holiday homes in Pollensa

The foothills of the Tramuntana in the northwest of the island and a large part of the mountain chain are just as much part of the municipality as is the charming port of Pollença and the small bay of Cala Sant Vicenç. The pearl of the area is, however, the village of Pollença itself. The inhabitants of what is today called Alcudia, which was much closer to the sea, founded the village in the 18th century a little further inland to the west in the green hills of the surrounding countryside in order to protect themselves from the then frequent pirate attacks which came from the sea. Interestingly, Alcúdia was once an ancient Roman settlement called Pollentia and when Germanic tribes destroyed this in the 5th century BC, the name still continued to characterize the area and later became the name of a new village.

History and culture in Pollença

The towns main landmark is the Calvary mountain with the pilgrimage chapel of El Calvari up to which lead 365 steps – one for every day of the year. The climbing of these steps is rewarded with a unique view over the light brown roofs of the houses as far as the bay of Alcúdia and the mountain peaks of the Tramuntana. The true centre of the town is the exceptionally charming market square, surrounded by cafes and restaurants. The church of Nostra Senyora del Angels, dating from the 13th century, stands on the edge of this busy square and a little further on is the Dominican monastery of Sant Domènec. A real curiosity can be found in the towns history museum, housed in the monastery - a wonderful Mandala from the Himalayas which the Dalai Lama once brought personally to Pollença to present to the town.

Club Real Nautic in Puerto Pollensa

The old monastery building hosts cultural events and classical concerts all year round, the best known of which is the Festival de Pollença which is always held in the monastery cloister in the open air during the months of July and August, and regularly hosts international ensembles and soloists from all over the world including the French National Orchestra, Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Monserrat Caballé, Goran Bregovic etc. Culture, especially music and painting, is very well cultivated in Pollença so it has numerous small galleries, the most famous being probably the Galeria Maior in the village square. And witness to its great handicraft tradition and to the good taste of the town are the many small boutiques and delightful little shops waiting to be discovered.

Of roosters and pirates

On the Plaça de l'Amoina is an imposing sculpture of a rooster on the Fond de Gall, dating back to 1827, and a rooster also decorates the coat of arms of Pollença. The square looks quite unspectacular at first sight, but is of great importance to the inhabitants as the battle against the pirates who attacked Pollença in 1550 was won here. This battle is, incidentally, reproduced every year on August 2nd with a huge spectacle including fireworks which really should not be missed. So too the Easter procession, which is considered one of the most beautiful on the island.