Walking holidays in Puerto Pollensa hotels

Walking, rambling, mountain running and hiking in the northern mountains of Mallorca

Hiking is trendy in this part of the island - the landscape is dramatic and you can reach extraordinary peaks and coastal ridges looking down to the sea, on relatively  short hikes.

The terrain and a charmed mix of breathtaking beauty and panoramic views, the climate is temperate and dry, and there are many wonderful hiking routes to choose from; some gentle, others ominously steep, all along the northern coast, up into the foothills around Pollensa old town and in the mountains of the Tramuntana. 

The Serra de Tramuntana is a natural adventure park of bridlepaths, contraband routes and reclaimed walking paths, covering an area that extends across the whole southwest to northeast of the island, covering 1000 km2 with summits over 1000m, the highest a staggering 1375m with views across the whole of Mallorca.

At the edge of the magestic Tramuntana ridge is Pollensa Old Town and 6 km away, on the north coast, is Puerto Pollensa and the peninsula of Formentor.

Here you also have the last ripples of jagged rock and hills, perfect for walking, hiking, trekking and climbing. This list has the most accessible hikes in the north of Mallorca, practically all of which begin in Puerto Pollensa.

Walking in La Gola Nature Reserve

From Puerto Pollensa

This is a nature and bird watching walk in Puerto Pollensa. Family friendly and near town.

Ornithology, or bird watching to you or I, is hugely popular in Mallorca, due to the vast numbers and sheer variety of bird species l ivingin the area and the seasonal bird migrations stopping off on route.

There are very large expanses of protected wetlands along the north eastern coast - S’Albufereta in the Puerto Pollensa side and S’Albufera in Alcudia - but for a walking tour right in Puerto Pollensa, try La Gola, a mini wetland on the side of town, and home to over sixty different species of birds.

You can walk around the entire La Gola in about 30 minutes, so it's a very short hike but one of the most interesting routes from your Puerto  Pollensa hotel.

Short walk Up Puig Maria 

From Pollensa old town

A short uphill walk. 2 km up to chapel and cafe on the top.

Pollensa old town is a short 6 km drive inland from Puerto Pollensa, set in a valley surrounded by the Tramuntana foothills on one side, and the Fujiesque Puig de Maria to the south. It is a small 330m hill almost perfectly symmetrical and crowned with an ancient chapel and hermitage.

The hermitage was built in 1348, once one of the main monasteries in Mallorca with a school for the daughters of local nobility.

The walk is moderately easy and takes about 45 minutes up and a little less on the way down. Local kids will run all the way, often taking shortcuts across the bush to reach the top before the adults. Mountain runners use it as training ground.

Set off from Pollensa, at km 51,9 on the Palma road. There is no other way up and no other paths, so you cannot get lost on the way.

You can also drive half way up as it's cemented, but then becomes narrow and is paved, treacherously slippery after rainfall but otherwise only slightly awkward. It is usually advisable to wear comfortable shoes.

Castell del Rei

From Pollensa old town

Moderate to Advanced. 16 Km round trip. Mostly flat and light hills. Last few kilometres very steep down to the beach. 

Castell del Rei - The king’s castle - sits up on a hillock looking down over the tiny pebbled beach below. The castle was once one of the most important Moorish fortifications on the island, but is now just a ruin with an impressive vantage point - it has views over the whole west coast from Soller to Cape Formentor.

The whole area is a private estate, gated at the entrance. Sadly access is now limited to organised tour guides. The ruins of the castle are also protected by the Black Vulture Protection Association, as a nesting ground, and visitors are asked to keep a respectful distance from the castle, especially during the mating a breeding season.

This is a beautiful walk across pine forests and a large plateau, until it drops steeply down to the tiny Cala Castel cove. Though easy to walk downhill, it can be a hardcore trek back up. The rest is a delightful hike.

The Monastery at Lluc

From Pollensa old town

A long walk, technically easy. 17 km one way. Approx. 5 hours hike. Double for there and back.

Set off from the mountain refuge in Pollensa, where you will find maps of the area and be given any extra information you need.

This is a much longer route than the other walks in this list, but it is included because it is an easy excursion and takes you into the Tramuntana Mountains.

The added bonus here is that at Lluc Monastery you can stop for lunch or snacks.

The full loop would take most people a whole day, a couple of hours each way, along the GR221Tramuntana trail almost all the way.

Though steep in some sections, this hike is beautifully shaded through pine and oak forests, ideal on a hot summers day, fully signposted and fairly easy.

Short hike to Cala Boquer

From Puerto Pollensa

Walk ending in a small rocky beach. 2.6 Km one way. Popular birding spot for migratory birds

You will find the Valley of Boquer in the slight dip in the mountains to the north of Puerto Pollensa, at the start of the Formentor Peninsula. 

No need to drive for this one, you can reach the start of the hike on foot from the town of Puerto Pollensa. A short hike that can be enjoyed by everyone, bird watching enthusiasts and ramblers, families, old and young, as it's fairly easy going most the way. 

The walk takes you over a small gap in the hills, to the tiny cove of Cala Boquer, on the northernmost coast of Mallorca. 

Mostly exposed however, there is very little shade and it can get very hot, so take plenty of water and a hat. The beach is made up of large boulders and access to the water can be slippery and difficult. There is often debris washed up on the beach, but the water is crystal clear.

Hermitage La Vittoria

From Alcudia town

Along the coast from Port Pollensa you come to Alcudia Old Town, the walled Medieval City that sits bedside the ancient Roman ruins of Pollentia, and a second tongue of land which juts out. This is the Alcudia Peninsula and the site for our next short hiking tour.

You will need a car to get to the beginning of this short hiking tour however. Head for Mal Pas from Alcudia Old Town and then at a fork in the road, take a right towards Bonaire and La Vittoria. You will hit the coast here and the tiny marina of Bonaire. Head right along the coast now with the sea on your left. You will come to a parking area and the wooden hiking tour sign for La Vittoria.

The hike itself takes you up a winding path through pine trees to the Hermitage of La Vittoria at the top and views over Pollensa Bay and as far as Formentor. from here you can extend the hiking tour on to the Talaia, and ancient lookout tower with even more spectacular views. This will add another couple of hours on to the hike. You can go there and back or take a wider loop round, heading round to Coll Baix, Coll de na Benet and the Vittoria camping site before getting back to the hermitage.

Cape Formentor

From Puerto Pollensa

This is not exactly a short hiking tour, but I want to include it here as it begins in Puerto Pollensa and takes you to the northernmost corner of the island. A spectacular walk, with vast panoramic views and a dramatic end at the lighthouse.

Without doubt one of the most beautiful places on the island, the Formentor peninsula is largely protected part and there are no roads and easy trails.

The best option is to take the road. You can start from the same hotel in Puerto Pollensa and climb to the Mirador de Colomer, all uphill, and continue until the Talaia of Albercuix to enjoy the panoramic views.

The road continues to the Hotel Formentor, to stroll along the beach or enjoy a dip. A further 4 km walk and you will find 2 small parking spaces on either side of the road, one for Cala Figuera, (left) and one for Cala Murta (right), two small beautiful coves, largely unknown and with crystal clear waters.

The road continues through pine forests, with little variation in terrain to the lighthouse of Formentor, where there is a cafe.

Hiking to Cala San Vicente

From Puerto Pollensa

Moderately easy walk over the Coll de Siller hill. 8 km one way. 

Cala San Vicente is Mallorca's northernmost holiday resort and a former fishing village made up of 2 larger beaches and 2 tiny coves, all of which are etched into the craggy rock on the wildest and most mountanous side of the island.

Startling blue waters and breathtaking panoramic views at the end make this one of my favourite places for hiking.

This short walking tour from Puerto Pollensa takes a couple of hours over easy terrain. Mostly unshaded though, so if you are doing the walk in the mid summer, do wear plenty of sun protection and carry enough water. Consider setting off early morning or in the later afternoon as well.

To lengthen the hike by a couple of kilometres, continue on through the Cala San Vicente resort, past the last beach, Cala Barques, and up the side of Coves Blanques, a winding road which takes you right to the top of the opposite hill and some of the most rewarding views of all.