Southwest Mallorca guide: Portals, Santa Ponsa and Port d'Andratx

Southwest Mallorca is the coast between Palma and the island's western tip, shared by the municipalities of Calvià and Andratx. It is the island's most polished stretch: a string of marinas and pine-backed coves, four golf courses open to visitors and the mountains of the Tramuntana behind. And Palma is never more than half an hour away.

It is also the part of Mallorca that changes most within a few kilometres, from the yachts of Puerto Portals to the fishing boats of Sant Elm. This guide is our own selection, built on our print guide and rechecked for today.

What is southwest Mallorca like, and who does it suit?

It suits people who want the sea, good restaurants and Palma close by: families, golfers, sailors and anyone looking at a home on the island. Much of the coast is built up, with villas on the hills and resort towns on the bays, but the coves between them are clear and the far west stays wild.

The area has a large international community, so it works all year. In winter the resorts quieten, while the marinas, golf courses and many restaurants stay open.

Which towns in southwest Mallorca are worth knowing, and what for?

Choose your base by the kind of day you want: marina, beach or harbour village. The table runs from east to west, from Palma towards the island's tip.

Puerto Portals and Bendinat

Puerto Portals, at Portals Nous, is about 10 kilometres from the centre of Palma and has more than 700 moorings for boats from 8 to 60 metres. Its promenade is a line of restaurants, cocktail bars and boutiques, and it is where the southwest goes to see and be seen. Next door, Bendinat is a quiet residential area of villas in the pines around the Real Golf de Bendinat.

Marina Views, Great Food · Portals Nous

Wellies Restaurant

A Puerto Portals classic, open daily from lunchtime into the evening, for a long meal looking over the boats.

See on our guide →

Asia Meets The Med · Portals Nous

Spoon

On the harbour promenade at Puerto Portals, with crossover cooking that mixes Asian accents, wok dishes and light fish with an original Wiener Schnitzel.

See on our guide →

Just around the corner, LILA Portals sits above the bay at Passatge Mar 1 and is open all year, while the Lobster Club, the sea club of Hotel Cappuccino beside Puerto Portals, opens from mid May to mid October.

Cliffside Views & Cocktails · Portals Nous

LILA Portals Beach Restaurant & Bar

Fine and casual dining with a view over the bay, from meat and seafood to vegan dishes, open year round with a daily set lunch.

See on our guide →

Santa Ponsa and Peguera

Santa Ponsa is where Mallorca's Catalan history begins. Part of King Jaume I's fleet landed here on 10 September 1229, two days before the battle that opened the conquest of the island, and a stone cross on the coast near the harbour marks the spot. Today the town has a long, shallow beach that suits small children, and the Golf Santa Ponsa courses behind it.

A few minutes west, Peguera has sandy beaches, including Palmira and Torà, and a seafront that is easy on foot. Just beyond it, the small cove of Cala Fornells is the place for snorkelling among the rocks.

Camp de Mar, Port d'Andratx and Sant Elm

Camp de Mar is a small sandy bay with an islet reached by a footbridge, and Golf de Andratx in the hills behind. Over the next headland, Port d'Andratx is a deep natural harbour where fishing boats still share the water with yachts; our guide to Port d'Andratx and the Serra de Tramuntana covers it in depth. At the end of the road, Sant Elm is a small fishing village looking straight at Sa Dragonera.

Always The Right Spot · Palma / Puerto de Andratx / Puerto Portals / Puerto Pollença / Valldemossa

Cappuccino Grand Café

With branches at both Puerto Portals and Port d'Andratx, the reliable choice for breakfast or a late coffee on the waterfront.

See on our guide →

Which beaches and coves in the southwest are best?

Go small and early. The best water here is in the coves, which fill by late morning in July and August.

• Illetes and Cala Comtesa: small coves framed by pines and rocks, the nearest proper swim to Palma.
• Portals Vells and El Mago: a group of small pine-backed coves on the headland at the southern tip of Calvià, with very clear water.
• Santa Ponsa: a long, shallow sandy beach with every facility, the family choice.
• Palmira and Torà, Peguera: two sandy beaches side by side, separated by a small headland.
• Cala Fornells: a small cove with coarse sand and rocks, good for snorkelling.
• Camp de Mar: a sheltered bay with calm water and the islet just offshore.

Where can you walk in southwest Mallorca?

Head west and inland. The best walks start where the resorts stop, at Sant Elm and in the foothills of the Tramuntana above Calvià.

• La Trapa, from Sant Elm: a short walk from the village to an old estate facing Sa Dragonera. French Trappist monks settled here in 1810 and built terraces before leaving in 1820. Since 1980 it has belonged to GOB, the Balearic environmental group, and the viewpoint over the island is among the finest in Mallorca.
• Sa Dragonera: a natural park since 1995. Excursion boats from Sant Elm take about 15 minutes to Cala Lledó, where signposted paths lead to the lighthouses. There is no bar, so bring water and food.
• The Galatzó public estate: in July 2026 Calvià opened four signposted short routes across the estate and towards Peguera and Es Capdellà, with the pyramid-shaped Puig de Galatzó, about 1,026 metres, for fit walkers.

Which golf courses are in southwest Mallorca?

Four courses take visitor bookings, all close to each other. Hilly courses are the rule, so ask about buggies. Our guide to golf in Mallorca covers every course on the island.

Where should you eat, and when are the local markets?

Eat on the water. Puerto Portals has the widest choice, with our partners above, while Port d'Andratx is the place for fish restaurants on the harbour and a sunset table. For more addresses, see our restaurant recommendations.

Where should you stay in southwest Mallorca?

Stay on the coast at Peguera for a hotel with the sea below, in Port d'Andratx for a slower village feel, or near Puerto Portals to be close to Palma. Our partner in the area is a clifftop hotel.

Clifftop Hotel Perfection · Hotels

Aethos Mallorca

A luxury retreat on the coast at Peguera with an infinity pool over the sea, a spa with an indoor pool, and the ONDA restaurant, RAIG Rooftop and IKAT Pool Club.

See on our guide →

Families often choose one of the large resort hotels in Santa Ponsa, while longer stays tend to mean a villa in Bendinat, Camp de Mar or Port d'Andratx. If you are thinking of buying here, our property partners cover the southwest in depth, and our hotel selection covers the rest of the island.

How do you get around, and when is the best time to visit?

Drive. The motorway west from Palma runs along the back of the coast to Andratx, and Puerto Portals is about 16 kilometres from the airport. Public bus 100 connects Palma with Sant Elm, but a car makes it far easier to link the coves.

The best months are May, June, September and October, when the sea is warm and the roads are quieter. In July and August, plan beaches for the early morning and the marinas for the evening. Some beach clubs, the Lobster Club among them, close from mid October to mid May, while golf is at its best in spring and autumn.

What does one perfect day in southwest Mallorca look like?

1. 9:00: an early swim at Cala Comtesa or Portals Vells, before the coves fill.
2. 11:00: coffee and a walk along the promenade at Puerto Portals.
3. 13:30: lunch at Puerto Portals, at Wellies, Spoon or LILA Portals.
4. 16:00: drive west to Sant Elm and take the boat to Sa Dragonera, or walk up to La Trapa.
5. 19:30: an aperitif on the harbour at Port d'Andratx as the light softens.
6. 21:00: dinner by the water in Port d'Andratx, then back along the coast road.