DK Travel : Mallorca : Outdoor

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Cala Figuera, Cap de Formentor

Cutting a chunk out towards the very end of dramatic Península de Formentor, this cove lies at the bottom of a precipitous ravine. It’s accessible either on foot – you park up above, just off the road that winds out to the lighthouse – or by boat. Once there, the views of the surrounding cliffs are awesome, and the beach and water make it one of the island’s most inviting swimming spots.
Cala Millor

One of the most popular resorts on the east coast of Mallorca. The first hotels began to appear here as early as the 1930s, but the real tourist invasion did not start until the 1980s. Similar to neighbouring Cala Bona and Sa Coma, Cala Millor has many beautiful beaches; the main one is 1.8 km (1 mile) long and is quite magnificent. There are bars, restaurants and clubs aplenty, all over-crowded in summer. To see what this coast used to be like, walk to the headland at Punt de n’Amer nature reserve.
Cala Pi

Lush and beautiful, with an immaculate beach and excellent restaurants. Perhaps because of the abundant vegetation, the air seems fresher here than elsewhere on the island.
Cala Sant Vicenç

The area consists of three coves – Cala Sant Vicenç, Cala Barques and Cala Molins – with an appealing aura of intimacy. The first two have tiny but perfect beaches, gorgeous water and views. The third is down a hill, with a broader beach and more of a singles atmosphere.
Cala Tuent

On the wild northern coast, where the opalescent hues of massive cliffs and sea meet, this is probably the area’s quietest beach, since it’s bypassed by most of the crowds who come to see the nearby Torrent de Pareis.
Camp de Mar

This tiny, modern urbanizació (development) has an excellent beach and a pier running out to a small rocky island in the middle of the cove. You can also climb up on the windswept cliffs of Cap d’es Llamp.
Cap de Cala Figuera Peninsula

Marked by a lonely lighthouse, this undeveloped area is officially a military zone, but as long as it’s not closed or guarded, you can walk out for a view of the entire bay. Nearby Portals Vells is another tranquil area, while Platja El Mago is a nudist beach.
Cap de Capdepera

The island’s easternmost point is a great place to hike around, though the terrain generally necessitates little more than easy strolling. You can go out to the lighthouse on its cape of sheer rock, or check out the pristine coves that lie lined up to the north and south, including Cala Agulla, Son Moll, Sa Pedrusca and Sa Font de sa Cala.
Colònia de Sant Jordi

The town has a handful of modest hotels, a few restaurants, a pretty beach and an interesting harbour. Many people come here with the sole purpose of catching a boat to nearby Cabrera (see Illa de Cabrera), which, according to Pliny, was the birthplace of the famous Carthaginian leader, Hannibal. The town’s other main attraction is the nearby salt lake, from which huge quantities of salt were once extracted – the main source of the town’s wealth.
Cova Blava (Blue Grotto)

This pretty little waterside cave is incorporated as part of the return trip to the island of Cabrera (see Illa de Cabrera). Like it’s famous forerunner on the Isle of Capri in Italy, this Blue Grotto offers the amazing spectacle of the outside light being filtered up through the aquamarine waters, creating a ravishing luminosity that seems at once spectral, gem-like, and visually delicious. You can swim here, too.