10 villages with charm
Amongst their peaks and valleys the Serra de Tramuntana mountains have some of the most picturesque, bucolic villages on the island. Although we can find beautiful places steeped in history everywhere in Mallorca, where we can escape from routine and find some inner peace.
1. Valldemossa
Composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin and writer George Sand spent winter of 1838 in the Cartuja (Carthusian monastery) of this municipality in the Serra de Tramuntana, probably the best-known beyond the frontiers of the island for its beauty and scenery. The narrow pedestrian streets and stone houses are decorated with colourful flowerpots and tiles paying homage to the village’s saint, Catalina Tomás.
Not to be missed: The local gastronomy speciality, coca de patata, after visiting the Cartuja and Chopin’s cell there.
2. Deià
The loveliest, most picturesque village on the island, also in the Serra de Tramuntana, looks like something out of a Christmas tale. Its narrow stone streets inspire you to lose yourself amidst the village’s beautiful houses and the rich Mediterranean vegetation. Figures such as Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, English writer Robert Graves and American painter William Waldren were captivated by its charm, and established Deià as their residence.
Not to be missed: Sunset from the viewing platform of Na Foradada, a visit to the magical Cala Deià and another one to the cemetery at the top of the village.
3. Sóller
Surrounded by a valley of orange trees, Sóller is a quiet village with imposing stately homes and palaces deeply influenced by French aesthetics. To reach this village, it is a good idea to take the traditional wooden train that leaves from Palma de Mallorca and runs on the same tracks as it has for over a century.
Not to be missed: A trip by tram to the Port of Sóller where you can try the characteristic red prawns from the coast here.
4. Esporles
Just 15 minutes from Palma, Esporles is a delightful haven of peace. A torrent bed cuts right through the village, between the rustic houses built on either side of it. Its Paseo Central (central promenade), full of cafés and restaurants with that village aroma, has become an unmissable place for anyone travelling to Mallorca.
Not to be missed: A stroll through the village, a visit to the historical Granja de Esporles and a swim at Port des Canonge.
5. Banyalbufar
After meandering along winding roads across the Serra de Tramuntana, the characteristic, enormous terraces that descend step-like towards the sea herald our arrival in Banyalbufar. This was historically a fishing village and it still has a tower that served to protect the population from pirates, Torre de Es Verger, now converted into a viewing point affording spectacular vistas of the infinite horizon.
Not to be missed: A dip in the village’s tiny, unspoilt cove in the evening.
6. Orient
Barely twenty ancient stone houses make up the centre of Orient, with its big stepped slopes and vibrant festival of Nature at its purest. In the only restaurant in the village you can try delicious traditional dishes next to the fireplace.
Not to be missed: An excursion along the Coanegra torrent gulley to the Es Freus waterfall.
7. Betlem
This coastal area, the north-west, is one of the least exploited by tourism in Mallorca, and Betlem is all about nature, peace and quiet, crystalline waters and wild coves. A tiny hamlet that preserves the essence of its past as a fishing village almost intact.
Not to be missed: A swim in Cala Clara.
8. Capdepera
Rising over some of Mallorca’s most spectacular beaches, like Cala Mesquida, Cala Gat or Canyamel, stands the Castle of Capdepera with its 14th-century wall from where the island of Menorca can be seen on clear days. King Jaime II, the first monarch of Mallorca as a kingdom, had this castle built during the age of pirate attacks.
Not to be missed: The medieval market held here every year in May.
9. Pollensa
One of the municipalities with the greatest wealth of history on the island, located in the north-west of Mallorca. It contains some of the best-preserved Roman remain on the island, like the Roman Theatre. Every year the popular battle between “Moors and Christians” is recreated here to commemorate the terrible attack Pollensa suffered in the year 1550, with the participation of both inhabitants and visitors of the village.
Not to be missed: The s’Albufereta reserve, a visit to Formentor lighthouse and a bathe on the beach of the same name.
10. Alcúdia
In Roman times this town known as Pollentia was the capital of Mallorca. The city walls, in exceedingly good condition, attract tourists who also visit the famous market held every Tuesday and Sunday.
Not to be missed: The beaches of fine sand and crystal-clear waters like Es Mal Pas, and the roman village of Pollentia.