Cala Santanyi Holidays

Travel Agent's View

Cala Santanyi is a quiet resort with a couple of restaurants and not much else in the way of amenities and entertainment.

The resort is peaceful with a relaxing atmosphere and well suited to those looking for a quiet holiday.

A good base for exploring the surrounding area and it is only 45km from the airport which makes transfer times relatively short.

Insider's View

I love driving over to the unaffected and historic town of Santanyi. It's an arty, rural enclave lying on the extreme southeast of the island with a wonderfully vibrant feel. Less than five kilometres away is the peaceful and unhurried little resort of Cala Santanyi which has one of the sandiest and most picturesque beaches around.

The Cala has a pretty fishing harbour and the waters are beautifully clear and shallow for quite some way into the sea making it safe for children. Tall scrubby cliffs shield the bay and there are little paths that run along the coastline for those who like a bracing walk or indeed snorkelling which is popular at El Portàs, the rock arch just a short walk along the coastal path.

The beauty of being based here is that families and couples alike can have tranquility but also enjoy lively shopping, dining and sightseeing in Santanyi a stone's throw away. Although there are restaurants around the harbour, I'd strongly recommend popping into Santanyi at least on a Saturday to visit the wonderful market and to buy local and unusual crafts and gifts. My favourite shops are Reina Rana on Plaça Major which sells stunning jewellery and accessories and also Cermaniques de Santanyi.

The church of St Andreu has one of the finest organs in Spain dating back to 1762 so that's worth a visit as is also sampling some local food at one of the numerous bars and restaurants around the main plaça. Top of my list is Sa Font for pa amb oil, bread with tasty cheese, jamon serrano and olive oil, and a bowl of Galician cider, or Es COC, meaning 'cook' in antique Catalan, a jewel of a restaurant run by Marc Vidal, on the town's main road.

A visit to the antique harbour of Cala Figuera is one not to miss, being a favourite place of mine, to watch the fishermen tending their nets and bringing in the fresh catch of the day. Also consider a trip to Mondrago nature reserve, and maybe taking a boat excursion to the Cabrera archipelago, a national nature reserve which is utterly beautiful with wonderful wildlife. I visit every year. Insider Sig