The route we present is a walk through part of the historic road network between Pollença and Lluc. An itinerary that starts from the Son Grua pine tree, a tree with its own name and a landmark in the territory, to climb up to the robust and monumental Muntanya fountain, following the old Lluc road (Ruta de Pedra en Sec/GR 221); while the descent follows the old road, the construction of which began in 1916. In between, between the old medieval road and the new road infrastructure of the early 20th century, numerous reconstructions of the old road to make it more passable, both for animals and for carts.

On this route we explore a part of the natural heritage that surrounds the sanctuary of Lluc. We are in the municipality of Escorca, one of the most extensive and at the same time least populated in Mallorca. It is home to the highest and also the most important and visited mountains on the island: Puig Major de Son Torrella (1436 m), Maçanella (1365 m), Puig Tomir (1104 m), Tossals Verds (1099 m), Puig de l’Ofra (1091 m) and Puig Roig (1003 m), among many others. The repopulation church of Sant Pere d’Escorca and the sanctuary of Lluc are the most important landmarks of the cultural landscape of the term. However, as a whole, from Andratx to Pollença, the Serra de Tramuntana must be understood as a mountain system of great geomorphological interest, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in the category of cultural landscape. It is a complex limestone relief, dominated by karst modeling, with strong contrasts between mountain and coast, and with an erosive dynamic marked by irregular water and Mediterranean processes.

On this route, we explore a part of the natural heritage surrounding the Lluc sanctuary. We are in the municipality of Escorca, one of the most extensive and at the same time least populated in Mallorca. The island's highest and also most important and visited mountains are concentrated here: Puig Major de Son Torrella (1436 m), Maçanella (1365 m), Puig Tomir (1104 m), Tossals Verds (1099 m), Puig de l'Ofra (1091 m), and Puig Roig (1003 m), among many others. The repopulation church of Sant Pere d'Escorca and the Lluc sanctuary are the most important landmarks of the cultural landscape of the term. But, as a whole, from Andratx to Pollença, the Serra de Tramuntana should be understood as a mountain system of great geomorphological interest, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of cultural landscape. It is a complex calcareous relief, dominated by karst modeling, with strong contrasts between mountain and coast, and with an erosive dynamic marked by irregular water and Mediterranean processes.

The following itinerary proposes the ascent to the moleta of Son Cabaspre, following a section of the GR 221 between Esporles and Valldemossa via the mola of Son Pacs. We cross lands and historical possessions such as Son Dameto and Son Cabaspre, which reveal the extensive and deep human footprint on the territory. A walk for the pace and the gaze to feel the aromas and smell the territory. The moleta of Son Cabaspre allows us to survey the hills and slopes surrounding Esporles and, also, to contemplate the mountains that make up the western sector of the Tramuntana mountain range-World Heritage. Consider that we have public transport to get us to the starting and ending point of our itinerary. The line 202 that connects Estellencs and Palma stops at the central promenade of Esporles. You can go to the website tib.org for any consultation of timetables and availability of the routes.

The center of Mallorca is located in Lloret de Vistalegre, within its municipal boundaries. We won't argue with that. But the true heart of Mallorca lies in the fertile plains within the magical circle formed by Sineu, Sant Joan, Montuïri, Lloret, Sencelles, and Costitx. Our route begins at the true 'geographical center of Mallorca,' certified by the National Geographic Institute, and heads towards the edge of this imagined circle, marked by one of its most legendary points: the Llorac well. All of this is a pleasant stroll along paths that gently caress the landscape's subtle nuances.

The Swiss writer Robert Walser (1878-1956), who wrote in German, said that every walk should be accompanied by the contemplation of nature. The proposal we want to share with you all embraces this from two perspectives: the natural, the Santa Eulària River; and the historical, the fortified church on Mount Misa. All of this in a short but intense itinerary. Because climbing to the top of Mount Misa in Santa Eulalia del Río is to enter the white light that Villangómez so aptly described: a vertical, vigilant, and silent Ibiza, where the church is both the house of God and the wall of the people. "From here, what you yearn for, beauty, / is offered to you, extended and expansive. / A thick forest that rises and falls slips down. / The field is sanded with green and ochre. / The orchard ends there and the sea begins. / White above blue, foam, ship in the (Santa Eulalia del Río. Mariano Villangómez Llobet. Mediterranean Poems –1943-1944–).

A comellar is a wide, deep expanse of land with a sloping floor due to the depression in the terrain, situated between higher ground. This is the most orthodox definition offered by the Alcover-Moll Dictionary (DCVB), which allows us to understand some of the toponymy of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. The route we propose is a hike through the Comuna de Bunyola (Buniola Commune), beginning at the emblematic Cocons estate and venturing into the heart of this immense communal space—the most important in the Balearic Islands—through the Comellar de la Cocina (Kitchen Basin). This toponym also refers to a large cave, which we will visit during the hike, and which in the past served as a refuge and meeting point for those who worked in the Commune. This natural area represents one of the largest forests in Mallorca, covering 716 hectares, which is 8.5% of the total area of ​​the municipality of Bunyola.

The Cingles path and the Bini Gran and Bini Petit estates form a unique section of the Tramuntana mountain range's cultural landscape. We find ourselves between the Sóller valley and the rugged, precipitous slopes of Puig Major de Son Torrella. Here, we discover a high plateau above Tuent, with fertile farmland, well-irrigated by numerous springs and two spectacular streams: the Al·lot Mort and the Gorg dels Diners. Our proposal is a hike in search of the human imprint on the land, its paths and estates. One cannot be understood without the other, and the other would be meaningless without the others. The memory of our journeys, the paths themselves, explain how we have related to the geographical space and how we have shaped it to our needs. All of this forms a complex cosmos, with the Lluc sanctuary at its center. Thus, the Bini or Cingles path, a name that refers to the pronounced cliffs of the Pelut headland and Puig Major, as it passes close to them, is the old royal road used by the inhabitants of Fornalutx to go to Lluc and Pollença.

Our proposal is to explore a section of the old Lluc road, now part of the Dry Stone Route (GR 221), between Pollença and the Son Grua pine tree. This is a tree with its own name, situated at a crossroads of time. Despite being slightly over 70 years old, its location at the confluence of the old road (Ma-2230), built in 1914, and the new road (Ma-10), from the mid-20th century, has made the Son Grua pine a landmark in the Pollença landscape for generations of hikers. Sheltered by the Coma mountain range and the monumental trio of peaks—the Fartàritx peak, the Ca de Míner mountain, and the Tomir mountain—the Son Grua pine is one of the most significant place names in our cultural landscape. A few steps from the tree is the Sopera bridge, inaugurated in May 2021 and dedicated to the memory of Miquel Llobera Cerdà Tureen (1955-2020), one of the leaders of the Mountain Section of the Pollença Club, promoter of the summer camps in Cala Murta and, in general, of everything related to the world of hiking.

Although the route we describe this week begins and ends in Santa Margalida, the town, it actually passes through four municipalities, including Muro, Llubí, and Maria de la Salut. In fact, the route's main focus is the Muro mountain range and the estates of Castellet, Tanca, and Son Tovell. Beyond municipal and property boundaries, we visit a territory marked by the long and dark shadow of the past: that of Count Mal. Ramon Burgues Safortesa Pax-Fuster de Villalonga y Nieto, the second Count of Santa María de Formiguera, waged a bitter and violent legal battle during the 17th century, with tragic consequences, against the town of Santa Margalida, its university, and its people. The lawsuits centered primarily on the nobleman and his family's interest in direct control and the collection of tithes from the common lands, as well as their claim to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction over the inhabitants of his estates. "Because of the misdeeds he committed in life, his soul found no rest and he was condemned to wander the lands he ruled in life, from Santa Margalida to Galatzó" (source: Count Evil: Between History and LegendCatalina Valriu and Tomàs Vibot. El Gallo Editor, 2013). And before starting the route, a very special thanks to the historians Antoni Mas Forners, from Villa, and Pau Mateu Vives, from Muro, for all the historical and toponymic information collected on this route.

The Barca mountain range might be described as unassuming, but it must be added, in its favor, that it is extremely effective. Easy to climb, its crags offer a splendid view of the Granja plateau and the Planícia plateau, above the Les Rotasses valley. The route we offer traces a different path through the highlands of the municipality of Banyalbufar, between the estates of Son Valentí, Ses Mosqueras, and Sa Granja. A feast for the senses, a true test for the legs.

Biniparratx Beach is a small cove of sand and pebbles located between Binidalí and Binissafúller, on the southeast coast of Menorca, right on the border between the municipalities of Maó and Sant Lluís. The cove is very long with shallow, sheltered waters, surrounded by high, steep cliffs. To the right, towards the west, you can see a group of 11 artificial caves, dating from between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The island's ancient inhabitants buried their dead in spaces excavated into the slopes of the ravines. During the walk, we will also have the opportunity to visit the Biniparratxet archaeological site, from the Late Talayotic period. Menorca has just over 700 km² with 1,586 archaeological sites. Not all of them are open to the public. However, UNESCO decided to include them (a good part of them) on the World Heritage list on September 18, 2023 under the Menorca Talayotic brand.

The Borges stream, at over 40 km long, is the longest watercourse in Mallorca. It collects the waters of one of the island's largest river basins, covering more than 330 km². It rises between Manacor and Felanitx, flows north, crosses the municipalities of Vilafranca de Bonany, Petra, and Santa Margalida, and empties into the sea near Son Serra de Marina. On its journey between Petra and Manacor, the Borges stream becomes the backbone of a long and fertile valley that we propose exploring, both on foot and by observing, to savor the rich cultural landscape and natural heritage of inland Mallorca.

The port of Fornells, in the municipality of El Mercadal, is one of the most important on the island. Although its main uses today are fishing and recreational boating, historically it has been the main harbor for the north coast of Menorca and a significant center for salt production. Stretching four kilometers from the harbor entrance to the breakwater, it is one of the largest nautical havens on the island, second only to the port of Maó. It boasts many charms, gastronomy being one of them, but its heritage is perhaps, in our opinion, the most outstanding. Although, who can resist the temptation of trying a good caldereta (fish stew)!

A landscape from an eclogue, as Llorenç Villalonga described it in The Ferrets (1967), but cultural, after all, "because behind these things is, in their rawest form, the man who created them." We're talking about Oriente, this hamlet in the municipality of Bunyola, declared a joint historical site (BIC), which stretches across a hill strategically located in the middle of an elongated valley, between the Honor and Bosque passes, with two exits towards the Raiguer region, via Solleric and Freu. It's dominated by some of the great mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site. We set off on foot from the TIB bus stop (L-331 Alaró-Orient/check schedules and availability on the website). tib.org), opposite the houses of Cals Reis, heading towards Bunyola on the Ma-2100 road. Pay attention, because the first part of this route is on asphalt; whether there are few or many people, always try to walk single file and on the left side of the road.

A viewpoint is a scenic spot from which one can contemplate and view a vast expanse of land. Aware of this fact, as simple as it is profoundly complex, Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria designed paths around the great and immense Miramar, which he built from 1872 until his death in 1915, simultaneously establishing viewpoints. For the instructive and beautifully rendered landscape of the Tramuntana mountain range required spaces for its contemplation. These were the same land, sea, and sky that had captivated Ramon Llull six centuries before the arrival of the prince, scientist, and traveler, during his stay in 1276 while establishing the school for missionaries and Oriental languages in that very Miramar. We propose a walk "among the vineyards and the fennel," along the viewpoints below the Archduke's estate, at the foot of the Old Watchtower. A view projected around the Foradada.

On this route, we explore the second line of coastal defense along a portion of the southern coast of Mallorca. One of the least known architectural and ethnological treasures of the municipality of Llucmajor is the defensive system formed by the towers of the manor houses. These, along with the watchtowers and lookouts built from the mid-16th century onwards along the coast, constituted the main guarantee of survival for the population inhabiting this area. This itinerary draws upon all the information provided by Joan Clar Monserrat (1952-2023) in his work. Interior defense towers of LlucmajorPresented at the first Llucmajor Local Studies Conference, held on November 10th and 11th, 2017, this route also incorporates the insightful guidance of Llucmajor-born historical researcher Cels Calviño. Public transport is available on line 519d (Cala Pi-Llucmajor).

This week we propose a walk along the western seaside slope of Venta del Cabo de Barbaria. According to the description ofEncyclopedia of Ibiza and Formentera (eeif.esCala Saona is the westernmost point of the depression located between La Mirada and Monte de Guillem, the main elevations of the parish of San Francisco Javier. The cove itself is bordered by Punta del Caracol to the west and the area known as La Guaita Vella to the south. By extension, the toponym also refers to a vast inland and coastal area stretching from Punta Rasa (west) to Caló den Trull (north). The origin of the name Saona is rather unclear, and several theories have been proposed, based either on its connection to the verb 'to season' or on the name's similarity to other Mediterranean places. An anthroponymic origin should not be ruled out, given that the surname Saona is documented in Mallorca in 1233.

This week's route takes us through the eastern part of the municipality of Palma, near the Algaida district. We skirt the famous Xorrigo coast and venture into the Gran de Son Gual ravine, a long, deep depression that feeds into the former Sant Jordi meadow, a small lagoon drained in the mid-19th century by the Dutch engineer Paul Bouvy (1807-1868). Our starting and finishing point is at the confluence of the old Manacor road and the Acequia path, on the point between the former estates of Son Ferrer and Son Gual, documented in the Cast Book (1232). Lands steeped in history, where goods, contraband parcels, sandstone blocks, and exiles once flowed, and where, more recently, urban sprawl has taken root. The paths of Palma are unfathomable, as are the stories that have permeated its soil. If using public transport, Palma's EMT bus line 14 stops right next to the Son Gual headland (stop 841/emtpalma.cat).

This week we propose a route that's not very long, but intense. An itinerary that takes us along paths steeped in history and through mountains that draw our gaze to the most rugged slopes of the Serra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site. Our starting point is the parking area we find before passing through the Monnàber tunnel, below the Son Torrella mountain range. We are in the Sóller valley, within the municipality of Fornalutx and next to the municipality of Escorca. All of this is in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, at the foot of Puig Major.