Banyalbufar, South West Mallorca

Pretty Coastal Village

Banyalbufar clings to the western coastline of Mallorca on a steep hillside that falls into the sea. Glorious views of the Tramuntana mountains and the sun setting into the sea await you here. Access is by small and windy coastal roads - in particular, the road to the south of the village.

People come to Banyalbufar to see one thing - its terraced hillsides, sloping down to the sea. Developed by the Moors and divided by drystone walls, these terraces speak powerfully of man's ingenuity in creating farmland out of inhospitable cliffs. Until recently it was the custom for each generation to add a further tier.

In Moorish times the town, whose Arabic name means 'vineyard by the sea', was famed for its Malvasia wine. Nowadays the terraces are mostly used to grow vegetables, though a few vines have been planted once again. Banyalbufar's popularity with foreign artists has led some people to conclude that it will be the next Deia.

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