Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza

Things to see in Mallorca

Sant Elm

Sant Elm (also known as San Telmo in Spanish) is a lovely spot, located in the far south west corner of Mallorca. With the foothills of the Tamuntana mountains behind it, and wonderful crystal clear waters to the front, it has a certain Caribbean-esque feel, with a scattering of palm trees and lush countryside. It's a laid back resort with a couple of hotels, none of which are brilliant, but there are apartment rentals available. Most people come here for the views of the natural park, Sa Dragonera. You can take a boat to the island from the jetty at the end of the main street, or sit outside the fish restaurants on the same jetty. There are also some great hikes in the area.

Near here is the village of S'Arraco, built by Spanish settlers returning from the American colonies, with houses in colonial Indianos style.

There is also an excellent restaurant, Es Moli, which serves wonderful food in contemporary surroundings - drive through the village and you'll find it on the other side.

Hotels in Sant Elm

There aren’t many hotels in Sant Elm and the ones there are are fairly basic but are good enough to set up base for a relaxing holiday or an outdoors hiking trip.

The Hostal Dragonera is located along the main road of Sant Elm. This rather simple hostal offers stunning views of the small island and national park of Dragonera. This is a popular hostal for those looking to set up base to enjoy hikes in the nearby Tramuntana mountains and the Dragonera island.

Don Camilo Aparthotel is another simple family holiday destination. The hotel has a pool with surrounding sun loungers and a bar/cafe. The aparthotel offers three types of room depending on how many people stay in each. Twice a week there are themed dinners and on Friday there is a Gala Buffet. The Don Camilo aparthotels also offer a programme of activities and entertainment such as diving, walking and bike rental.

Restaurants in Sant Elm

One of the favourites of SeeMallorca in Sant Elm is Es Moli (closed on Mondays). Chill-out atmosphere and food Mediterranean food, the only thing this restaurant lacks is a se view.

This town has several lovely fish restaurants which do have great views of the sea and over to Sa Dragonera. The Restaurant de na Caragola is in a great location above the pier in Sant Elm. This restaurant has a lovely terrace with great views.

Sitting at the end of the pedestrian street, El Pescador Restaurant looks over the small harbour. Serving fresh fish and offering great views out to sea, this restaurant is another great spot. Xaloc, named after the southeasternly Mediterranean wind serves fresh seafood, a meal will range between €25-€30 here and there is both an indoor and outdoor dining area.

Hostal Dragonera serves lunch and dinner from a variety of dishes as well as a chef’s set menu. On Sundays the Hostal Dragonera serves a seasonal buffet from 1pm. For a no fuss snack during a day at the beach, Tigy’s which is just behind the beach is ideal for a quick lunch stop.

Things to do in Sant Elm

If staying in Sant Elm then visiting the unihabited island of Sa Dragonera is a must. There are regular ferry trips to this protected nature park during the peak season. Once there, there are many walking excursions that can be done. One of the most popular is to the south of the island where the Cap de Lleibeitx lighthouse sits. Also for those keen on hiking and hillwalking the Puig de Na Popia is a popular walk up 312m.

A popular walk from Sant Elm leads to the abandoned Trappist monastery of Sa Trapa. Set out on Avinguda de la Trapa and climb through coastal maquis and pine, with fine views of Sa Dragonera - it looks like a Dragon coming out of the sea, hence the name. The round trip takes about three hours; a shorter route is signposted beside the cemetery on the Sant Elm to Andratx road.

The walk to the Torre de Cala Basset lookout tower is also a great place to appreciate the views. This tower was originally built as a lookout for Moorish pirates. The Dragonera was supposedly used as a base for Moorish pirates to conquer Mallorca. The walk is around 2.5km.

Along with many other towns along the coast, Sant Elm celebrates the Moors and Christians festival in the beginning of August. Other fiestas are in Easter, beginning on Palma Sunday the celebrations begin and then on Easter Monday a pilgrimage to the tower of Sant Elm is carried out by some residents.

There are two main beaches in Sant Elm, one larger beach, sa gran with soft sand where there are sunloungers and parasols for rent and also pedalos. The smaller, sa petita is a less popular sand/pebble mix. Both are only a short walk from the car park.

Mallorca Scuba Active offers at least two trips per day so there are plenty of opportunities to go diving around Sant Elm. With over thirty dive locations all within short reach of town you can sample some of the beautiful underwater ecosystems around the Dragonera island and southwestern coastline. Scuba Active also provide courses for beginners and PADI courses.

In nearby Andratx there is the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) It is one of the largest centres in the Balearics that is dedicated to the creation and exhibition of contemporary art. To the general public it offers a unique cultural experience, whereas the studio program is open to national and international artists.

If you haven’t hired a car and want to get around the Andratx area then the only way to do so is by bus. It takes 25 minutes to get to Port D’Andratx then a further 15 to Andratx where you can get a bus to Palma which takes an hour and ten minutes.

The town of Sant Elm itself has a modest range of shops, cafes and a bakery. There are no large supermarkets in Sant Elm but neighbouring Andratx or Port D’Antratx have these facilities.

Source: SeeMallorca