Alcúdia, a medieval city in paradisiac Mallorca

At the northeast of Mallorca, between two bays and at the heart of a natural park, lays the beautiful Alcúdia. Here you can find long beaches with fine sand and wild, towering cliffs that you can only admire from the sea. But Alcúdia is much more than a pretty spot to bathe at sea. Its long history has given the city an imposing medieval city centre and a lot of traditions that you absolutely have to witness. Welcome to Alcúdia, a medieval city in paradisiac Mallorca!

A bit of history…

Mallorca is full of talaiots, ancient towers of huge stones built more than three thousand years ago. They look a bit like the Sardinian nuraghe or the Greek tholoi, and sure enough, there is one in the Alcúdia municipality. Therefore, if you are into history, check out the Son Simó ancient village. Also, only a few kilometres away lies the Roman Pollentia, the city with the smallest amphitheatre in Spain. 

People never left the area, and once you are here, you will understand why. Alcúdia was officially founded in 1325 by King James II, and in his honour is the Saint James church. From this time, you can still admire one of the two city walls of Alcúdia. The other one is from the Renaissance period. If you have time, walk its narrow, snaking streets, get lost and observe all the buildings. Some used to belong to the nobility and are really stunning! 

As a matter of fact, if you want to stay at Alcúdia, one of these buildings is ideal. I recommend Ca’n Pere, a 19th-century palace decorated with neoclassic furniture, next to the Moorish city walls and the Roman ruins, close to the beach… Picture yourself having breakfast here on the terrace, enjoying the Mallorquin sun. What else could you wish for? However, keep in mind that Alcúdia is a very popular destination, so be sure to book quite ahead.

What to do

Of course, being in the Mediterranean, I would suggest a tour to see dolphins playing in their natural habitat. But if you want to get away from the crowd, you can hop on this cruise and enjoy the most virgin, and amazing beaches of the whole island, the kind of beaches you can only discover by boat and only locals know of its existence. 

On the other hand, Mallorca is known for its magnificent caves (Drach, Hams…), and Alcúdia has the biggest in the north of the island. On this tour, you can visit and sail around the Levante Natural Park, famous for its stunning cliffs. This cruise ends with a visit to yet another virgin beach, where you can snorkel, so it has a bit of everything!

The Alcúdia port and its beaches

Alcúdia has many beaches: S’Illot, Sant Joan, Aucanada… Beaches are with pristine waters and golden sand, paradise-like. The main one, Alcúdia Beach, starts at the port and goes on for three kilometres. This one has great access, and it is ideal for families. Plus, it has no high buildings, only idyllic palm and pine trees! 

Without a doubt, Coll Baix is the most beautiful one, but like the best pearls, it is well hidden. You can get there by boat or climbing down very steep trails. Of course, you need to be careful here… but the reward is really worth it. Also, only five kilometres away lies the way to the popular Playa de Muro, a must-see in this area!

Feasts and markets

Alcúdia has a lot of fairs over the year and weekly local markets that you can visit downtown and at the promenade. And many, many feasts! My favourite one is Saint Anthony, on January 16th and 17th. That day demons are on the loose, coming out of the windows and doors of the city hall. I could not resist posting this video so you can see how peculiar this feast is...

Only by looking at these pictures do I feel like having holidays again. Don’t you? Go and treat yourself to Alcúdia, a medieval city in paradisiac Mallorca!