifestyle in what has remained a picturesque fishing village.
One advantage of living on Mallorca is the numerous ports and marinas that link the land to the crystal clear waters. Port d’Andratx, on Mallorca’s southwest coast is one location that, over the past 25 years, has welcomed a cosmopolitan invasion of locals and visitors, all of whom enjoy the smart boats, cool bars, boutique shopping and beautiful vistas of the harbour. Local real estate executive Heinrich von Goetz is busy selling properties to an international crowd of buyers and knows that the local environment simply sells itself. “It’s by far the nicest village in Mallorca. There’s the natural harbour, fantastic restaurants, a good selection of shops, excellent marina and nice people – a good mixture of locals and international people all living in the same village.”
During the mid 80’s the port was the place to go, thanks to a certain Ms. Claudia Schiffer who was at the height of her supermodel stardom and could often be spotted at Tim’s Bar or eating dinner at Miramar (a favourite of King Juan Carlos). The steep hillsides that have always protected the port were yet to be developed but people were already buying property in the area, realising the potential of the surroundings.
Today the panoramas have changed, villas and apartments sit proudly on the hillsides and the sailing club has been joined by an excellent marina. The quayside offers a wide selection of bars, cafés and restaurants – most of which have several tables set close to the water. Tim’s Bar is still serving the beer chilled and if you like ice cream try Gelateria Capri. Those in the know come to the port during the summer months, spoiling themselves with a cocktail before dinner while enjoying the sunsets. Those who choose to stay longer certainly enjoy life at the water’s edge.
Cala Mesquida is a long stretch of sandy beach set among pine trees and sand dunes in the northeast coast of Mallorca. The nearest town is the small village of Capdepera, about 7 kilometres away and Artá, a larger town is just 15 kilometres away. The area surrounding Cala Mesquida was specially designated an “area of special interest” by the Balearic government in 1991, helping to protect some of its wild beauty.
Cala Mesquida is roughly 350 metres long, shaped like a bay, with fine grain sand. The water is clean and clear but the winds here can pick up and cause onshore waves and currents. It is very popular with tourists, particularly Germans and British, under 50 and very popular with families who appreciate the easy access and large area of sand and sea. Loungers and umbrellas are available for hire. There is one restaurant and a snack bar offering plenty of good food and drinks, but facilities are minimal. There are showers but no changing stations and there are minimal water sports activities apart from diving, snorkeling and paddle boats.
Bordering Cala Mesquida on one side is a natural landscape of sand dunes and pine trees that is home to large seagull and cormorant communities and on the other side you’ll find more of a resort style environment, including vacation rentals and small hotels popular with families because of its direct access to the beach, as well as a couple of cafes and restaurants.
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Cala Mesquida
Cala Mesquida is a long stretch of sandy beach set among pine trees and sand dunes in the northeast coast of Mallorca. The nearest town is the small village of Capdepera, about 7 kilometres away and Artá, a larger town is just 15 kilometres away. The area surrounding Cala Mesquida was specially designated an “area of special interest” by the Balearic government in 1991, helping to protect some of its wild beauty.
Cala Mesquida is roughly 350 metres long, shaped like a bay, with fine grain sand. The water is clean and clear but the winds here can pick up and cause onshore waves and currents. It is very popular with tourists, particularly Germans and British, under 50 and very popular with families who appreciate the easy access and large area of sand and sea. Loungers and umbrellas are available for hire. There is one restaurant and a snack bar offering plenty of good food and drinks, but facilities are minimal. There are showers but no changing stations and there are minimal water sports activities apart from diving, snorkeling and paddle boats.
Bordering Cala Mesquida on one side is a natural landscape of sand dunes and pine trees that is home to large seagull and cormorant communities and on the other side you’ll find more of a resort style environment, including vacation rentals and small hotels popular with families because of its direct access to the beach, as well as a couple of cafes and restaurants.