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The forbidding geography of the coast between the Badia de Palma (Bay of Palma) and Colònia de Sant Jordi has preserved this area as one of Mallorca's least developed. Much of the shoreline is ringed by high, impenetrable cliffs lashed endlessly by the waters of the Mediterranean. They may not always be very accessible, but their untamed, raw beauty is hypnotising.
Beyond the cliffs are intimate coves and long swathes of fine sand, true marvels of nature. Whether tightly encircled by rock, or fading into rough scrub of pine and juniper, here are some of Mallorca’s best beaches. This part of the island, inaccessible or devoted to agriculture and conservation, has been spared the worst excesses of overdevelopment that have scarred parts of Mallorca. It's a glimpse of how all of the island’s coast must once looked.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Mallorca.
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Follow the Ma6110 highway 9km south of Llombards to reach the Cap de Ses Salines, a beautiful bluff on Mallorca's southernmost tip with a lighthouse (Far des Cap de ses Salines; closed to the public) dating back to 1863. There's not much here, but stretching out along either side are wonderfully unspoilt beaches protected by the Reserva Marina del Migjorn de Mallorca.
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Nineteen uninhabited islands and islets make up this national park, unique in the Balearic Islands. The archipelago comprises dry, hilly islands known for their birdlife, rich marine environment and healthy populations of 10 different types of lizard. Lying 16km from Colònia de Sant Jordi, many of the islands are reserved for wildlife research, and only the largest, Illa de Cabrera, can be visited. Access is limited to 200 to 300 people per day, and hiking, birdwatching and swimming are the main draws.
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At this sprawling prehistoric village, you can wander along rocky pathways and beside rough stone structures that date to 1000 BCE. The site, which includes 28 dwellings and five talayots (square and round stone towers made with – in the case of Capocorb Vell – no mortar). First excavated in the early 1900s, it gives a great sense of the scope and layout of the mysterious settlement. There's a small bar at the entrance where you buy the tickets and beyond that, a place to park.
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A petite cove defined by rough rock walls topped with pines, Cala Llombards is a truly beautiful place. A beach-hut bar and sun loungers shaded by palm-leaf umbrellas constitute the extent of human intervention. The view is soul-satisfying – turquoise waters, a sandy beach and the reddish rocks of the cliffs that lead like a promenade towards the sea. To reach Cala Llombards, follow the sign off the Ma6102 down a stone-walled road bordered by meadows of grazing sheep.
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Reached via a steep staircase (follow the signs along Cami de la Cala Pi), this beach is only 50m wide but it is a beauty, stretching more than 100m inland and flanked on either side by craggy cliffs that ensure the startlingly turquoise water in the inlet stays as still as bath water. There are no facilities at beach level – just rows of boathouses – so bring any provisions you’re likely to need.
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One of the top photo-ops on the south coast, this natural arch in between Cala Santanyí and Cala Llombards is a simply stunning sight. If you're fortunate to get here for sunrise, it's a standout image and one guaranteed to garner Instagram likes-a-plenty. You can park your car nearby and walk the short distance to the mirador overlooking the sublime and wave-thrashed rock form.
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Surrounded by coves, dunes and low hills, served by a bar and restaurant and blessed with clear, calm waters, this protected blue-flag beach has most bases covered.
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Platja des Trenc, the largest undeveloped beach on Mallorca, runs 2km northwest from the southern edge of Colònia de Sant Jordi. With long stretches of frost-white sand, azure water and a restful setting among pine trees and rolling dunes, des Trenc proves just how pretty the Mallorcan coast was before development got out of hand. Officially a nudist beach, des Trenc draws a mixed clothed and unclothed crowd, many of whom take advantage of the sun loungers for hire.
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You can't enter this lighthouse at Cap Blanc, which dates to 1863 with a light-beam that was originally fuelled by olive oil. But you can approach the gate and wander through gaps in the fence by the road to explore the surrounding rugged coastline. From here, the views along the ruddy cliff-face, with Palma and the western mountains in one direction, the Illa de Cabrera in the other, and seabirds circling the Mediterranean sky overhead, are nothing short of breathtaking.