A popular walk to a ruined castle and hilltop chapel offering spectacular views all the way to the sea.
A castle has stood on this site since Moorish times; it was so impregnable that the Arab commander was able to hold out for two years after the Christian conquest. Later, in 1285, two heroes of Mallorcan independence, Cabrit and Brassa, defended the castle against Alfonso III of Aragon and were burned alive on a spit when he finally took it by storm. Their punishment was a consequence of their impudent defiance of the king. They pretended to confuse Alfonso's name with that of a local fish - anfos, shouting: "We like our anfos grilled." The present ruins date from the 15th century and seem almost to grow out of the rock, dominating the landscape for miles around.
The climb up here is one of Mallorca's most popular walks; do not go on a Sunday if you want to be alone. From the town of Alaro it takes about two hours, following the signs from the PM210 to Orient. You can also leave from Orient, following a small path opposite L'Hermitage hotel, again taking around two hours in total. The paths converge at Es Verger restaurant (you can even bring a car this far if you don't mind the potholes and the hairpin bends), where you can fill up with roast lamb to fortify you for the final steep climb.
At last you reach the castle, 800m above sea level. Look back at the view, stretching across the entire plain to Palma and out to sea. A few minutes further brings you to the summit, with a small chapel and sanctuary, and (bliss!) a restaurant and bar. If you are inspired by the views, you can stay the night here in one of the simple rooms.
A well-preserved 14th-century royal fortress with fragrant pine woods, an interesting museum and superb views over Palma Bay. Looking up at this castle, so perfectly maintained, it is hard to believe that it has been standing for almost 700 years. Begun by Jaume II in 1300 and built by Pere Salva, the architect of the Almudaina Palace, it is unique among Spanish castles in being entirely round.
Three large towers surround a central courtyard, connected by an arch to a free standing keep. The courtyard itself is on two levels, the ground floor with semicircular arches and a flat roof, the upper level with Gothic arches and rib-vaulting. For the full effect, walk around the moat then climb onto the roof and look down into the courtyard to compare the contrasting styles. While you are there, look out over the city and the bay for one of the best views in Palma. Bellver means 'lovely view' in Catalan.
For many centuries the castle was used as a prison; Jaume III's widow and sons were imprisoned here for most of their lives. These days it contains Palma's museum of municipal history, which traces the development of the city through its artefacts, with pottery from Talaiotic, Roman, Arab and Spanish periods.
You can get there by car or taxi, or take a bus to Placa Gomila and climb up through the pine woods above Carrer de Bellver, passing a chapel on the way.
If you are driving between Anta and Cala Rajada, stop off to visit this small town, crowned by the largest fortress in Mallorca. The Romans were the first to build a castle on this site - the Moors enlarged it, the Christians destroyed it, then replaced it with one of their own in the 14th century. Legend has it that the citizens of Capdepera hid in the castle when under siege, placing an image of Our Lady of Hope on the battlements, and the invaders were driven away by fog. The miracle is recorded inside the castle on the Capel aide Nostra Senyora de la Esperanca and is remembered each year at the town's annual fiesta. You reach the castle by climbing the steps from the market square, Placa de Orient.
Visit Capdepera Castle website
The hike to this remote mountain castle, 7 km north of Pollenca, is one of the most popular in Mallorca. The castle is on a large private estate and you have to apply for permission at the Town Hall in Pollenca to get access. Please note that this permission can take up to four days to be granted. Walk from Pollenca to avoid parking problems and allow at least five hours for the round trip. You get there by taking the small country road to Ternelles opposite Pollenca's Roman bridge. Stay on this road until it ends at the gate to the estate. The walk then climbs gently through a cool pine forest, eventually reaching the castle, 490m above sea level. Founded by the Moors and strengthened by Jaume I, this was the last fortress to surrender to Pedro of Aragon when the brief-lived kingdom of Mallorca came to an end. It has been abandoned since 1715 and would be terribly romantic if it were not for the crowds.
...read moreThese are the most significant remains of the Talaiotic culture, which flourished in Mallorca between around 1300 and 800 BC. It was dominated by talaiots (circular or rectangular structures) two to three storeys high, which were used as both burial chambers and defensive fonts. Each settlement was surrounded by Cyclopean walls, built from massive, unhewn stones without mortar to hold them together. There is no evidence of a written language, so the stones are all that archaeologists have to go by in understanding prehistoric Mallorcan culture. At Capocorb Vell, about 10km south of Llucmajor, you can see five talaiots and wander around the ancient village, 100m above sea level just inland from the coast. The Talaiotic people kept sheep and the sound of sheep bells in the nearby fields is a touching reminder of continuity.
Although not as extensive as the ruins at Capocorb Vell, this Bronze Age settlement near Arta is stall a significant site and a link with Mallorcans of 3,000 years ago. Most impressive of all is the massive entrance portal, formed from three stone slabs weighing up to eight tonnes each. Inside there are several rooms and an atalaia (watchtower); the entire settlement is surrounded by a Cyclopean drystone wall.
