Puerto De Pollensa Mallorca Spain

Tourists have been coming to Puerto Pollensa since the 1920′s, and the hotels on the sea front still retain an old fashioned air, having been built long before the concrete boom of the 1960′s developments. During the summer months the town attracts mainly British families looking for something more than the hussle and bussle of the popular south coast resorts. However, once the families have left from October onwards, the resort then becomes very popular with middle aged couples who are able to take advantage of extended stays, escaping from the cold British winters.

Evening entertainment here is mainly hotel based, although the resort does have one very well established disco called Chivas which first opened it doors 1969, but don’t expect to find loud music and non stop karaoke bars. If that is what you are looking for then Puerto Pollensa is not for you.

The bay of Pollensa is home to a multitude of luxury yachts, as well as a mixture of colourful local fishing boats which sadly in recent years are now in the minority. There are a number of small natural beaches in the area, as well as the recently extended artificial one, all offering the usual selection of facilities and water sports. Although, the warm shallow waters of the bay do make it especially popular with families with small children.

Without a doubt the main feature of the resort is the dramatic Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range that surrounds and shelters the town. For the more active, there are numerous walks into these hills from where the views back over the bay are stunning. A word of warning though, before you venture into the mountains be sure to take a local guide book with you which documents the walks, and tells you everything you need to know.

Beyond the beach and the activities programme provided at many of the larger hotels in the area, the actual resort itself really has little in the way of family type attractions. You won’t find water parks or karting tracks here, and is therefore perhaps more suited for those seeking a quiet relaxing break. Although, if the prospect of doing nothing for two weeks isn’t that appealing, there is a waterpark, karting track and three mini-golf courses, less than 10 minutes away at the Hidropark in nearby Alcudia.

Locality:

Puerto De Pollensa is situated near the north eat tip of the island at Cape Formentor (38 mls NE of Palma and airport. 3¾ mls NE of Pollensa. 5¼ mls NW of old town of Alcudia). This resort is facing South across the wide Bay of Pollensa, on broad coastal plain backed by mountains.
Puerto Pollensa is a firm favourite with more mature visitors, although all ages will appreciate finer points of scenery, good beaches and agreeable ambience. Ideal family resort; on the quiet side but not without nightlife.
Accommodation is a near-equal mix of apartments and hotels, most of which fall into mid-market, 3-star range. Many have distinctive character of their own, so breadth of choice is quite wide. Some apartments and hotels situated along main road and pedestrianised section of promenade.

The beaches here are long, narrow strip of fine, white sand, artificially enlarged near marina to create wider beach. Sea is usually calm, sheltered by headlands and sand slopes gradually into clear water. Sun loungers and sunshades for hire although they are expensive.

While Puerto Pollensa may not be a shopping Mecca as such, it is very adequately supplied with shops and boutiques catering to the tourist trade. It is the local markets, mainly, that delight shoppers in Mallorca, and one of the liveliest and biggest takes place every Sunday in the church square in the Pollensa old town.
Puerto Pollensa is renowned for hosting some of the best fish restaurants on Mallorca. While this is undoubtedly so, there is also a wide selection of restaurants catering to all tastes, from the best of British to pizza, Chinese, the local tapas and even a Kashmiri restaurant.

Like everything else in Puerto Pollensa, the scene after dark remains laid-back and quiet, visitors and locals alike taking time for the traditional ‘paseo’ or stroll from the marina along the Pine Walk, as far as the elegant Illa D’Or hotel. After lingering over a delicious dinner most are content to watch the world go by from a pavement café.

Puerto Pollensa offers all the usual watersports enjoyed by holidaymakers, with facilities and equipment available from various operators at the marina and along the beach. Glass bottom boat trips are available from the port.
There are also opportunities for hiking along walking trails in the surrounding hills and scenic mountains. Sightseeing in the port itself and the neighbouring old town, particularly on foot, is an interesting option.
Pollensa (Old Town) : Situated in the hills, towards the north east of Mallorca, Pollensa is a peaceful old town that has been largely unaffected by tourism. The town was established a few miles inland to protect against any sudden pirate attacks; its harbour, Puerto Pollensa, was left as an unprotected outpost.
Alcudia (Old Town) : The ancient town of Alcudia, not to be confused with the modern resort two miles (3km) to its south, has a fascinating and turbulent history. The Phoenicians and Greeks settled here and the Romans made it their capital in the 2nd century BC.
Arta : The ancient hilltop town of Arta close to the east coast of Mallorca has been occupied for about 3,000 years, and today welcomes visitors to the remains of its Bronze Age settlement at Ses Paisses, just outside the town in a grove of olive, carob and holm oak trees.
Lluc : About 20 miles (32km) beyond Soller, after a precipitous drive through the Serra de Tramuntana in the north of the island, is the remote mountain village of Lluc, in a valley that has been an important place of pilgrimage since the 13th century.

Formentor Mallorca Spain

Formentor comprises a famous hotel, a ferry landing stage with a cafe for day-trippers and a few classy, well-spaced private houses, all situated on a narrow 1-ml dead-end road off the equally narrow Cape Formentor road. Surrounded by countryside of great natural beauty, this is an important location for the observation of migratory birds.

Formentor is situated toward the extreme N of the island, 6½ tortuously winding mls NE of Puerto de Pollensa, 44 mls NE of Palma and the international airport on mainly good roads. It is located halfway along the Formentor Peninsula, a spectacular promontory with sheer cliffs rising 650 ft above the sea. It is set alongside a small, sheltered, crescent-shaped bay with steep, pine-forested, rocky ground down to the sea edge.

Wealthy bird-watchers and upmarket seclusion-seekers will enjoy this destination. Otherwise attractions and activities are a bit limited.

Accommodation consists of just the one hotel, occasionally visited by the rich and famous. The beach here is Cala de Pi which is a thin strip of fine sand backed by pine trees. It can be crowded with day-trippers. There are a small number of pedalloes, catamarans and surfboards for hire.

Non beach attractions include bird-watching; horse riding; walking in surrounding countryside. Nightlife here is low key, provided by the hotel in season.

Local excursions include a trip to: Cape of Formentor; village of Pollensa; ferry trips to Puerto de Pollensa; Alcudia.

Alcudia Mallorca Spain

The resort of Alcudia is situated in the north east coast of Mallorca at the top of a long curving bay with an endless white sandy beach. It is situated 34 mls NE of Palma and the airport by way of a good, mainly straight road.This sprawling, purpose-built resort, together with its neighbour Playa de Muro, stretches for five miles (eight km) either side of the coast road and is particularly popular with British, German and Scandinavian families. It has a fairly relaxed atmosphere; its spectacular beach is the major attraction, though it is also well placed for exploring the attractions around the north of the island.

The activities in Alcudia are mainly focused along the spectacular five-mile (eight km) beach that fronts the resort. All sorts of watersports can be arranged from scuba diving to banana rides.
There are tennis and squash courts in the resort and nearby attractions include a water park, a go-kart track and horse riding stables. Boats trips can be arranged to the stunning Formentor promontory where passengers can snorkel or simply take in the views.

The nearby towns of Pollenca and Alcudia (old town) and the mountain village of Lluc are worth exploring in search of a little culture, while those looking to get away from it all can take a trip to the mountainous western side of the island. Alcudia doesn’t have a distinct shopping centre: shops selling buckets and spades and tourist trinkets line the beach road and the other small shopping areas dotted around the resort also cater for tourists. The satellite resort of Playa de Muro has an upmarket mall with some nice boutiques and the port area has a selection of designer shops.

The supermarkets are good, stocking all the well-known brands along with cheap alcohol and cigarettes. The local market opens on Tuesday and Sunday mornings and the market in Inca, 15 miles (24km) inland, opens on Thursdays. Good buys include the porcelain and leather goods, but bargain hard.

As far as eating options, most restaurants in Alcudia cater for the unadventurous British palate with plenty of fast-food joints and cafés offering something with chips. There are also a few Italian, Indian and Chinese restaurants. The better restaurants are mostly in the port area, where diners can find some decent Spanish, French and seafood restaurants within a lovely harbour setting.

Alcudia has lots of bars, pubs and discos catering for most tastes but this is not the resort for those after some serious clubbing. Many of the hotels offer in-house entertainment ranging from flamenco dancers to comedians.
The resort of Alcudia is not known for its architectural merit; its skyline is dominated by 1960s style apartment blocks. To the relief of many, Alcudia is not the resort for party animals; those looking for some serious clubbing should head for the south of the island.

Local excursions include the nearby old town of Alcudia with medieval streets and Roman remains; Puerto de Pollensa and peninsula of Formentor; monastery of Lluc and onward to Soller, Deya and Valldemosa; Caves of Drach and Hams; Palma; market at inland town of Inca (Thurs); jeep safaris; boat cruises; evening shows.

Alaro Mallorca Spain

Alaro is a small village measuring about 1 sq ml, it has a castle on its outskirts and an attractive, solid stone church at its centre. The main square, half-filled with tables and chairs from the 2 cafes, serves as its focal point. Streets are narrow, resulting in a complicated one-way system.
Buildings consist mainly of 3-storey structures of local stone, with a few newer additions on the outskirts. The atmosphere is here is laid back and relaxed.

Locality:

Alaro is situated in NW Mallorca, 6 mls SE of the hamlet of Orient (15 mls NE of Palma and its international airport). Alaro is situated on gently sloping ground in the foothills of the pine-clad Tramuntana Mountains, surrounded by farmland and olive trees. A switchback road leads to the hamlet of Orient.
Popular with German and British couples, Alaro offers a taste of the real Spain.

Accommodation is limited to just a couple of hotels, options just outside Alaro consist of some private rental properties and converted manor houses although are well outside the village.

Typical of a small village, there isn’t a great deal in terms of shops and shopping, with a pharmacy, small supermarket, newsagent being about all that is available. The not to far town of Palma has a far wider choice of shops.

Daytime attractions are really limited to relaxing activities: drinking coffee or beer at the cafe/bars on the main square, walking and exploring the surrounding countryside..etc By night there are a handful of bar/cafes. Palma is the place to go for livelier entertainment as well as cultural activities. A daily bus service is available to Palma and some of the surrounding villages and provides the only real means of getting around. Taxi’s are limited and car hire is not available within the little village.

There are no organised excursions but making your own trips to Pollensa (with its Roman bridge and historical church), the seaside resort of Puerto de Pollensa and Valldemosa (mountain village with monastery where Chopin lived) will make interesting trips whilst in Alaro.