“Galilea was known in the early 16th century as the mola of Cortei, a quite revealing toponym”. Tomàs Vibot and Just Hernàndez make this clear in the book Son Cortei, Conques i Galilea, published in 2009 by the Puigpunyent Town Hall: the establishment process of this nucleus is “a slow process motivated by inheritance policies” that led around 1586 to the segregation of an old farmstead of Bartomeu Cortei and the creation of small plots for the new settlers of the area.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

This week's route takes us to the outskirts of Palma, to the northernmost limits of the municipality, where it meets the municipalities of Valldemossa and Bunyola. This short, flat itinerary between the hamlet of La Garriga and the Mestre Pere spring along the Passatemps path introduces us to a part of Palma's immense and fascinating hydraulic heritage. Since ancient times, three springs (the Villa spring, the Baster spring, and the Mestre Pere spring) supplied the city with water through very long irrigation channels. But that wasn't their only function. Along their course, parallel to the current Valldemossa road (Ma-1110), their significant flow filled public washhouses and powered flour mills. This variant offers a glimpse into the agricultural past of Palma's outskirts.

This week's route explores the dry, earthen hills of the municipality of Andratx. El Arracó is a hamlet within the municipality of Andratx, established during the 18th century, halfway between the town of Andratx and the port of Sant Elm, following the construction of the Church of Sant Crist in 1704. Inside, we find the image of the Virgin of La Trapa, from the lost world. It retains the charm of traditional inland village houses, although some Modernist-style buildings reveal the economic evolution of some families who migrated abroad, mostly to France. We find them on the main street, on Carrer de França (numbers 98 and 58), and on the corner of Plaça de Toledo, next to the church.

The Barcelona writer, doctor and politician Joan Colomines i Puig (1922-2011) defined Cape Barbaria as "one of the wildest, most inhospitable, desolate, barren and lonely places on the island. But one of the most attractive." It is not in vain that the Basque filmmaker Julio Medem chose this space as the main setting for his film "The Cape of Barbaria." Lucia and sex (2001). Medem's Formentera was Lucía's (Paz Vega) escape route, a hole into which she could fall and restart her life. The southernmost tip of the Balearic archipelago is a good place to rediscover solitude and, at the same time, the essence of the most primal earth.