Esporles
A Tramuntana town whose main street was built above a stream: a long, tree-lined space beneath plane trees, with green-shuttered houses on either side. This is somewhere people live, rather than a place arranged around sightseeing.
Esporles
Esporles in 30 seconds
The essentials at a glance
- Worth visiting for
- A short visit
- Best for
- You’d like to see the Tramuntana away from tour coaches.
- Best months
- January–June, September–December
- Time to allow
- An hour.
- Without a car
- Hire car recommended
- Parking
- Free parking along the main street and in side streets.
- Keep in mind
- You’re looking for a major attraction.
- Access
- Pushchairs: Straightforward on the main street. · Wheelchairs: The main street is manageable; the upper part of town slopes upwards.
Get a feel for Mallorca. Find your kind of place.
A street where people live their everyday lives, away from the main coach-tour stops.
The mountain appears at the end of the lane — a reminder of where you are as you set off.
The church is strikingly large for the town, reflecting Esporles’ former prosperity.
Getting to know Esporles
Does Esporles suit your plans?
What to expect and what to know before you visit.
Who it suits
- You’d like to see the Tramuntana away from tour coaches.
- You want to combine a town walk with a drive to Banyalbufar.
- You’d like to visit the Saturday market.
- You enjoy walking; paths lead towards Banyalbufar and the sea.
Things to bear in mind
- You’re looking for a major attraction.
- You want to swim.
- You expect a postcard setting; Valldemossa is better for that.
- You want a lively evening scene.
Drive from the airport
30 minutes
25 km
Bus connections
Regular services from Palma
Region
Serra de Tramuntana
Nearest beach
Port de Valldemossa
6 km
Elevation
200 m
above sea level
Season guide for Esporles
November Worth a visit
Very quiet Open
Worth visiting in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December.
Location
Location of Esporles
- Region
- Serra de Tramuntana
- Population
- 5,000
- Elevation
- 200 m above sea level
- Airport
- 25 km , around 30 minutes
- Hire car
- recommended
- Worth visiting for
- a brief stop
- Coordinates
- 39.6662,2.5799
A little about Esporles
A town of around 5,000 people in the Serra de Tramuntana, twenty minutes from Palma. There’s a large church, bakeries, workshops and a Saturday market. It isn’t a regular coach-tour stop with sights to tick off.
The street above the stream
The centre is a broad paved space beneath old plane trees, where people sit in the evenings. Out of sight below it runs a mountain torrent. Covering it over turned the stream bed into the town’s central street.
It’s a useful way to understand Esporles: a place shaped by practical needs, rather than designed to look picturesque.
La Granja
On the road to Banyalbufar stands La Granja, a historic estate with a manor house and gardens. It was previously open as a museum. Current public visitor access has not been confirmed. Don’t plan a visit — even as a rainy-day alternative — without checking that you can enter.
An alternative to Valldemossa
It’s different, rather than better. Valldemossa has its major attraction and tour coaches; Esporles has everyday life.
Come here if you want to see an ordinary day in the Tramuntana. For more formal sightseeing, carry on to Valldemossa.
When to visit
March and October are the best months for walks starting here. February brings almond blossom to the surrounding valleys.
In July and August, the heat is manageable beneath the plane trees, but less so out on the trails.
Photographs
Esporles in Mallorca
How much time do you have?
Things to do in Esporles
Three hours
Walk beneath the plane trees, head up to the parish church, then stop at a bakery.
Half a day
After exploring the town, continue to Banyalbufar and the west coast.
A full day
Combine Esporles with Banyalbufar and the coast road, or with Valldemossa.
On a rainy day
Take a break in a local café. Don’t rely on La Granja as a rainy-day outing while public visitor access remains unconfirmed.
Practical details
- Parking
- Free parking along the main street and in side streets.
- Public transport
- Regular services from Palma.
- Time to allow
- An hour.
- Good to know
- The Saturday market takes place along the main street. It’s small and geared towards local residents rather than visitors, which makes it worth a look.
- Bus
- Regular services from Palma.
- Shops and services
- Supermarkets: Several in the town. · Pharmacy: In the town. · Medical care: A local health centre. · Cash machines: Along the main street. · Fuel: On the road towards Palma.
- Access
- Level paving along the main street; side lanes climb uphill. · Pushchairs: Straightforward on the main street. · Wheelchairs: The main street is manageable; the upper part of town slopes upwards. · Dogs: Straightforward.
- What you will not find
- A major attraction in the town · A beach · A lively evening scene · A postcard setting
- Coordinates
- 39.6662,2.5799 Google Maps Apple Maps
Within reach
Places to visit
Nearby
A historic country estate near Esporles, with a manor house and gardens. Public access hasn’t been confirmed, so …
A round 16th-century watchtower on an isolated rocky outcrop above the west coast. Climb the stone steps to the …
Ramon Llull founded a school for Eastern languages here in 1276. Six hundred years later, Archduke Ludwig Salvator …
A country estate near Bunyola, transformed by an 18th-century cardinal into an Italian-style villa. A terraced …
Archduke Ludwig Salvator's country estate above the west coast, with a white marble pavilion on the edge — the …
The first major viewpoint on the west-coast road after Andratx. Stone steps climb from beside a road tunnel to a …
A striking circular Gothic castle, built above Palma between 1300 and 1311. Inside is a two-storey round …
Sant Pere bastion, built in the late 16th century on the western edge of Palma’s old town, became home to a …
Distances without a driving time are measured in a straight line. The road journey can be much longer; known driving times are shown alongside.
Where to swim nearby
Beaches and swimming nearby
Explore from here
Your questions answered
Your questions about Esporles
What’s unusual about Esporles’ main street?
It was built above a watercourse. A mountain torrent was covered over, creating a broad paved central space beneath old plane trees where people sit in the evenings.
What is La Granja?
A historic country house with gardens about three kilometres outside Esporles. It previously opened as a museum of rural Mallorcan life and crafts. Current public visitor access has not been confirmed, so check before planning a visit, including on rainy days.
Should you visit Esporles instead of Valldemossa?
They offer different things. Valldemossa has a major attraction and tour coaches; Esporles offers everyday town life. Come here to see a normal day in the Tramuntana, and choose Valldemossa for sightseeing.
When is the market in Esporles?
On Saturdays along the main street. It’s a small market aimed at local people rather than tourists, which is part of its appeal.
Practical questions
When is the best time to visit Esporles?
Recommended months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December. The Tramuntana can be cold and wet, but everyday town life carries on.
Is Esporles worth visiting in July and August?
July: worth considering with some reservations. Usually lively. The plane trees make the heat manageable in town, but not out on the walking trails. August: worth considering with some reservations. Usually lively.
How far is Esporles from Palma airport?
About 25 km from Palma airport. Allow roughly 30 minutes by car. Around twenty minutes from Palma on the Ma-1120. Roads continue from Esporles towards Banyalbufar and Valldemossa. Park along the main street or in side streets.
Do I need a hire car for Esporles?
A car is useful Regular services from Palma.
Where can I park in Esporles?
Free parking along the main street and in side streets.
Can you swim at Esporles?
There is no beach here. See the nearby swimming options on this page.
Can I visit Esporles with a pushchair or wheelchair?
Level paving along the main street; side lanes climb uphill. Pushchairs: Straightforward on the main street. Wheelchairs: The main street is manageable; the upper part of town slopes upwards.
Are dogs allowed at Esporles?
Straightforward.
Words and photographs: Friedhelm Fischer. Exploring Mallorca since 2013 — by bike, on foot and with a camera.