Activities and Places to see

Historical Sites and Towns in Mallorca

Although Mallorca does have some great beaches, it is also an island of amazing beauty with a fascinating history. From the grandeur of the Le Seu Cathedral, to the picturesque village of Fornalutx and the wind-swept Cap de Formentor, there is far more to this beautiful island than just sandy beaches and sunshine.

Monastery at Lluc

In the northern Serra de Tramuntana mountains, halfway between Soller and Pollença, is the spectacular Monastery of Lluc. An important place of pilgrimage for Mallorcan, the Monastery at Lluc dates back to the 13th century. Legend has it that a young boy (Lluc) found a statue of the Virgin on the banks of a stream and immediately took it to the local church in Escorca. However, the next day the statue disappeared and was once again found by the stream. This happened several more times. Eventually a chapel was built where she was originally found to house the statue.

The Basilica at Lluc was built during the late Renaissance (1622 – 1691). It is laid out as a Latin cross with one central nave and three chapels on either side of the nave. There is a barrel vault and a dome at the centre of the cross. The elegant Baroque design of the Basílica de la Mare de Déu de Lluc makes it a truly an impressive building.

A mass is held every morning at 11am to celebrate the Virgin Mary and is sung by six choir boys. They are nicknamed Els Blauets or ‘the Blues’ because of the blue cassocks they wear. The Blautes choir is one of the oldest choirs in Europe.

The Monastery at Lluc also has a museum which is open daily (10am -1pm and 2:30pm – 5pm) and costs €4. The museum houses some important archaeological finds from the Talayotic and Roman periods, as well as religious ornaments and paintings, and a collection of majolica ceramics. Several works by the artist José Coll Bardolet are also on display.

The Monastery complex also includes a lovely botanical garden, with both local and exotic plants. A walk through here is a great way to round off your visit to Lluc. Open daily 10am -1pm and 3pm -5pm.

Miramar Monastery

The monastery in Miramar was founded by King Jaume II in 1276 as a missionary school following a request by Ramon Llull (a 13th century theologian and philosopher). In 1872 the building was bought by the Archduke Ludwig Salvatore of Austria. Recently a museum was opened which now houses several pieces of work and documents relating to either Llull or the Archduke.

A visit to Miramar Monastery starts with a small entrance room (the Archduke’s map room) and continues through the garden and cloister. On the way into the house you past several columns, which are all that remains of the original monastery built for Llull. Once inside, you’ll see a few items connected to the Archduke (such as a partial reconstruction of his yacht). Next you come to the Ramon Llull Hall exhibiting a collection of Llull’s work and related documents. Out in the garden are some geometric figures which are meant to have been drawn by Llull, as well as a stone shrine built as a tribute to Llull by the Archduke. The views of the coastline from the garden are a real treat. The Miramar Monastery is open Tuesday to Sunday and costs €3 for adults.

Valldemossa and its Monastery

One of the most popular sight in Mallorca has to be the Real Cartuja de Jesús de Nazaret (Royal Carthusian Monastery of Jesus of Nazareth) in Valldemossa. The building and surrounding lands originally served as a royal palace for King Sancho in the early 14th century. However, in 1399 King Martin el Humano gave all the royal possessions in Valldemossa to the Carthusian Monks who founded the Monastery. In the early 1800s everything at the Monastery, except the church, became privately owned. Several famous personalities have stay at the monastery including George Sand and Frédéric Chopin, as well as the Nicaraguan poet Rúbin Darío.

The Church is neo-classical dating from the mid-1700s and is decorated with works from the period. Beyond the church are the cloisters - one of the oldest parts of the present building. The next along the tour is the pharmacy with its ancient glass and majolica jars of medicines. From here you pass through the garden and on to the Priors Cell showing a library, a chapel and a bedroom. This area gives you an insight in to how the monks would have lived. In cells 2 and 4 there are some memorabilia of George Sand and Frédéric Chopin’s stay at the Monastery. The municipal museum (also part of the complex) has an exhibit of contemporary works by local artists of the Tramuntana Mountains.

Across the Monastery Square is the Palace of King Sancho, a luxurious mansion that still has elements of the old monastery such as the staircase, defence tower and the cloister. For the past 20 years there has been a Chopin Festival held during the summer at the Monastery. A walk around the lovely gardens completes your visit to the Valldemossa Monastery.

Archaeological Sights

The Roman town of Pollentia

Located on the edge of Alcúdia’s old town are the ruins of the Roman town of Pollentia. It is thought that Pollentia dates back as far as 123 BC. Indications are that this was a prosperous town with economic connections to Rome, Hispania and North Africa.
Thus far excavations of the 12 hectare site have yielded two residential streets, the remains of several houses, a forum and a public square with a temple. Some of the artefacts found include a bronze girl’s head and several coins. These are now on display at the Monographic Museum in Pollentia. Also at the site is a fascinating 1st century Roman theatre.
Both the old town centre of Alcúdia and the Roman town of Pollentia have been classed as being of important cultural and historic interest thereby helping to preserve these sites.
The Roman town of Pollentia is open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm and 10:30am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed on Mondays and holidays. A visit costs €2 and includes the Monographic Museum.