Things to do in Andratx

Andratx is the island's far south-west corner, where the Tramuntana drops into the sea. The town itself sits inland, quiet and built of stone, with the church of Santa Maria at the top and CCA Andratx, a large contemporary art centre, on the outskirts. Five kilometres away, Port d'Andratx mixes fishing boats, yachts and houses clinging to the hillside, and at sunset the harbour front is the place to sit down.

Further on is Sant Elm, a small village facing the island of Sa Dragonera, a natural park you reach by boat. Sant Elm is also where the path to La Trapa starts, an old Trappist monastery looking out at the island, plus a shorter walk to the Torre de Cala en Basset. For a swim, Cala Blanca and the rocky coves along this coast are smaller and less crowded than the big southern beaches. And if you'd rather not cook, Sant Elm has places to eat fish with Sa Dragonera in front of you.

Getting there

From Palma it's about 30 minutes by car on the Andratx motorway, around 40 from the airport. TIB buses leave Palma's Estació Intermodal for Andratx, Port d'Andratx and Sant Elm. In summer, parking in the port and in Sant Elm is hard around midday: arrive early, or leave the car on the edge of town and walk in.

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal for the walk to La Trapa, which is tough in the summer heat. The town holds its market on Wednesday mornings. Sa Dragonera relies on the boats from Sant Elm, which mainly run in season; this winter the park is closed for work on its jetty, so check its website before you go.