As family holiday destinations go Puerto Pollença on the Balearic island of Majorca gets pretty close to perfection. With a flight time from the UK of just 2.5 hours and a wide range of airlines flying daily (including budget) the resort is not only easily accessible but also offers guaranteed sunshine and warm weather throughout the Summer months. We chose to spend a week in Puerto Pollença as a very special family get together this Summer to celebrate Granny’s 70th birthday. It’s a resort my parents have grown fond of over a number of years and have always wanted to share with their grandchildren.
Part of the resort’s appeal is its location – sitting in a sheltered bay overlooked by the stunning Trumuntana Mountains. With sandy beaches lined with restaurants selling locally caught seafood Puerto Pollença offers a safe, friendly and laid back family destination which still manages to maintain an element of charm as a former fishing village.
We visited the resort as a multi-generational group with ages ranging from 2 through to 70. We initially struggled to find accommodation to suit such a large group but found Clickstay – with 75,000 properties worldwide – offered a great range of villas in Puerto Pollença which worked perfectly for our group. The resort also offers a good range of activities and days out that appealed to us all from toddler to teen and far beyond. Here’s a few of the real highlights of our trip that I recommend you go out of your way to experience:
Boat trip to Formentor
You can take a boat trip directly from Stay Restaurant on the seafront in Puerto Pollença to the stunning beaches of Formentor. The boat rides takes about 25 minutes and costs around €16 for an adult and €8 for a child. The boat rides itself is a bit of an adventure with some of the boats offering a glass bottom viewing deck. The real highlight are the beaches of Formentor once you arrive at your destination. The crystal clear blue and green waters are perfect for snorkelling or fishing. The beach is also accessible by road although roads can become heavily congested in the Summer months…the boat is far more laid back!
Alcúdia Old Town
Alcúdia is a medieval, walled city about 10 km from Puerto Pollença. The walled city itself is a maze of bustling narrow streets, market stalls and cafes. Markets take place on both Tuesday and Saturday and can be particularly busy – you might want avoid these days if you’re visiting with young children. We particularly enjoyed walking along the city walks and visiting the old bull fighting ring.
Pollença Old Town
Pollença Old Town is a short distance from the resort of Pollença, easily accessible both by local bus or taxi. The pretty, historic town is typically Spanish with cobbled streets, grand doorways and old churches all leading from the main square of Plaça Major. Perfect for taking it slow and exploring the gift shops and galleries the Old Town is an ideal pit stop for a morning away from the beach. Make sure you climb the 365 steps up to the small Calvery chapel to enjoy views across the island and to earn an ice cream when you get to the bottom.
Sunset at Mirador Es Colomer
This incredible look out point in the mountains above Puerto Pollença offers amazing views across the Mediterranean. Flocks of tourists gather as sunset approaches to enjoy the spectacular colour changes and to get the perfect sunset selfie. We were blown away by the views whilst the kids had fun exploring the rocks and steep steps.
Palma
Palma is a 45 minute drive from Pollença so it’s worth putting a whole day aside or tying a visit in with your return trip to the airport. The city is surprisingly cosmopolitan with a good range of galleries, museums and edgy districts. Most tourists head for the impressive Basilica de Santa Maria Cathedral which is a hive of activity thanks to street performers, vendors and even chariot drivers. We spent the morning before our flight home spending our last few Euros in the boutiques and cafes in the old town before having lunch in the shadow of the Cathedral. The perfect finish to a fantastic family holiday.
This is a sponsored post written in collaboration with Clickstay.com
