Natural Park of Mondragó
We will be posting a series of articles about the most beautiful places on the south coast of Mallorca, and today we will start with the Natural Park of Mondragó.
Mondragó is geographic mosaic that combines the Mediterranean rural landscape of the “rotes", small plots of land surrounded by dry stone walls, scrub and coastal forests, and winding streams carved in the limestone that end in white sandy beaches. Mondragó, with an area of 700 ha, was declared a natural park in 1992. Mondragó retains the charm of the traditional pristine landscape of Mallorca.
To visit Mondragó we must first head to Santanyi. Mondragó is open to the public all year round and has an information centre open to the public from 9 to 16.
How to get to Mondragó?
To get to Mondragó we will head to Santanyi by the Ma-19 road (Campos-Santanyi-Portopetro). From the village of Santanyi there are two access roads to the natural park:
• Santanyi road to Portopetro (Ma19), and at the roundabout take the rural road to Cala Mondragó.. We will find a car park near the information centre.
• Carretera de Cala Figuera (Ma-6102), and we deviated by the path of Clap de Sa Paret towards the car park of Ca sa Muda.
The two parking areas are located near the beaches of the Natural Park of Mondragó.
What to do in Mondragó?
There are four routes to explore and discover Mondragó. All the information can be found in the following link about the natural protected areas of the Balearic Islands 'Balearsnatura’. All the routes of Mondragó Park are easy. It is recommended to wear suitable footwear, for example, sneakers, and to use sun protection (glasses, hats and protective cream). Do not forget water and a towel to take a refreshing swim in one of the two beaches.
• Route of the viewpoint of ses Fonts de n'Alis. A quite easy route of 640 m that can be done in 15 minutes. The route links the visitor centre to the beach, bordering a small lagoon. The route ends in the Caló d'en Garrot, the traditional name, or the Playa de ses Font de n'Alis. The latter name refers to a natural emerging spring found on the bed of the stream. This route can be done all year round, but it is recommended for hot summer days, as it ends in a beautiful beach.
• Route of the volta a sa Jordia d'en Garrot. It is a1 km route that can be done in half an hour. It starts and ends near the route of Es Fonts de n'Alis, and takes us along the coast of Mondragó, and the small cove of des Burgit, another public bathing spot of the park.
• Route of the headland of ses Gatoves. It is a coastal route of 720 m that can be done in half an hour. The starting point is near the Ca sa Muda car park. Along this route we will admire the coastal forests of junipers, a Mediterranean coniferous species that is now not so abundant.
• S'Amarador Route. An easy half-hour walk that brings us close to the small pond of s'Amarador. This route also starts in the Ca sa Muda car park. In the Mediterranean water is synonymous of life, and along this route we can observe the effect that water has on the landscape and the diversity of animals and plants.
• Route of s'Hort d'en Metge. Starting at the beach of s’Amarador, it is an inland route that leaves the coast and crosses Aleppo pine forests and the Mediterranean farmland. This rout can be done in less than an hour.
All the routes of the Mondragó Natural Park are easy to do by the elderly and with children. You can join several routes to spend a morning enjoying the nature and coastal landscapes of one of the hidden spots of Mallorca that has been preserved in time. In summer we can combine a walk with a swim in one of the park's beaches.
We hope you enjoy your visit to the Mondragó Nature Park!