A Gentle Walk up the Puig de Santuiri

Walking routes in Pollenca tend to be overshadowed by the route to the Puig de Maria, the historic sanctuary atop the small mountain that overlooks Pollenca, although a beautiful walk with stunning views this is not the only hiking option available to you in the Pollenca area. A hike up the nearby, lesser known Puig de Santuiri is a gentler option which still affords great views from the summit and is a much quieter, more rural family hike.

Protected and named a Natural Area of Special Interest due to it’s ecological importance, the Puig de Santuiri is an easy hike for nature lovers that will take you through an area rich with indigenous plant life including a dense forest of protected holm oak trees and dwarf palms. Animal life is abundant in this area also and walkers may spot rabbits, hedgehogs, lizards, geckos and the imposing black vulture, which can often be spotted circling the skies here above its home.

This conical little mountain situated north of the iconic Puig de Maria, is green and unpopulated and the walking trail will take you on a circular route through the trees around the base of the hill, you’ll walk along dry stone walls and ruined dwellings then up to its peak via a weaving zigzag path through brush and stunted trees.

The route is rocky and covered in loose stones and pebbles and sections of it are made up of rough-hewn rock stairs making this path unsuitable for cyclists, but a nicely varied path for hikers. The trails are marked clearly when walking to the summit of the hill but on the walk around the base the route is much more free form allowing for the wanderer to pick their own route through the trees and woods, perfect for young explorers. At the base of the trail you will find a clearing where picnic tables and barbecue pits have been constructed making this a great area for the whole family to spend some time, walking, exploring and picnicking.

The trail takes roughly 40 minutes to walk and ascends 141m to it’s summit, in the peak of the summer heat you may wish to skip the ascent and stick to the circular path which is cool and shady being mostly in amongst the trees, once you begin the ascent there is very little shade on offer. The view from the top of the mountain is worth the climb on a cool day however as you can look out on beautiful views in all directions; south to the Puig de Maria, the town of Pollenca is spread out below you to the west, north the imposing mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana and out to east you can see all the way to the cool blue coastline of Pollenca Bay.

You can find the start to this trail easily by following the MA-2202 out of Pollenca for a short distance, you will soon find the signposted area off the road to your left. There is parking available at the base of the trail but it is also easy walking distance from the centre of Pollenca if you’d rather.

You can pick up a map of this and other walking trails in the area from the tourism information office. The map contains 10 trails called Biodiversity Routes for their natural and cultural interest, they will lead you through historical sights, bird filled wetlands, waterfalls, and areas rich in flora and fauna. The map gives you all the information you need regarding where to find the start of each trail, length, time and gradient of the route as well as points of interest along the way and all routes begin from a spot easily accessible via public transport.