Getaway Serra de Tramuntana

I have always said that Mallorca has many surprises.

It is a lovely island that, due to its size and richness in everything, I had not enough time to know it in two visits. It is full of charming places that captive everyone. The more I know it, the more I want to return.

Many times, when we discover a new destination, we just go to the best known places. Specifically, I made this mistake (I was also young) of visiting the best-known beaches and discovering restaurants to make lovely dinners near the sea. I did not consider discovering the authentic Mallorca. On my second visit to the island and thanks to a relative of mine who was living there, it was when I discovered the other Mallorca. The one that made me fall in love.

This excursion is a clear example.

The Serra de Tramuntana is the main mountain of the Balearic Islands. In June 2011 it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco and it really deserves it. It is a 90 kilometer long column of mountains that runs from southwest to northwest. It has 9 peaks above 1,000 meters and fascinating cliffs over the sea. It offers incredible places.

I started in Valldemossa to take a tour to Andratx through Ma-10 road, through Banyalbufar and Estellencs. The road is amazing. The curves and the discomfort of the road are compensated by the views of the cliffs of the Sierra de Tramuntana.

Valldemossa is special. The streets are narrow and pedestrian. The houses are made of stone and the shops respect the environment. History is breathed in every building. It preserves one of the best ensembles of traditional architecture on the island. There are more people than I expected to find, but everyone respects calm and silence. Its main tourist attraction is the Cartoixa de Valldemossa (where Chopin lived an entire winter). Date of 1399. The visit is made in this order: church, cloister, pharmacy, gardens and finally the rooms.

Here you take the Ma-10 towards Banyalbufar. On the same road and in the middle of the town is the "Café Bellavista". Stop and go inside. It is a very normal coffee. In fact, if he had not taken me, I would not have entered and I would have missed the views of the Mediterranean Sea. It is worth enjoying the terrace for a while. The town is very quiet, even in high season. I was very surprised how they cultivate on those terraces in the verticality of the mountains.

Less than 2 kilometers away and following the Ma-10, there is the Mirador o Atalaya de Ses Animas and the Torre del Verger. Do not have any doubt that this is where you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views on the island and probably one of the best sunsets. The tower can be reached by small iron stairs. It dates from 1579 and is part of the system of defense towers that surrounds the island and that hides many legends. The most popular is the one that says that souls weave invisible nets to catch whoever approaches the surroundings. And really, catch!

The views of the Serra de Tramuntana continuing along the Ma-10 towards Andratx and passing through Estellencs are amazing: awesome cliffs, pine and olive forests that reach the sea, towns that seem viewpoints of the Mediterranean... This town is small and has beaches that are difficult to access; that has managed to get rid of the construction boom. It maintains a special charm.

I recommend doing the tour with a motorcycle. It is easier to park in case you improvise a viewpoint yourself.

A good guide is Mallorca 3 (Guías de País Lonely Planet)

Booking.com

The getaway can be done in one morning.

No problem.