Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TRANQUIL COVES AROUND CALA RATJADA
Heading north from Cala Ratjada, you'll find a wonderfully undeveloped stretch of
coastline flecked with beaches. Long-time favourites of nudists, these out-of-the-
way coves are no secret, but their lack of development has kept them calm and
pristine.
Cala Mesquida
, surrounded by sand dunes and a small housing development, is
the most accessible, with free parking and a regular bus service (bus 471) from
Cala Ratjada (25 minutes, up to 15 daily).
It requires more determination to access the undeveloped coves due west.
Cala
Torta
,
Cala Mitjana
and the beachless
Cala Estreta
are all found at the end of a
narrow road that ventures through the hills from Artà, yet a more interesting way to
arrive is via the one-hour walking path from Cala Mesquida.
Further west, and following a 20-minute trek along the coast from Cala Estreta,
Cala Matzoc
comes into view. The spacious sandy beach backs onto a hill where
you'll find the ruins of atalayot(watchtower), once used to guard the coast from
pirates.
CALA MILLOR TO PORTOCOLOM
For the millions of tourists who descend every year on its sandy beaches, splash in its
gentle waves and stay in all-inclusive resorts, the coast from Cala Millor to Portocolom
is paradise. But for those who mourn the loss of Mallorca's once-pristine coastline, the
overdevelopment is nothing short of an abhorrence. But the crowd-weary don't have to
shy away. Stay in one of the cosy rural hotels and drive, cycle or hike to off-the-beaten-
path beaches such as Cala Romántica or Cala Varques.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Cala Millor & Around
Along the waterfront at Cala Millor at twilight, when the sun turns the sky violet and the
water a soft shade of aquamarine, you can almost imagine that the concrete jungle inland
was just a mirage… The saving grace of Cala Millor is that its nearly 2km-long beach,
backed by a promenade, is large enough to absorb masses of sun worshippers on all but
the busiest summer days.
To escape the crowds, set off for a challenging seaside hike to the
Castell de n'Amer
,
which overlooks the sea.
