Is Pollensa the best place in the Balearics?

Buying Real Estate on the Islands

This lovely garden belongs to a marvellous property in the exclusive Valley of Son March, on the Lluc road, near Pollensa old town. Property Ref: C1138

Why property in Pollensa is a good investment

You have already decided to buy a new home, or would like to if the right opportunity were to present itself. You have narrowed your options down to Spain, then the Balearics. And now you are considering Mallorca...

It is certainly one of the top ranked spots to live according to The Financial Times and is periodically mentioned in The Times. Conde Nast ranks it high not only as a top holiday destination, but also as a superb place to live and so it would seem, to the tens of thousands of foreign residents who choose to move to the island part of full time.

Why Mallorca? Why Pollensa? The Best Location...

Landscape may not be top of your list, but location is, right?

And the two go together. Pollensa, in the northern corner of the island of Mallorca, is a small medieval town set in dip, surrounded by hills, 6 km from the coast at the very edge of the massive mountain range that crosses the island SW to NE called the Serra de Tramuntana.

This all makes this part of the world a little bit more remote. The island, ravaged by tourism in parts, is relatively unscathed up in the north, and until recently, quite hard to access. Now, with the new Palma to Alcudia motorway, Pollensa and the north of the island is a mere 45-minute drive from the airport and city of Palma, making it easy to reach.

Aside from its easy accessibility however, the area is beautiful, lush and rural. The coast is a mix of sandy stretches of beach on the southern side and craggy rock and tiny coves on the north face, while the landscape inland is made up of rolling hills, farmland and small towns and villages.

Climate & Weather

This is certainly the reason why people come on holiday to Mallorca; sunshine draws the crowds throughout the summer, and the mild winters draw cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts,

Living on the island has the added benefit of allowing you to enjoy all the seasons, or to choose to come at the time of year you prefer. 

Real Estate Investment

Pollensa real estate market is booming. Just a small stroll though the old town of Pollensa will leave you in little doubt; there are row upon row of real estate agencies, all thriving, and construction and refurbishments are going on all over the place. This is a good time to buy a property in the north of Mallorca and turn it into a home.

And considering all the other points in this article, this little corner of paradise will certainly remain an attractive investment for many years to come.

Schools in the North

Pollensa has its first international school and this has made it all the more attractive to young families. You no longer have to traipse across the island to find a decent English speaking school; My School is the new bilingual primary school in the area, located at the Crestatx turn off on the Sa Pobla to Pollensa road. This is its second year and reports are positive. There seem to be plans to grow naturally as the children who are now in primary move up through the years, thus it will be taking secondary school students a couple of years along the line.

International Community

Some may baulk at the very idea of this. Magaluf and the more embarrassing antics of the drunken youth and not so youthful on the southern shores are not likely your cup of tea, but when you live here you soon realise that it is a localised and though much publicised, rare phenomenon that happens elsewhere on the island.

The resident and part-time resident community that you will meet in the north is vibrant, engaged and friendly. People of all ages, nationalities and walks of life have moved to Mallorca to live, work, start families, retire and do business and there is a wealth of interesting people. 

British and German are in the majority, though there are also French, Scandinavians, Argentinians, Moroccans and a smattering of other nationalities, as well as a large community of mainland Spanish, who form a demographic in themselves.

Infrastructure

The Mallorca government just loves investing in roads, and though road works can be a pain, the island is exceptionally well communicated, especially so from north to south. You can drive from Pollensa to Palma in 45 minutes, 5-10 more to the airport.

From roads and airports to hospitals... Mallorca really does have the infrastructure of a modern hub, interspersed that is, with small villages in a landscape of olive groves.

Accessibility

Not only is it easy to get to Palma, you can also fly from Mallorca to practically anywhere in the world. Some destinations may require you stop off in Madrid, Barcelona or London, but considering you are on a small rock in the med, 2,5 hours will get you to any major European city.

Palma airport traffic is huge; 1000s of flights a day and with prices still remarkably affordable, you can almost commute to work elsewhere, and visit at anytime.

Safety

In a world that seems more menacing by the day, the islands of the Balearics seem to have remained suspended in time. Life continues regardless of world events and is, largely due to its island nature, remarkably safe. Low crime, safe roads, small neighbourhoods and efficient security make this one of the safest, as well as delightful, places to live on earth.

Services, Facilities, Amenities...

An island geared towards tourism such as Mallorca is bound to be well equipped, and it is!

Pollensa and the north of Mallorca, though not very densely populated, has a major public hospital in Inca and a private hospital in Muro, there are also clinics in every town called PACs with GPs and 24 hour emergency help.

The roads, as mentioned earlier, are well constructed and safe. 

And Palma city has everything your would expect from a major European city, contained within its Medieval walls.

Cycling in Mallorca

Cycling is a big deal in Mallorca nowadays and the industry has spawned cycling services of every kind. It also draws visitors off-season, which drives the winter economy and allows for home owners to let their properties practically all year round.

Gastronomy & Cuisine

One word: delicious!

The Mediterranean cuisine is known and lauded the world over and for good reason; fresh, natural, locally sourced produce, grown in a healthy environment, with lots of vegetables, fish and seafood, baked bread, specialist shops, weekly markets, delis and fabulous restaurants, if you don't feel like cooking at home, and the wonderful weather, so you can eat outdoors practically all year round, conspite to making Mallorca is great place to enjoy food.

Whether you are looking for traditional or international cuisine, good food on the island is easy to source and delightful to enjoy.

The Tramuntana Mountains

The Serra de Tramontana, though already mentioned above, deserves its own chapter. This is a Unesco protected mass of land, which covers some 1000Km2 of mountains, foothills and coast and is to a large extent why the island is as fertile and temperate as it is. 

In a move towards attracting year round tourism the local government has invested heavily into the Tramuntana, and we now have the GR221 walk that crosses the entire length, cleared and signposted all the way, with small refuges and monasteries on route to accommodate hikers overnight.

Wine Culture

Thanks to the protective nature of these mountains, the foothills offer ideal conditions for growing vines, and the island has in fact been making wine since Roman times. The fertile steppes are covered in vineyards and Mallorca wines are growing in reputation and quality by the year.

Production is small and limited due to the high cost of land, so wine prices are relatively high and most is consumed on the island.

The main wine producing areas are Binissalem and the Plai Llevant, which is the plain. But new smaller wineries are choosing not to adhere to the strict rules of the D.O. (denomination of origin label) and go it alone, so the table wine and Vi de la Terra wines are often just as good.

Traditions

In a parallel universe, Mallorca remains a traditional place and has held on to all its festivities, processions and traditions. The yearly calendar in a carefully orchestrated dance from one event to the next, and though all are Catholic in representation, their roots are manifold.

Every village and town on the island has a patron saint day which is celebrated with relish and pride and all the different agricultural trades hold seasonal fiestas; olive and olive oil, mushrooms, seafood, crafts, etc., as well as modern addendums like beer fetes, music festivals and water and beach parties.

Pollensa's patron saint, La Patrona, is held on the 2nd of July, following a week of festivities and concerts, with the mock battle of the Moors and Christians. And the Port de Pollensa's seafaring party, the Festes del Carme, take place at the beginning of July.