On Sunset

Mallorca
After ten days following Paul Weller gigging around Europe, we needed a few days in the sunshine to relax and do relatively little. Ideally nothing! We had previously visited Mallorca in 2018. Our general island thoughts are here and our Mallorca lighthouse adventures can be found here.

Far de Tramuntana, Dragonera

Having explored most of the island previously we could enjoy a relaxing break with just one or two excursions to keep us engaged and fill in the gaps from our previous visit. On this trip we chose our base in the north of the island at a splendid villa just outside the town of Pollença.

The main square in Pollença

Pollença is a small, beautiful town based around a busy main square. The restaurants on the main square were slightly upmarket but perfectly fine and we enjoyed some great pasta and seafood meals on a couple of evenings. As with a few popular towns on Mallorca it can attract a richer crowd of pinkish complexions, bulging pastel shirts and in some extreme cases, a cardigan thrown around the shoulders. If that's not to your taste, then thankfully those folk are nowhere to be seen beyond the small area of the centre. Just off the square and in the multitude of back streets you'll find the locals eating and drinking at great bars and restaurants. Much better company, a great atmosphere and much more affordable. A few eateries of note: Portofi no Pollença does great pizzas, La Trencadora has a beautiful outdoor garden setting and the very local Restaurant Romaní is superb and incredible value.

The Calvari Steps in Pollença

Exploring Pollença will only take an hour. There's a Roman bridge that crosses a dry riverbed on the outskirts of the town, which is worth a look, but the beautiful centre piece is the small Calvari chapel which is reached by a whopping 365 steps. From the chapel's vantage point there are great views of the surrounding area including the Formentor peninsula. That was a close as we got to Formentor as our plans to revisit the famous lighthouse there had to be shelved. In 2021 the authorities introduced road restrictions to reduce the crowding and traffic jams and to preserve the environment. Now large sections of the road are accessible by shuttle bus at peak times. So, whilst it's absolutely worth the visit, it will require a bit of planning and time which we didn't have on this occasion.

Alcanada Lighthouse

So instead, we set out to find the Alcanada Lighthouse which is located just past the northern town of Alcudia. We drove through Alcudia, which isn't the prettiest place, although as we got closer to Alcanada and the seafront it got noticeably nicer. The lighthouse is on a small island is clearly visible from the narrow beach and you could have paddled across, but we decided to stay dry and take some photos instead. The nearby seaside town of Port de Pollença has a very pretty seafront and is an excellent option for lunch.

Alcanada Lighthouse and paddle boarder

Mallorca is teeming with fabulous lighthouses but there were two on our list that required an excursion off the island. From the charming seaside town of Sant Elm on the south coast you can catch a boat to visit the small islet of Dragonera which is only twenty minutes away. It is natural park and visitor numbers are restricted, so it is worth booking ahead to avoid disappointment.

The harbour at Parque natural de Sa Dragonera

There is an excellent visitor centre at the small landing on the island and there you can pick up maps and get advice to explore the Parque natural de Sa Dragonera. The main walking routes are clearly sign posted and the paths were excellent, so we had very little to worry about and were able to fully enjoy the beauty of the island whilst hiking.

The windy path to the Far de Llebeig lighthouse on Dragonera

A close up of Far de Llebeig 

At the south tip of the island is the lighthouse Far de Llebeig which is a good hours' walk but the scenery is breath-taking. We ate lunch at the lighthouse and were joined by hundreds of hungry lizards looking for a snack. The lighthouse at the north of the islet is called Far de Tramuntana and is a shorter walk from the visitor centre but no less spectacular than its southern counterpart.

Far de Tramuntana,Dragonera

Mallorca, with its multitude of lighthouses, great food and laid-back atmosphere means we'll continue to return for a long time to come.