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“Do you know a quiet place on Mallorca to relax, with a bit of beach, good food and just a nice place to stop?” I’m often asked this or similar questions about tips for Mallorca – and quite often my counter-question is: Have you ever been to Sant Elm? In this article, I’ll tell you why the small town on the westernmost tip of Mallorca is worth a visit.
Tip: Sant Elm is a really charming vacation resort, but accommodation is rare! If you want to spend several days here: ➜ Book your accommodation well in advance!
Hey, I’m Tatiana and I’m the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. Since 2014, I’ve been sharing my personal travel stories on this blog. I don’t have a big team behind me, so I’m pretty much a one-person show: I’ve researched and tested all recommendations myself!
The winding country road meanders ever more tightly down through dense pine forests. Will anything come of this at all? I drive from Palma in the direction of Andratx, and this part of Mallorca is somehow strange anyway.
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Here, in this particularly sunny corner of Mallorca, blessed with the most beautiful bays, you will find one estate agent’s dream after another: Light-flooded villas line the slopes around Port d’Andratx and in hardly any other region of the island is the density of celebrities higher. And so you would hardly suspect that this special gem is still to be found behind Andratx: Sant Elm is like a small, hidden oasis!
Sant Elm is a curious little village. A bit abandoned by locals, it is mainly inhabited by tourists and vacation home owners. A proper infrastructure like in other places with fully equipped supermarkets, stores for daily needs, schools or kindergartens is virtually non-existent here. What remains is a quiet, manageable place with everything you need for a 1-2 week stay and a relaxed atmosphere that immediately puts you in the vacation mood.
The beach of Sant Elm is located directly in the center of the village, the distances are short. A small snack in one of the bars at lunchtime, then back to the beach: no problem in Sant Elm. The water in the bay is clear and so turquoise blue on sunny days that it almost hurts your eyes! A dream for all beach fans!
The La Trapa nature reserve borders Sant Elm, with a great hiking trail along the coast. From the monastery ruins of the same name, La Trapa, you also have a breathtaking view of the offshore island of Sa Dragonera.
A detour to the Torre de Cala en Basset is also worthwhile. (Hiking trails and access roads are currently being repaired, it is better to check the current situation on site to see if everything is accessible. – As of May 2021)
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Like Cabrera, Sa Dragonera is an offshore island that has been declared a nature reserve. You can explore the island yourself along designated hiking trails. The visitor center provides information about the island’s special flora and fauna. (For example, there are lots of lizards here, hence the name – or a large population of falcons).
There are regular boat trips there from Sant Elm and Andratx. There is no catering on site and garbage must also be taken away.
The gastronomic offer in Sant Elm is manageable, but quite positive. If I were to spend several days here, I would probably be an instant breakfast regular at Forn Sa Palomera, sampling the displays of freshly baked crossaints and pastries every morning. Absolute recommendation! (And not just for breakfast, of course!)
Lovers of fresh fish and seafood will be delighted with Es Raor: Mediterranean cuisine in front of such an impressive panorama – what more could you want?
Due to the size of the village, the choice of accommodation is limited. Even if, like me, you don’t normally go for plain vacation hotels – maybe you’ll make an exception here.
The Universal Hotel Aquamarin* and its sister hotel Don Camilo* may not necessarily win the next design award for the most stylish interior, but the only two larger hotels on the square offer solid service and probably the best panoramic views in Sant Elm. And you can enjoy the biggest advantage of Sant Elmo here: endless peace and quiet.
➜ Find all offers (hotels & apartments) in Sant Elm* here
Map with all places in and around Sant Elm
Is spending your entire vacation in Sant Elm too quiet for you? No problem, I always recommend Sant Elm as a nice day trip, especially if you want to see a bit of something but don’t really fancy the crowds.
The best way to reach Sant Elm is by rental car. The journey from Palma takes around 35-40 minutes.
➜ Book your rental car for Mallorca here*
Getting to Sant Elm by public transport is somewhat more difficult due to its remote location. Line 121 connects Sant Elm with the nearby towns of Port d’Andratx and Andratx, from there there is a bus connection to the Estació Intermodal at Plaça Espanya in Palma with line 101. The journey takes an hour and a half in total.
➜ Timetables and more information can be found on the website of tib (Transports de les Illes Balears)
The GR221 long-distance hiking trail starts in Sant Elm and leads through the entire Tramuntana. The perfect starting point for a longer hike!
If you are traveling by rental car and don’t want to do much hiking, you can also incorporate Sant Elm into a short road trip and explore Port d’Andratx on the same day, for example. A short drive along the southwest coast with the towns of Paguera, Santa Ponsa or El Toro with the stylish new marina Port Adriano is also a good idea.
If you want a contrasting program after so much peace and quiet, you can also end the day nearby in Magaluf, the epicentre of party-loving Brits – anything is possible on Mallorca!
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