The Slow Guide to Santanyí, Mallorca
A local's slow guide to Santanyí in south-east Mallorca: where to eat and shop, the best beaches nearby and where to stay.
Santanyí is a small village in the far south-east of Mallorca. It has one main square, a big church and a few streets of shops and galleries. It opens up to a countryside of stone walls and almond trees on one side and pristine beaches on the other.
It works well as a base because the best of the south-east coast is so close. The coves at Caló des Moro, Cala Llombards and Mondragó are all within fifteen minutes, and the long white sand of Es Trenc is about twenty-five. In the evening you come back to a quiet town, with dinner a short walk from the door. This guide covers the market, where to eat, drink, shop and swim, and where to stay.
The market is the reason many people come to Santanyí. It runs every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to 2pm, filling the main square, Plaça Major, and the streets around it.
Come for fruit and vegetables from the farms around town, cheese, olives, sobrassada and honey. Then there are the baskets, linen, ceramics and leather sandals that most people end up carrying home. The square’s cafés are full by mid-morning, so grab a table early and watch it all come together.
A few tips:
La Nouvelle Famille Small plates and natural wine just off the main square, with a happy, busy feel. Everyone orders the Sóller orange salad, and the fried camembert with their sourdough comes a close second.
Es Cantonet Dinner in a stone courtyard under the trees, on a quiet square on the edge of the old town. The cooking is simple and very good, and it’s one of the best places for paella. Book at least a day ahead and ask for the terrace.
Manique Brazilian chef Marcos Lee cooks fish, seafood and meat over a big grill. It’s a little smarter than most places in town, so save it for a special night. Open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday. Don’t skip the baked banana for dessert.
Can Gelat A long, relaxed lunch of homemade tapas, like spicy squid stew and peppers stuffed with cod. Ask for a table in the back patio, which is much quieter than the street. It closes at 4pm and on Sundays.
OCRE at Can Ferrereta The restaurant at the town’s best hotel, set in a 17th-century manor house. Seasonal Mallorcan cooking and good local wine. On a warm evening, sit out by the pool.
Cal Reiet’s Table Plant-based cooking at a small retreat on the edge of town, much of it from their own garden. A good, light lunch after a morning at the beach.
Mallorquino A brunch bar in an old family house, restored with real care by its owner. Come for coffee, açaí bowls, good sandwiches and the pistachio croissants. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Xesquet Botiga del Pa A small bakery and café near the centre for ensaïmadas, filled baguettes and fresh orange juice. Good value, and it opens at 7am.
Forn i Pastisseria Terrasa The bakery on the main square, where locals stand at the counter for a coffee and a pastry each morning. It’s cash only.
Lo Esencial A tiny shop for specialty coffee and tea. Stop for an espresso and take a bag of beans back to the house. A calm spot away from the market crowds.
Bar Can Mañas The locals’ bar for a cheap beer, a bocadillo and the football on the screen. This is where Santanyí actually spends its evenings.
Santanyí has more good small shops than almost any town its size on the island. Most open in the morning and close by mid-afternoon, so go early.
Mimar Lifestyle The most beautiful shop in town: a few pieces for the home and a short rail of clothes, each one picked with care.
Hermoso Hogar Plates, ceramics, spice blends and their own Santanyí coffee beans, in a lovely old building.
Cosas que Amo A concept store for homeware and jewellery, with a garden out the back where you can stop for a coffee or lunch.
Si.. Concept Store Clothes, bags and jewellery from a warm, helpful couple, just off the square.
Studio Concept Store Clothing with proper personal advice. You may be handed a glass of cava while you look.
Santanyí also has a surprising number of galleries for a town this small. Start at Gallery Richter, a66 Gallery and LW Contemporary, all a few minutes’ walk from the square.
Santanyí sits a few kilometres inland, but some of Mallorca’s clearest water is ten to fifteen minutes away. In July and August, go early or late, because the car parks fill by 10am.
Cala Santanyí The closest beach, about five minutes by car. A sandy cove between cliffs with calm, shallow water, which makes it good for kids.
Cala Llombards About ten minutes away. A narrow cove with turquoise water, a small beach bar and old fishermen’s boat houses cut into the rock.
Caló des Moro and S’Almunia The most photographed cove on the island, about fifteen minutes away including the walk down from the car park. Caló des Moro gets very busy in summer. Next door, S’Almunia is a rocky inlet of boat houses where you swim from flat stone ledges, and it’s often quieter.
Cala Mondragó About fifteen minutes away, inside a natural park. Two sandy coves joined by a path along the cliffs, with a paid car park and a beach bar. An easy choice for a full day.
Es Trenc About twenty-five minutes west, near Ses Salines. A long, wild beach of white sand and shallow water, backed by dunes and with nothing built on it.
Can Ferrereta A five-star hotel in a restored 17th-century manor, a minute from the main square, with a calm pool, a spa and OCRE restaurant.
S’Hotelet de Santanyí A small hotel with just a few rooms in the middle of the old town. Breakfast is very good, and the small pool feels private.
Cal Reiet Holistic Retreat A quiet retreat on the edge of town, with yoga and Pilates included, a big breakfast and its own plant-based restaurant.
On days without a market the town is quiet, and that’s the best time to walk it. You’ll pass Porta Murada, the last gate of the old town walls, and the church of Sant Andreu, which holds an 18th-century baroque organ. Almost every house is built from the same honey-coloured local stone.
For sunset, drive ten minutes to the fishing harbour at Cala Figuera and watch the boats come in. In late November the town celebrates its saint, Sant Andreu, with music in the square.
Santanyí is a town to slow down in: the market in the morning, a swim at midday and dinner under the trees. If you’d like to stay longer, see all our houses in Mallorca.
