© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
© Finca Es Castell
Rural hotel in the Tramuntana foothills
This pretty eco-friendly hotel is located far from the crowded beaches. Situated on a hill, the view of the 750 acres that make up the grounds is impressive, encompassing the majestic Tramuntana Mountains at the back of the hotel, and the surrounding olive groves at the front, and further still, stretching over the many villages that dot the lower countryside, all the way up to bay of Alcúdia.
The hotel building dates from the 11th century and the property has been in the same family since the 15th century. There is a cobbled patio, and a medieval well in the courtyard. The building preserves the Almanzara or olive press, and there are very beautiful gardens with a pool, with its dazzle of bougainvillea, an al fresco terrace, where you are likeliest to have your meals, and a roof terrace, where you can appreciate the spectacular view with a cold glass of Pere Seda and a plate of pimientos de Padron. Inside, they have a lounge with a fireplace behind the formal dining room.
There are 11 double rooms and 1 junior suite decorated in traditional Mallorcan style. Each reflects the character of this distinctive location and offers all the modern comforts you are likely to require, including air conditioning, heating, and en-suite bathrooms. All rooms offer spectacular views of the finca and beyond.
The restaurant serves only fresh produce, and you can join them on weekly trips to the S’Olivar fish market in Palma. Although the emphasis is on Mallorcan specialities, their Italian roots ensure that home-made bread and pasta feature daily on the menu. Much of the produce used in their kitchen is from the Finca Es Castell own grounds - lamb, chicken, oranges, lemons, tangerines, figs, almonds, olives, pears, honey - and from the local markets.
One of Mallorca’s most talked about treasures, Sa Calobra, forms an unusual cove found at the head of a gorge of the Torrent de Pareis. It’s curious location and dramatic surroundings have inspired artists for many years and still do today.
Playa de Muro is a beautiful 6 kilometre long, Blue Flag award-winning, white sandy beach in the north of Mallorca. It's generally quieter than neighbouring Alcudia beach because of its out of town location.
Easily accessible and popular with tourists and locals alike, this long stretch of coast line from Puerto Pollensa to Alcudia makes for a beautiful drive or cycle. Hugging the beachside all the way around the crescent shaped bay, the road presents fantastic views towards Cap Formentor, Cap Pinar and all the way out to sea.
This beautiful and popular ‘Blue Flag’ beach boasting fine white sand, stretches more than 3 kilometres east from Port d'Alcúdia. This breath-taking beach is one of the reasons why Port d'Alcúdia remains so popular with holiday makers year after year.
Horseshoe-shaped Pollensa Bay, boasts several patches of golden shore, all with superb views and beautiful fine sand. The main beach is found just south of the harbour - Platja del Port de Pollensa; at nearly 1.5km long, it offers an impressive view of the Formentor Peninsular and surrounding Tramuntana mountains.
Cala Sant Vincenc is a spot of real beauty in north Mallorca, an old fishing village arranged around various little cove beaches and stunning blue water. This cala is known in Castillian Spanish as Cala San Vincente and in Mallorquin as Cala Sant Vicenc.
The Caves of Campanet are situated in the north of Mallorca in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains. The caves cover a surface area of approximately 3,200 square metres at a depth of 50 metres
Mallorca's most sacred site - a former monastery in a spectacular setting in the Serra de Tramuntana mountains to the north west of Mallorca.
Can Planes Museum of Contemporary Art is located in sa Pobla in the north of Mallorca. It occupies the ground floor of the old manor house Can Planes that was refurbished and modified in 1998. It's permanent collection is composed of over a hundred works by artists living in Mallorca.
Nuns settled on Puig de Maria ('Mary's mountain') in 1371 and remained for several hundred years, refusing to leave even when the Bishop of Palma ordered them down for their own safety.
This traditional town square is located in the heart of Pollença and is the centre of the town's social and commercial life.
Do not believe anyone who tells you that they have discovered the perfect unspoilt cove on the west coast - unless of course the name is Sa Calobra. This is indeed a beautiful spot, which is why tour buses pour in by the dozen every day, even in winter.
Inca lies halfway up the motorway between Palma and Alcudia, almost at the centre of the island and at the foot of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range.
Sa Pobla, 4km north of Muro, is known as Mallorca's vegetable basket. This fertile area of marshes reclaimed as farmland is referred to as 'the land of a thousand windmills', and there is a decent autumn fair that showcases their local agricultural produce in November. Some of these wetlands have been protected as part of s'Albufera Natural Park.
This small town between Inca and the S'Albufera marshes is a sleepy little place, a typical rural Mallorcan town.
At the eastern end of the Serra de Tramuntana, tucked between two hills, lies the ancient rural town of Pollença (also written Pollenca or Pollensa). An enchanting Mallorcan town packed with ancient blonde stone architecture, Pollenca doesn’t feel like many of the other towns which have surrendered to tourism. Although tourists have long been attracted here, Pollensa has learned to accept and adapt to tourism without losing its soul.
If you are familiar with Mallorcan wine, then it's more than likely you will have heard of Binissalem. This small town in central Mallorca is most famously associated with wine production. Surrounded by some of the island's best vineyards and bodegas, wine buffs should make it their mission to stop by on a trip to the island.
Alaro is a quiet traditional Mallorcan town burrowed in a peaceful valley south of the Serra de Tramuntana. Many of the streets feature the blonde stone architecture, typical of the traditional mountain villages on the island, making it a pretty place to visit.
Find out all about what is happening in Mallorca and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, fabulous beaches, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see, and experience on the island.
See allLatest News & ReviewsThe island hosts all sorts of events, including agricultural fairs in the spring and autumn, live music and DJs in the summer, religious fiestas and international sporting events. Some of the most popular are the Mallorca 312 cycling race in April, the Copa del Rey sailing regatta in July and the Moors vs Christians mock battle in September.
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