Port D’Andratx was one of the last stops on my road trip around Mallorca. I had already visited and fallen in love with Port De Soller, so I didn’t expect any port town to rival it. I must say, Port D’Andratx was definitely a rival. It is a stunningly gorgeous little town with Amalfi coast vibes and a little set of gorgeous restaurants along the foreshore.
Port D’Andratx
Port D’Andratx is a little port town about 30 minutes drive from Palma. It is a gorgeous and walkable spot that has a main street lined with restaurants, cafes and a lovely marina.
Every evening, a trail of gorgeously dressed people wander into town for a sunset wine and dinner. The town has a very moneyed beachy atmosphere, despite there not being a ‘beach’ per se.
Things to do in Port D’Andratx
Drive into Andratx. I didn’t do this because I had spent two weeks of non-stop touristing and was TIRED. But by all accounts it’s a gorgeous little town.
Sit in the sun and have a wine, of course.
Stroll the promenade and streets at sunset and dinnertime. They really come alive and the place has such a nice convivial atmosphere.
Walk around the Port to the opposite side. This is where I stayed and it was gorgeous to walk around the neighbourhood at sunset. I highly recommend walking to the lighthouse and sitting there to watch the sun go down. There are lots of nice houses to look at.
Drive to the lovely beaches nearby (more on this in a section below).
Take a taxi to Gran Folies beach club for the day. It’s a gorgeous setting but I’d recommend getting a taxi – it’s a up a huge hill from Port D’Andratx.
It only takes 30 minutes to drive to Palma, so a road trip is always on the cards. Parking in Palma was my worst nightmare, though, so make sure you set off early or have a car park booked.
More things to do
- Banyafulbar is only a 46 minute drive along the coastal road. I didn’t drive this road so I can’t say how easy of a drive it is. You can also skirt Palma and take the inland road which might be less stressful but will also be far less scenic.
- Testament to how efficient the road up the middle of Mallorca is, Soller is only a 45 minute drive from Port D’Andratx. Given that the the Tramuntana towns are all quite close to one another, this opens up a whole host of possibilities. Keep in mind, though, that traffic and parking are insane in peak season.
- There are a number of gorgeous hiking trails in the area; see Andratx’s website here for more information.
- Hire a boat! This is a classic activity anywhere in Mallorca
Beaches near Port D’Andratx
Unlike Port De Soller or Port De Pollenca, there is no beach along the water. I daresay many hotels and bnbs have pools, but if yours doesn’t you’ll need to look a bit further abroad for a swim.
This side of the island has a lot of rockier beaches, so some of these beaches are more of a snorkelling type affair.
- Cala Lamp – this ‘beach’ is closest to Port D’Andratx and is home to the famous (and gorgeous) Gran Folies beach club. While undoubtedly beautiful, there’s no sand here so you will need to bring rock shoes. Alternatively, pay for an umbrella at Gran Folies and soak up the views/swim in their pool.
- Calo Des Ses Llisses is a small rocky beach about a 13 minute drive from the port. I didn’t go, but it looks like a gorgeous and quieter spot.
- Peguera beach is a 14 minute drive. Again, I didn’t visit. It looks touristy but practical for a swim as there is plenty of space.
- Portals Vells is a 27 odd minute drive from Port Andratx. It is a gorgeous little covey style set of 3 beaches that you can walk between. I visited early on a Saturday morning in September and I was one of the first cars there.
- Illetes is a very cute little cove beach area with a few different beaches. Playa De Illetes, Cala De Illetes and Cala Comtessa are all in the same stretch. This would be my recommendation for the cutest of them all, but by all accounts it’s very hard to park there in peak summer.
- Camp de Mar is a decent sized sandy beach with a handful of coffee shops and restaurants around, about a 10 minute drive away. It had plenty of beach accessibility equipment including a ramp down to the water.
- Santa Ponca is a very built up large beach with very touristy vibes. It is a 20 minute drive from Port D’Andratx.
Where to eat in Port D’Andratx
There are a wealth of restaurants in Port D’Andratx and you can essentially take your pick. The following is a list of places I ate at or observed to be busy and well reviewed.
I will say that most places were busy in the evening and are generally well reviewed online. In a lot of port towns I got the vibe that people were staying in town for a while and trying out all the different restaurants. That could just be me inventing a back story for strangers, but anyway.
One last thing to keep in mind is that I am a gluten free fussy pescatarian (aka mostly vegetarian). So, my list might not be 100% in line with how you eat. I wasn’t chasing the best paella or tapas as they’re not particularly ‘me’ friendly.
Breakfast and coffee
- I had a nice brunch and coffee at Blends brunch cafe. Very good espresso.
- Greens Deli and cafe looks super cute for a gluten free vegetarian such as myself. Unfortunately it wasn’t open on the day I discovered it, but the reviews online are very positive.
- La Consigna was absolutely pumping on the Sunday morning I was there. I don’t know whether this is because it’s good or because it was the only thing open.
Dinner
- At the top of my list was No 11, whose menu was apparently designed by the same Chef as Nama in Deia. The cocktails look delicious, as does the food, but they didn’t accept bookings for one and it was raining so admitted defeat.
- Ferns is a cute tapas bar on the water that has a view of the water.
- Mitj Mitj comes highly reviewed but potentially not for gluten free vegetarians/fussy pescetarians like myself.
- Sumailla is a Japanese Peruvian sushi restaurant with gorgeous views of the water and an impressive wine list. It also has some vegetarian and vegan options which is handy.
- For dinner with a different view, check out the restaurant at Gran Folies.
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