Andratx area guide: the town, Port d’Andratx, Sant Elm and Sa Dragonera
Pick your Andratx. Wednesday morning belongs to the inland town and its market, Port d’Andratx is for a waterfront wander, and Sant Elm is where you go to look across to Sa Dragonera. Leave a little time for S’Arracó. One coffee in the square has a habit of turning into two.
Which part of Andratx should you visit?
Start in Andratx town if you want streets and squares away from the waterfront. Put the parish church of Santa Maria and Castell de Son Mas on a walk through town, and check locally before planning around access to either building.
Port d’Andratx is for a harbour walk, fishing boats and a meal by the water. S’Arracó suits a slower stop in the valley. Sant Elm has a beach and boats to Sa Dragonera. Choose Camp de Mar if you want to spend more of the day on the beach.
Coastal raids and the watchtowers
Balearic tourism’s municipal guide connects Andratx town’s inland position with the area’s history of coastal raids. In the 16th century, watchtowers built along this stretch of coast helped warn of danger approaching from the sea. Look at the coast from Sant Elm and you can see why a lookout with a wide view mattered to people living farther inland.
The Consell de Mallorca’s chronology records that Jaume I used Sa Dragonera to prepare for his conquest of Mallorca in 1229. More than three centuries later, a landing on 2 August 1578 left its mark on Andratx. The town hall identifies it as the scene in the painting known as the Quadre des Moros, which is kept in the parish church of Santa Maria. On Sa Dragonera, the same chronology dates the Torre de Llebeig to 1585.
The island has a Roman connection too. The Consell’s chronology says the burial site found at Es Lladó suggests that Sa Dragonera was used for burials in Roman times. Pollentia, in Alcúdia, offers a fuller picture of what a Roman city looked like on Mallorca.
A day out from town to coast
Start in Andratx town and stop in S’Arracó. Finish in Sant Elm for the view across to Sa Dragonera, or make Port d’Andratx your last stop if you want a harbour walk and dinner. If Sa Dragonera is your main destination, let the sailings shape the day. The park is reached by sea, with passenger boats from Sant Elm. Check sailing times, park access and the last crossing back.
If you’re travelling by bus, use the TIB planner for your date and leave time between connections, particularly if you’re linking a bus journey to a boat trip.
Sa Dragonera and the Serra de Tramuntana
Sa Dragonera is a protected natural park, reached by boat from Sant Elm. The Serra de Tramuntana is a separate UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. UNESCO recognises how generations adapted the mountains for farming, with terraces and water systems. Use UNESCO’s map to see the boundaries of the designation.
Suggested walk on Sa Dragonera
From the landing at Cala Lladó, follow the park’s published itinerary to the Far de Tramuntana. Check the route and boat times before leaving Sant Elm, and leave enough time to get back for the last sailing.
Regular markets
- Andratx town: Wednesday mornings around Passeig de Son Mas. The town hall lists 8.30am to 2pm.
- Port d’Andratx: Monday mornings in the port, 9am to 2pm.
- S’Arracó: Saturday mornings in Plaça Weyler, by the parish church.
Andratx Town Hall’s market timetable · Andratx town market location · S’Arracó market location
What makes this area special
You can spend a morning inland in Andratx or S’Arracó and finish beside the sea. The harbour, the smaller bay at Sant Elm and the protected island of Sa Dragonera are three different outings.
Attractions and things to do
- Andratx town: Castell de Son Mas and Santa Maria church, which holds the painting of the 1578 landing.
- Port d’Andratx: the fishing harbour and waterfront.
- S’Arracó: village streets and Plaça Weyler. Sant Elm: beach, coastal views and the boat to Sa Dragonera.
- Camp de Mar: a beach stop. Sa Dragonera: a separate natural park visit with signed walks.
Fiestas and saints’ days
- Sant Antoni: around 17 January. The town hall places the bonfires on the nearest weekend and animal blessings in Plaça del Pou.
- Pancaritat: Easter Monday pilgrimage to the tower at Sant Elm.
- Andratx town: Sant Pere on 29 June.
- Port d’Andratx: Mare de Déu del Carme on 16 July, with a procession on the water.
- Sant Elm: Santa Catalina Tomàs and the Moros i Cristians re-enactment, first weekend of August.
- Sa Coma: Mare de Déu d’Agost on 15 August.
- S’Arracó: summer fiestas from late August into early September, around Sant Agustí and the 8 September feast of Mare de Déu de la Trapa.
Planning around a saint’s day? Check this year’s programme for the concerts, processions and village events you’d like to see. Some fall on the days around the feast.
Beaches and swimming spots
- Sant Elm. Sand, a village lunch and views across to Sa Dragonera. Choose the main beach if you want to stay near the cafés.
- Camp de Mar. A resort beach with places to eat close to the sand. A good pick when you want a swim and lunch with very little repacking. There’s a bus stop beside the beach.
- Cala Llamp. A rocky shoreline near Port d’Andratx. Pick one of the sandy beaches if you’re bringing a pushchair or want an easy entry.
Check the flag and current conditions on the day. If you need step-free access or specific facilities, use the linked beach information to pick your entrance.
Before you go, see our Mallorca beach etiquette and safety guide for swimming flags, Blue Flag beaches and what to do in an emergency.
Cala Llamp has Beach Club Gran Folies, with loungers and a pool on the rocky shore. For last light, try the Sant Elm waterfront looking towards Sa Dragonera. See our beach club and chiringuito guide.
What to eat here
On Wednesday, pick up olives, fruit or something from a bakery in Andratx town. For a longer lunch, head to the port or Sant Elm and ask what fish is on the menu that day.
Good to know before you go
For Sa Dragonera, plan around the boat from Sant Elm and check park access. For a town-and-harbour morning, search for the two places separately when planning transport.
Frequently asked questions
Is Andratx the same place as Port d’Andratx?
Andratx town is inland. Port d’Andratx is the harbour within the same municipality. Use the full name when checking a bus stop or making a booking.
Where do boats for Sa Dragonera leave from?
The nature park lists passenger boats from the jetty at Sant Elm. Check the sailing times and park access for your date.
How would I spend half a day here?
This route takes you from the inland town to Sant Elm. On a day when you’re taking the boat to Sa Dragonera, start at Sant Elm and make the island the focus instead.
- Start at the Wednesday market in Andratx town, or see the square and church on another day.
- Stop for coffee in S’Arracó.
- Finish with a walk along the waterfront at Sant Elm and a look across to Sa Dragonera.
Listen to the Majorca Mallorca Podcast
Useful links
- Andratx Town Hall on Son Mas and the parish church
- Balearic tourism’s Andratx municipality guide
- Visiting Sa Dragonera Natural Park
- Consell de Mallorca’s Sa Dragonera historical chronology
- TIB public transport planner
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