In the north-eastern part of Majorca, situated between two bays, lies one of the most beautiful towns on the island: Alcudia; choose one of the Alcudia villas if you would like to spend your holiday in this wonderful area. The town is a real treasure on the island, hiding behind medieval walls and the ancient Roman ruins. Just a few kilometres from Alcudia on the coast lies Puerto de Alcudia. If you haven't decided where to go on holiday, Alcudia could be the ideal place! This is one of the best places to see in Mallorca.
The town of Alcudia is located between the Bay of Pollença and Alcudia bay, it is approximately 60km from the capital city of Palma de Majorca. The Alcudia region is one of the best places to stay in Mallorca for both Spanish and foreign holidaymakers. Holidaymakers visiting Majorca beach resorts such as Pollença, Playa de Muro or Can Picafort should not miss a visit to the historic town of Alcudia.
This town impresses all who visit with its rich history. Walking the streets of the old town is a real trip back in time, allowing you to admire the traces of a distant civilisation, which for centuries formed the history of Majorca.
A Brief History
The Alcudia of today has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but it gained significance and importance with the arrival of the Romans in the second century AD. They built a settlement called Pollentia and transformed it into an important trading town. Later, the city was destroyed by vandals and pirates and later came the Moors. During the reconquest, Majorca was liberated from Arab governments by King James I in 1229. His successor, King James II, founded the town of Alcudia and its surrounding walls at the end of the 13th century. These walls, preserved in excellent condition even today, are the first thing that attract your attention when visiting the centre of Alcudia.
City Tour
In Alcudia old town, visitors can enter through one of two historic gates: La Porta del Moll, also known as the Puerta de Xara, and La Puerta de Majorca, also known as the Porta de Sant Sebastia. The latter doors are distinguished by two massive towers connected by a gigantic arch.
Near the gate you will find stairs leading up to the ancient walls. You must take this opportunity to walk around the walls and from a height, admire the skyline, the house rooftops, and the beautiful bay of Alcudia.
The area's of Alcudia old town is characterized by many narrow, irregular and cobblestone streets, which offer a selection of souvenir shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes. Do not rush this visit, but allow yourself to stroll among the winding streets and alleys, visiting and admiring the architecture of this special town, steeped in history. Enjoy the beautiful blooming flowers and clay pots which decorate the streets and allow yourself to be enchanted by the village houses with large Renaissance windows, their walls decorated with family coats of arms, garlands and other decorative pieces.
Also worth a few mentions are the Casa Torró (which is now one of the most important libraries in the Balearic Islands), Can Castell, Can Canta, Can Fondo and Can Domenech. Almost all the little streets in Alcudia lead to the main street, Calle Mayor (Carrer Major), where the Town Hall sits majestically, a historic building with a high clock tower. At this point, it is worth taking a little break from sightseeing and sit down at one of the charming restaurants on the Plaza de las Verduras.
An important place to stop during a historic tour of this city is the church of Saint Jaume, which was built in 1882. Inside the church is a museum, where you can see the liturgical objects, vestments and sculptures. The museum is open from May to October, Monday to Saturday from 10:00am - 13:00pm.
Another point of interest is the Plaza de Toros of Alcudia, the bull-fighting ring.
Located in the historical centre of Alcudia, in the former bastion of the defense of the city, is Bastió de Sant Ferran. In Alcudia every year, two significant holidays are celebrated with bullfights, the 25th July for Saint Jaume and 15th August which is the Feast of the Assumption (Mare de Déu d'Agost). The Plaza de Toros is open to visitors every day and it has a quaint cafe in its grounds.
You can still visit the ruins of the ancient city of Pollentia, one of the largest and best preserved Roman cities in the Balearic Islands. The Roman theatre is the only ancient outdoor theatre on the island, still preserved in good condition. After the fall of the city, the theatre was used as a cemetery, as evidenced by the graves found during excavations.
Mercado de Alcudia
Time for some retail therapy? Every Tuesday and Sunday, between 8:30am and 13:30pm there is a local market in the city centre. In Spain, almost every city and town will hold its own market, where residents make everyday purchases.
El Mercado de Alcudia is considered one of the most important markets on the island. It offers a unique climate, a huge variety of products, as well as an unbeatable location - in the historic centre of the city, next to the ancient walls. Vendors offer various goods including local fruit and vegetables, clothes, shoes, handbags, leather goods and handmade crafts, jewellery and souvenirs. Make some time for a quiet morning stroll among the stalls of Alcudia Market, browsing the products on offer and be sure to bring home some typical treats from Majorca: herbal drinks, almonds, olives and ensaimada (a traditional Mallorquín pastry). For more markets or other events, check: www.seemallorca.com/events/.
Puerto de Alcudia
Just 3km from Alcudia is the sister town of Puerto de Alcudia. As the name suggests, this is a port town and due to the great location and the beauty of the surroundings, the resort attracts many tourists.
La Playa de Alcudia and Playa del Puerto de Alcudia is over two kilometres in length and 50 metres wide. The water is very shallow and calm, and the beach offers fine gold sand. Sports enthusiasts will not be disappointed, as here you can rent all sorts of watersport equipment. Take a necessary but short walk to Playa de Muro and admire the fabulous beach with turquoise water! For the perfect stay see information on Puerto de Alcudia villas and apartments.
Puerto de Alcudia is the nightlife hub of the northern part of the island. In the evening, the resort is bustling, restaurants are filled with guests tasting local dishes, seafood and typical Spanish cuisine. There are restaurants which also offer Italian, Thai and Chinese cuisine. Here, you will find karaoke and live music bars as well as nightclubs where you can go crazy until the morning. After a meal, you must take a stroll along the beautifully lit promenade and pier along the marina. Alcudia nightlife has a lot to offer.
On the promenade, performances are often organised by artists. You might be lucky enough to see tiny Vietnamese pigs wearing little outfits and perform various tricks. At the port, there are also activities for kids: trampolines, cars and a carousel.
Port Alcudiamar is an important port on the island, all anchors drop here, from both small private boats, luxury yachts, fishing vessels as well as large passenger vessels (including Balearia). Here, you can catch a cruise ship, which will take you on a trip to Cap Formentor, Playa Rajada or dolphin watching.
How to get there?
If you have a car, you can drive to Alcudia without a problem. From Palma take the highway MA-13.
If you want to get to Alcudia from the airport by public transport, you first have to get a bus from the airport to the centre of Palma and get off at the Plaza España. Here, you can catch the bus to Alcudia. You can check the timetables available here: www.arrivamallorca.es/servicios