Alcudia

Bay of Pollenca

15th May We left Soller early this morning with very little wind and motored north along the coastline. The scenery was wonderful: mountainous, rocky landscapes with the occasional glimpse of green, alpine valleys. The wind increased as we rounded Cape Formentor early this afternoon which gave us a short, brisk sail down into the bay of Pollenca. We are now anchored off the town. It's a pretty spot with pale beaches backed by green mountains.



The white sands of Alcudia

16th May When we checked the weather this morning we found that they are predicting strong winds and thunderstorms for the next few days, so we sailed on round to Alcudia, which has a well sheltered marina.  Alcudia is famous for its beautiful white, soft sand beaches and we’re told there’s a lovely old, walled town at the top of the hill, but when we walked into the resort this afternoon what we found was pure Blackpool, slot machines, saucy hats and ketchup on the tables.

Palma's Cathedral

A modern treatment to the Chapel of Holy Sacrament

 

18th May We’re making the most of our enforced stop here by exploring inland. Today we took the bus into Majorca’s capital, Palma, and had a wonderful day wandering around the old town and visiting the Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace. The Cathedral is as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside.  It’s beautifully lit with huge stained glass windows and has an unusual canopy over the altar, designed by Gaudi. The most surprising element for me was the modernist, marine-themed decoration of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament by Miquel Barcelo. It’s very dramatic, but feels slightly out of place - perhaps better suited to a film set than a Cathedral.

Almudaina Palace



Upmarket busker in Palma

19th May We decided to walk up to the old town of Alcudia today and visit the roman remains of Pol-Lentia nearby. It’s Sunday, and when we arrive we find it’s market day. The town is covered in stalls, not just in the market place, but crammed down all the little streets and along by the walls. It is also crammed with people, and after pushing our way through the crowds to take a walk along the top of the walls, we escape across the road to the site of Pol-Lentia, which is, mercifully, deserted. There’s little left to see of the Roman villas and forum, but we follow a track down beside a cornfield full of poppies and through an olive grove to find the small amphitheatre with steps cut into the rocky hillside. It’s wonderfully peaceful here, with goats grazing between the olive trees, and we sit on the rocky steps imagining what it would have been like here all those years ago.



 

Market day in Alcudia old town

 

Amphitheatre at Pol-Lentia