Mallorca has got the great luck to be able to offer the unique combination of beautiful natural landscape and countryside in combination with interesting and valuable historical sites. In this article we have chosen to present our favourite sites that you can easily visit by foot or by bike as well as a brief summary of the history surrounding each site. There are of course many more places to visit and discover, but the article will at least give you a hint on the multiple possibilities that Mallorca has got to offer when talking about combining history and outdoor activities.
1.Hike up to the Castle of Alaró (Puig d’Alaró 821m) and enjoy a coffee with views.
First up on the list comes a real long time winner. The castle of Alaró with its stunning views and impressive steep drops, beautiful oak and pine tree forest and little coffee shop/refugio at the top is always a good idea. You can choose to start this hike either on the Orient side or on the side of Alaró. It can be done as a semi-circular hike or as a linear hike depending on where you choose to start/end and your preferences. If you prefer to get a more calm and silent experience we recommend you to visit this place any day but Sunday as it tends to get more crowded on the weekends..
2. Do a combined hike of visiting the old rock castle of Santueri and the peak of Sant Salvador in Felanitx (christ statue and a big cross)
If you want to hike up to Santueri and Sant Salvador in Felanitx we recommend you to do a linear hike from the little hamlet of Es Carritxó and first hike up to Santueri (please note that opening hours might vary due to the Covid-19 pandemía and normally there is a entrance fee to the castle) followed by another uphill to the Sant Salvador (where there is a café / a little hotel and toilets).
3. Do a countryside bike tour on Es Plà Mallorca and stop by the Talayotic museum and site of Es Fornès in Montuïri
Discovering the interior of Mallorca and especially the “flatter” parts (not always totally flat though) is always a good idea! We recommend you to visit this part of Mallorca by bike as it will give you a complete experience; local culture, sports and fresh air. Es Fornés is a pre-historica Settlement (one of the most important ones on Mallorca) and offers a great possibility for a break in a beautiful surrounding (the site) while you can learn about these prehistoric settlements and cultures on Mallorca by reading the information boards next to the excavations. The village Montuïri itself is also a great place for a coffee break or for a visit to its weekly loca market.
4. Combine history with sports and local products by visiting pre-historical complex of Capocorb Vell and the sea salt mountains of Ses Salines by bike
Specially if you are a road biker, these are two places that you most certainly will pass. The south of Mallorca offers longer and more flat stretches then the north and Serra de Tramuntana and a way to vary your training is by including some interesting stops along your routes. Since we know that bikers normally like coffee stops in between their intensive stretches of training, we would suggest a visit to the complex of Capocorb which is an excavated prehistoric site where you can find remains of the Talayotic culture on the island. There is a coffee shop next to this place and it’s located at a crossing of roads which makes it even more of a practical place to stop and then decide where to go off next. If you are keen on another small stop in the south, you might find it interesting to learn more about the sea salt production on Mallorca. The white sea salt mountains are to be seen from quite a distance and very next to them you will find the Flor de sal d’es Trenc which is a place where sea salt is extracted from the sea plus a little shop and café.
5. Do a coastal hike along the northeast shore of Mallorca and stop by the The Necropolis of Son Real is a set of funerary constructions
The north east of Mallorca offers great possibilities for amazing coastal hikes with varied sceneries and a place where you can easily combine a coastal hike with history and culture is by visiting Son Real and its surroundings. This public site has got a museum, picnic area, toilets and marked routes. There are also leaflets and information to be found about the different historical remains that are to be found in this area. The coast and the sea offers a very tranquil nature walk and this area is ideal for family visits.
