Colonia de Sant Pere

Colonia de Sant Pere is situated in the north east of Mallorca. It has an authentic coastal village feel and is situated at the eastern end of the beautiful Bay of Alcudia, approximately 60km or 38 miles from Palma Airport.

The village is part of the municipality of Arta which is a picturesque and ancient market town situated in an area of natural beauty, still largely undeveloped and therefore a draw for artists, ramblers and cyclists.

Colonia de Sant Pere itself has a reasonable selection of restaurants, bars and essential amenities and is backed by wild terrain and rocky hills of fig, olive and almond trees.

Some 700 years ago, this area was used by the Mallorcan kings for hunt purposes, most notably wild boar. Today it holds more attraction for those seeking peace and tranquility away from the frenetic larger coastal resorts.

Lying on a coastal plain, Colonia de Sant Pere has a small white sandy beach and pretty harbour as well as an esplanade of cafés and bars. However, only 10 kilometres away, a larger and more popular beach can be found at the lively resort of C’an Picafort.

The rocky coastline in this part of the island is made up of hidden and isolated coves which attract snorkelers and scuba divers alike while the gentle easterly winds lure a growing fraternity of wind surfers who come in search of big rolling waves at some of the wilder beaches. Water sports though are not the only attraction here given that there are five excellent golf courses within easy reach of the town and an abundance of hiking and cycling routes.

In nearby Arta there is a good selection of restaurants and shops as well as a weekly craft market held on Tuesdays. An interesting historical diversion is to be found in the hilltop fortress and chapel of Santuari de Sant Salvador, a steep ten minute walk from the town centre. This was once the site of a Moorish fort which was destroyed by Catalan soldiers of the Conquista.

Alcudia, a few kilometers to the west on the other side of the bay from Colonia Sant Pere, merits a visit as it claims to be the oldest city in Mallorca. Founded by the Phoenicians in the second millennium BC, it was settled by Greek traders and later was made the capital of the island when the Romans invaded.

Guided tours of the impressive and ancient city walls are available. Nearby is another ancient monument, the remains of the Roman town which was named Pollentia. On the far eastern end of the Alcudia peninsula is the Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation, a gallery and sculpture park set in stunning parkland along a dramatic part of the coastline of steep cliffs and isolated beaches. Visits to the Foundation can be pre-arranged although Tuesdays are open to the public.

For bird watchers, a must visit is the nature reserve at S’Albufera National Park, which covers a region of marshlands inland from the Bay of Alcudia. While home to many of the island’s native birds, it is also a major staging post for migratory species in autumn and spring, particularly wading and water birds.

For the more adventurous, further along the east coast is the impressive Serra de Llevant, a national park, a dry and rugged area of palm trees, scrub and long grasses, which is frequented by serious bird watchers who wait patiently for a sighting of Eleanora’s falcon, the booted eagle, Audouin’s gulls and even osprey.

The park has three mountain huts as well as a camping site that can be booked from the Consell de Mallorca for weekend hikes