The good thing about working abroad is that you can spend your days off as a tourist: you can make day trips from where you live to discover the most beautiful and fun places around you.
This week I decided to visit Santanyi. It is a small but authentic and interesting historic place in the South East of Mallorca. A bit further eastwards from the village lies Cala Santanyi, the beach resort town near the ‘cala’ (or the bay). The perfect combination for a day trip, I would say!
Santanyi: Mallorca’s Most Quiet & Charming Town
This time I went with my colleague Annick, who promoted herself for the occasion to my photography assistant 😉 , on a day trip in Mallorca. As she is an early bird, she suggested to leave early. I did not mind, because the earlier you wake up, the more you can enjoy the day.
‘One key to success is to have lunch at the time of day most people have breakfast.’
– Robert Brault
The funny thing was that by the time we arrived at 9.30h to Santanyi, the village was still sleeping. I guess that Mallorca does not have the same mindset as we do. Anyway… Out of a not-so-bad-idea-anyway necessity we decided to go for breakfast first.
In the middle of town, right by the church, we found Sa Botiga, a restaurant and street cafe with a lovely patio in a beautifully decorated Mediterranean styled setting. Of course, I decided to sit down in the patio, where Annick and I had a delicious croissant and fruit bowl. I also had a giant iced coffee. Perfect to wake up!
By the time we finished Santanyi was finally awake! The shops started to open and the villagers started to walk around. We found out that Santanyi is full of beautiful shops selling clothes and other fashion items in a typical Ibiza-bohemian style and also more traditional shops selling artisanal products and handicrafts.
Just behind the corner of the church we found this beautiful patio in the town hall. It was absolutely the most beautiful place in the whole city. Go and look for it yourself! (Tip: it’s somewhere near the church).
You won’t be surprised if I tell you that this village in the South East part of the island is called ‘the golden-stone village‘. Just take a look around and you’ll see why…
The unexpected thing about Santanyí is that it is not only pretty, rural and authentically Mallorcan, it is also home to many art galleries and handicraft shops, of which most of them are owned by foreigners (read: Germans).
One of my favorite discoveries of the day was Galery Beate Angela Pohl . From the outside it looks like a combination of a hippie fashion store and an art gallery but once you enter it is an oasis of tranquility, especially in the zen-themed garden. Make sure to pass it on the way to the bus stop!
Cala Santanyi: the beach
In the afternoon we took a bus to Cala Santanyi, which is the beach side of Santanyi located in a beautiful bay. It only took us like 10 minutes to get there. What an easy ride!
Once in Cala Santanyi, the bus dropped off literally at the beach. Paradise… Check! This is such a pretty bay, unfortunately it is small and therefore easily crowded.
We ran up the hill on the left side of the bay to look for some food and good views. There we found Cafe Drac, a place that makes you believe that things can get better, even if you thought they were already at the top!
You know… There are these little moments in life that I feel so blessed with the life I am leading. A good cocktail, food, sun, an awesome view and an even more awesome colleague who makes you smile. What more do we need in life?!
Enjoy the little things in life for one day they will be the big things
Julie
If you make it one day to Cala Santanyi, you have to go to Cafe Drac, and order the White Sangria (with Cava!), Shrimp-Mango Salad, and White Tiramisu (yes, you’ve heard that right: with white chocolate). Hmmm! Make sure you get the best table for that view. ❤
Hidden Gem: Es Pontàs
If you still have some energy left after an amazing lunch, you can walk around. If not, you can lay down at the beach. This place has its attraction for everyone.
Guess what… Julie is always full of energy! I went first down to this idyllic green-door harbor side of the bay for some Instagrammable-pics, and then I hiked up the cliff, realizing it was leading to a dead end. LOL.
I walked all the way back and had to take the stairs, like normal people would do. For some reason, I thought I could walk around the bay to go to this special cliff…
Es Pontàs, is like a big natural rock rising from the ocean. It has the shape of a bridge, or an arch, depending on your angle. It takes about 10 minutes walking from the bay of Cala Santanyi to get there, and it is an oasis of peacefulness. Here is where you can sit down and literally meditate.
Be thankful for what you have. Be fearless for what you want.
Julie
At Es Pontas I met other Flemish people (from the Dutch speaking side of Belgium, where I am from). It was a couple on their honeymoon. The woman was sitting there filming her husband. He was swimming to the rock and climbed all the way to the top through a very difficult (and dangerous) parcours.
It’s called “DEEP WATER SOLOING“. I’ve learnt something new today. Apparently, this is a trend amongst the more adventurous amongst us. The Es Pontas rock is one of the more challenging climbs for those bouldering it. So, don’t try this just like this!
Enough adventure for today… For me, watching Es Pontas was satisfactory enough… and my friend and colleague, Annick, she got enough adrenaline pumped into her veins by taking me this optical illusion shot near the cliff. Haha, wish I recorded her voice when she said: “don’t go closer to the cliff, come back!”.
Okay, I am a good girl and sometimes I listen. We walked back to the beach where we had a last coffee before heading back to Palma de Mallorca. Read below how to get to Santanyi by public transportation.
More day trips in Mallorca coming soon!
Santanyi: How to get there
From Palma de Mallorca, it is very easy to get to Santanyi, even without a car! It takes about 1 hour with bus 501 (Palma – Cala d’Or). At the time of writing there was a bus leaving at 8.25 AM from Plaza de Espana (from where most buses leave in Palma) to Santanyi with arrival 9.25 AM. A bus later is also possible: 10.30 with arrival 11.30. 6.65 euro one way.
From Santanyi to Cala Santanyi you can take bus 503. It is like a fancy tourist bus. You will like it, and it is only 1,50 euro one way. I recommend to take it at 13.05 – 13.15. It is the perfect time to arrive for lunch in the bay. You can take the bus back at 17.20 and then you are back at 17.30 in Santanyi.
There you have a direct connection to Palma de Mallorca at 17.35 with arrival 19.00. Unless you want to stay longer at the beach: there are also buses at 19h00, 20h05, and even 21.40h. Check actual bus times at www.tib.org.
If you prefer to go by car, it’s 50 minutes and 50 kilometers from Palma.
Santanyi: When to visit
There is a market in Santanyi on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8.00h until 13.00h. I haven’t been on the market day, but it is supposed to be very nice. Unless you like it quiet, then you can go another day, and have the city for yourself. 😉
When are you visiting Santanyi? Feel free to comment below.
Disclaimer: This blog post has been created in collaboration with Sa Botiga (Santanyi) and Cafe Drac (Cala Santanyi). Special thanks go to them! ❤
From Julie with Love 
I love the post 🙂 I was there some days later, I spent some days at Cala S., one day I visited the city and the market (crowded but nice) and I ate at Café Drac nearly every evening. I liked the food very much, and it is just a cool place with great people. Sad that you didn’t try the beach, it is small but perfect. Did you like the turkoise water as much as I did?
Really a little paradise.
Dat is best interessant …