Mallorca’s Northern Coast

Mallorca’s Magical North Coast

Our final stop in Mallorca was the north coast. We based ourselves near Alcúdia and were very happy with the location.

Alcúdia and the various sites mentioned below are located in the northern part of Mallorca. The starred locations indicate our places of stay.

The old walled town of Alcúdia is at the base of a small peninsula that divides the northern coast into the Bay of Pollença and the Bay of Alcúdia. The peninsula itself has some lovely beaches (more on this below). On the eastern side are many hotels, modern shops and busier beaches, kind of like a Miami beach area. We decided to base ourselves on the quieter western side of Alcúdia, at the PortBlue Club Pollentia Resort. The resort is right across the coastal road following the bay of Pollença and is only a couple kilometers from Alcúdia.

The Port Blue Club Pollentia Resort & Spa pool.
Bay of Pollença, view from our hotel.

Alcúdia

Nothing like having medieval walled towns next to glorious beaches – my perfect combination! The late 13th century walled town of Alcúdia is really lovely and sits in a prime location, between two bays with picturesque coves and beaches close by. It’s no wonder this town was a target of pirates in the 16th century. You can spend the day at the beach and then wander into the old town for dinner. There is a large car park on the eastern side of the town walls.

Views of Alcúdia’s gates and walls.
Street views of Alcúdia.
You can walk a good portion of Alcúdia’s walls for views of the surrounding countryside and town.

Beaches and More Beaches

S’illot Beach is on the peninsula near Alcudia. Its pebbles make for a clean beach experience (no sand to get trapped in your clothes or towel!) and the little island is fun to snorkel around.
Sant Joan Beach on the left (near S’illot Beach above) and Formentor Beach on the right (at the far end of Bay of Pollença, near Mirador de Es Colomer).

Mirador de Es Colomer

A popular thing to do in the evening before the sun sets is to take a drive past the Bay of Pollença to the very northwest corner of the island for some spectacular views of the Bay of Pollença and Formentor area. We did this on a whim one evening and really enjoyed the amazing setting and views. The road is steep and narrow – be forewarned. Parking can be a bit of challenge, but be patient and you’ll find a spot. There is a lighthouse further out on the point, but the road to it was closed during our visit.

The dramatic views from Mirador de Es Colomer.
It’s hard to capture the height of the cliffs at Mirador de Es Colomer – it’s probably 1,000 feet straight down to the water.

The Ruins of Pollentia – A Roman City

Just outside the walls of Alcúdia are the ruins of the Roman town of Pollentia. Pollentia was the most important Roman settlement in the Balearic Islands and was founded around 121 B.C., a strategic location for a port city. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Views (above) of Pollentia Forum (main plaza) Ruins.
Left to Right: Pollentia’s theater, water drainage system and medieval-era necropolis.

Lluch Monastery

A little further from Alcudia south and west (about 30 km or 19 miles) is the 17th century Lluch Monastery, a major pilgrimage site and important religious sanctuary in Mallorca. We visited Lluch Monastery on our way back to the Palma airport as we were leaving Mallorca. It is located in the rugged Tramuntana Mountains. As the informational image notes below, the monastery receives more than a million visitors a year!

Here’s a short history of Lluch Monastery.
Exterior views of Lluch Monastery.
Interior views of Lluch Monastery.

The north coast of Mallorca really is magical – with its nice hotels, beautiful beaches, a medieval walled town, Roman city ruins, a historic pilgrimage site and dramatic coastline drive and views, I’m not sure how it gets any better than this for an independent tourist!