Center Island

The west coast of Mallorca is dominated from North to South by the Tramuntana Mountains.

Possibly the towns of Banyalbufar, Estallencs, Valldemossa, Deiá, Soller and Fornalutx are the only towns that have kept all their character and philosophy after the touristic boom which has changed our wonderful island.

This area of Mallorca has been since the start of tourism, one of the main attractions of the island and very few are the tourists which haven’t been overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery. The best way to get to know this landscape is to travel the coast road enjoying every moment of the magnificent sea views and the spectacular Mountain range.

The countless dry stone terraces, thousand year old olive trees, manor houses, picturesque towns, exploring the narrow roads with their stone faced houses, enjoying some of the local gastronomy offered by the local tapas bars and restaurants, or simply relaxing on one of the many boats that leave the beautiful port of Soller daily. A list of many wonderful things that this area of Mallorca has to offer

Just 20km from Palma, and 20 minutes from Palma centre is the village of Santa Maria, a thriving market town and municipality well known for its beautiful fincas, countryside but above all convenience to reach most parts of the island. Every Sunday there is a busy market and the town boasts a number of typical restaurants and one of the best on the island, the Es Moli des Torrent www.molidestorrent.de/18.0.html .

Centre of an important wine growing region, the headquarters of Macia Batle are located here with its ample parking and farm shop offering their quality wines and special local produce www.maciabatle.com/mb/en/ . The village has its own railway station, linking it to Palma and is on a flat level making walking around the town easy. Hotel Reads is another landmark here with its restaurant and spa, and as cycling is so popular in the area, it is a major stop off point for them. www.readshotel.com/hotel-overview.html

Alaro is the next village to Santa Maria and here the scenery becomes more dramatic as one is closer to the dramatic mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana. The village has an attractive square with coffee bars and is a delight to wander around. It is also known to be a very international and friendly place, where many of the properties and fincas are lived in year round, increasing the sense of community. 33km – about half an hour by car – takes you to Palma, and in only 9km you reach the mountain village of Orient with the Hermitage restaurant and hotel/spa www.hermitage-hotel.com as well as some good restaurants in the village – for example the Mandala www.facebook.com/RestauranteMandala and the S`Olivaret www.solivaret.com/en/restaurante .

Many have chosen homes in Bunyola as it combines authentic Mallorquin village life with proximity to Palma (24km / 22mins), Soller via the tunnel (15 minutes) and Santa Maria (19 minutes). The village has an imposing old church, a weekly market and is linked by train and bus to Palma – the historic train to Soller passes through www.trendesoller.com - and many foreigners have chosen Bunyola as a permanent residence, either living in the town or in one of the beautiful fincas dotted around the village. Close to the village is Can Penasso, a restaurant with live music at certain times of the year www.canpenasso.com/contacto.htm and Son Amar, possibly Mallorca`s top evening show of dance and music www.sonamar.com/en/index.aspx . Also you can visit the breathtaking tropical gardens of Alfabia, just outside the village jardinesdealfabia.com/en

Set in the magical setting of the Tramuntana mountains, this typical Mallorquin village Puigpunyent largely unspoilt and situated only 13km, 15 minutes, from the outskirts of Palma. There are a number of small bars and restaurants in the town, including the Rose www.facebook.com/TheRoseRestaurantPuigpunyent and the two restaurants at the Grand Hotel Son Net, the Oleum and the Gazebo www.sonnet.es/the-hotel.html . The hotel Sonnet with its dramatic views over the valley is one of Mallorca´s finest hotels, a converted old manor house that attracts many of the island`s most famous visitors.

There is also a good small supermarket, chemist and shops selling local produce, so one does not need to make frequent visits to Palma. For many years it has been much loved by foreign residents and locals as a permanent home. For families with children there is a nature theme park, La Reserva just 5 minutes away. Just 11km away, further into the mountains is the idyllic village of Galilea, and some parts of the village enjoy sea views. Close to the church is a bar and restaurant and properties here have a special charm. 12 minutes away below Galilea is the village of Galilea and the beaches of Paguera are 25 minutes away (15km).

An easy 25 minute drive, mostly by motorway takes you to Esporles, a Mallorquin village set in a valley at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains. Many of the properties here are blessed with spectacular views with large plots of land, and the abundance of water via underground wells means many of the properties have incredible landscaped gardens. The village has an imposing church and pretty town square with a number of shops, bars and restaurants. Esporles is famed as one of the best places on the island to eat the famous local dish of suckling pig at the Meson La Villa restaurant www.inpalma.com/en/meson-la-villa. 5km away is the “living” museum and famous visitors´ centre of La Granja www.lagranja.net/en , an old manor house that has been restored with also a bar and restaurant. Esporles is a gateway to the dramatic northern coast of Mallorca, with some of the best walks and the preserved Roman terraces of Banyalbufar, just a 10km drive away.

Establiments: this is the municipal area of Palma where the Tramontana mountain range begins, a quiet village just 10 minutes from Palma with many substantial private homes and rustic fincas, typical of the interior.

The centre of the island of Mallorca is very flat and is protected from the cold wind of the North by the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range, which is why the soil on this part of the island is fertile, perfect for cultivation. In recent times, the demand for beautiful fincas in the centre of the island from non-residents has increased, those searching for something typically mallorquin, different from your everyday villa with sea views on the Mallorca coastline, for this reason in these areas, fincas with at least 10.000m2 of land, where their owner can enjoy their own olive trees, almond trees or vegetable gardens are in high demand. Our favorite areas, all of which close to Palma, are the towns of Santa Maria, Bunyola and Esporles, although fincas in the real centre of the island, towns like Inca, Sineu, Sencelles, Algaida and Mountuiri, also have their market.