Portocolom

01Manageable cosiness

This coastal village in the east of Majorca , around 60 kilometres from the Balearic capital city of Palma , belongs to the municipality of Felanitx. Having approximately 4,500 inhabitants, it merits the label "manageable", and that's exactly what makes it so cosy. Although it may be deceiving, because Portocolom is the greatest in a certain regard , it is said to be the largest natural harbour on the island. And you can see something here that you see less and less often in Majorca; alongside sleek sailing yachts, the traditional Majorcan fishing boats called llaüts still have their place too.

02Festival for the Virgin

Throughout its history, Portocolom has always been a fishing village. That's one reason why the church bears the name Parroquía de la Virgen del Carmen and it's dedicated to this patroness of seafarers, who is honoured with a big festival during the summer. In the 19th century, the harbour served as a port of export for Majorcan wines, shipping them to southern France. However, this business came to an abrupt end when a vine pest (grape phylloxera) spread through Majorca and stalled the viniculture.

Nestling in the southern part of the natural harbour is the fine-sand beach of Cala Marçal, distinguished by its Blue Flag, which is awarded for criteria such as good water quality. Here, you'll also find hotels and holiday apartments.

03A trip to the opposite side

If you fancy a beautiful walk, you could stroll along Portocolom's paseo marítimo, passing bars, restaurants, shops and the harbour, and then , for a change of perspective , reaching the other side, opposite the village centre. Before getting to the lighthouse "Far de Portocolom" on the cliff at Punta de ses Crestes, you'll come across the sandy beach of S'Arenal...giving you the chance to spread out your beach towel and combine a little sunbathing with a dip in the sea.

04The matter of the place name

Residents of Portocolom are convinced that their village bore a mega famous son, believing that no less than Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish) was born here. Or that's the conjecture, anyway. Apparently, the village was named after him: Portocolom , the port of Columbus. It's uncertain whether that's true or not, however. There's no proof of it so far anyway. Others say the place name stems from the Latin phrase "Portum Columbi" , the port of the pigeons , and that the Romans would have given the name to this piece of land during their time in Majorca because they found a great number of these birds here.

In any case, the Romans are said to have used the sheltered bay as a safe harbour about 2,000 years ago. Going back to considerably more ancient times...on the outskirts of Portocolom, you'll find the archaeological excavation site of Closos de Can Gaià, which is laid out in a U shape. It dates right back to the Bronze Age.

05Vall d'Or Golf

Golfers can indulge in their passion for the game on the 18-hole course at Vall d'Or Golf, which also has a driving range and offers golf lessons. After all that putting, you may be a little peckish or even have worked up a big appetite. Well, the restaurant Casa Club is just the spot , with a view over the golf course and the Bay of Portocolom.