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Things to do in Santa Margalida

Can Picafort, Son Serra de Marina and the Son Real necropolis: the quieter side of Alcúdia bay.

Santa Margalida: the essentials

  1. The Beata procession

    On the first Sunday of September, the village parades Saint Catalina Tomàs in a procession recorded since 1829 and listed as a Festival of Tourist Interest. Devils escort the Beata and people smash clay jugs as she passes.

  2. A stroll round the village

    Santa Margalida is a farming village on a low hill, with streets of stone houses climbing up to the parish church. From up here you look across the dry farmland of the plain towards the bay.

  3. The Son Real public estate

    Beyond the coast, the estate has an interpretation centre and an archaeology museum in the farmhouses, plus waymarked inland paths, such as the one to the Es Figueral talayot. A good way to understand life on a traditional possessió.

  4. Son Real necropolis by the sea

    The stone tombs of this prehistoric cemetery sit just metres from the rocky shore. Take your time and keep off the walls: the site is fragile and the sea has already claimed part of it.

  5. Look out to Illot dels Porros

    Off the Son Real coast, this low islet holds another prehistoric necropolis. You cannot visit it, but you get a clear view from the coastal path, especially when the sea is calm.

  6. Na Patana, a beach without buildings

    A sand-and-rock beach on the undeveloped coast between Can Picafort and Son Serra de Marina, quiet and popular with naturists. Bring water and shade, as there are no facilities.

  7. Sundowner at Moomba

    A laid-back beach bar for a light bite or a drink looking out over Alcúdia Bay. A good stop after the beach or as the evening comes in.

  8. The bar in Son Serra de Marina

    The meeting point of Son Serra de Marina, at the end of the Son Real coastal path. Stop for a sandwich or a beer before walking back.

The municipality has two sides. Inland, the village of Santa Margalida sits on a low hill among dry-farmed fields, with quiet streets and a church you can see from far off. Down on the Bay of Alcúdia is Can Picafort, with its seafront promenade, the fine sand and shallow water of Playa de Ca'n Picafort, good with children, and beach bars like Moomba Beach Café.

Further east the coast turns wild: the public estate of Son Real protects several kilometres of undeveloped shoreline, with rocky coves, dunes and the Necròpolis de Son Real, a prehistoric cemetery of more than a hundred tombs right by the sea, about twenty minutes' walk from Can Picafort. At the end of the path is Son Serra de Marina, a small, quiet settlement where Bar Puput is the meeting point. This is the part of the bay for anyone who wants a beach without hotel blocks and long walks along the shore.

Getting there

From Palma or the airport it is about 50 minutes by car: the Ma-13 motorway to Alcúdia or Inca, then the road to Can Picafort. TIB buses link Palma's Estació Intermodal with Can Picafort. For Son Real, leave the car at the estate car park on the Can Picafort to Artà road, or in Son Serra de Marina.

When to go

May to October for the beach; in July and August Can Picafort fills up while Son Real stays quiet. For the necropolis and the coastal path, spring or autumn is better, early in the morning or late afternoon: there is no shade. On the first Sunday of September the village holds the Beata festival. In winter many businesses on the coast close.

Experiences near Santa Margalida

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Eat

Culture

Things to do

A day in Santa Margalida

Frequently asked questions

Is Can Picafort part of Santa Margalida?

Yes. Can Picafort and Son Serra de Marina are the coastal resorts of the municipality of Santa Margalida, on Alcúdia Bay. The village of Santa Margalida itself lies about 10 kilometres inland, with its own farming life and fiestas, such as the Beata.

When is market day in Santa Margalida and Can Picafort?

Can Picafort's market is on Friday mornings, and from spring to autumn there are also stalls along the seafront. In the village of Santa Margalida it sets up on Tuesday mornings in the square; some guides also mention Saturday.

Is Son Real free to visit?

The paths across the estate and along the coast, including the necropolis, are open to everyone. The interpretation centre and museum in the farmhouses keep morning hours that change with the season, so phone the estate or check the Balearic government website before you go.

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