Port de Valldemossa
A tiny fishing settlement beneath the cliffs, reached by six kilometres of tight hairpin bends. A few stone houses and boats on slipways sit beside the sea, with very little else around them.
Port de Valldemossa
Port de Valldemossa in 30 seconds
The essentials at a glance
- Worth visiting for
- A short visit
- Best for
- You'd like to see a quiet fishing settlement.
- Best months
- January–April, October–December
- Time to allow
- An hour here, or two including the drive
- Without a car
- Hire car needed
- Parking
- Very few spaces at the bottom, with virtually none available in season
- Keep in mind
- Summer traffic overwhelms the road and parking.
- Access
- Pushchairs: Not suitable · Wheelchairs: Not suitable
Get a feel for Mallorca. Find your kind of place.
The boats sit on slipways rather than in the water. There is no harbour basin.
Stone, timber and a railing, fitted into the space the sea leaves available.
Rope, tarpaulin and oars. Fishing still goes on here.
Getting to know Port de Valldemossa
Does Port de Valldemossa suit your plans?
What to expect and what to know before you visit.
Who it suits
- You'd like to see a quiet fishing settlement.
- You want to experience the cliffs from sea level.
- You're visiting outside the main season.
- You're driving a small vehicle.
Things to bear in mind
- Summer traffic overwhelms the road and parking.
- The road is unsuitable for motorhomes or trailers.
- There is no sandy beach.
- There is little choice of places to eat.
Drive from the airport
55 minutes
40 km
Bus connections
No service
Region
Serra de Tramuntana
Nearest beach
Port de Sóller
12 km
Elevation
5 m
above sea level
A glimpse of Port de Valldemossa
Season guide for Port de Valldemossa
November Worth a visit
Very quiet Mostly closed
Worth visiting in January, February, March, April, October, November and December. Less suitable in July and August. Mostly closed in January, February, November and December.
Location
Location of Port de Valldemossa
- Region
- Serra de Tramuntana
- Municipality
- Valldemossa
- Population
- 30
- Elevation
- 5 m above sea level
- Airport
- 40 km , around 55 minutes
- Hire car
- needed
- Worth visiting for
- a brief stop
- Coordinates
- 39.7186,2.5897
Getting to know Port de Valldemossa
A tiny fishing settlement at the foot of the cliffs, roughly 300 metres below Valldemossa, to whose municipality it belongs. There are a few stone houses, shingle and rock shelves by the water, wooden boat slipways and one restaurant.
Why there is no harbour
There simply isn’t room on this coast. The cliffs fall almost vertically into the sea, with a gap at the mouth of a torrent — exactly where the settlement stands.
Instead of a harbour basin and breakwater, there are escars: masonry boathouses with sloping slipways where boats are hauled out of the water. This was the usual solution along the west coast, and it is still used here.
The shingle shore isn’t a beach in the usual sense. Swimmers enter over the rock shelves. The water is very clear and gets deep quickly.
The drive — and who it suits
The road drops six kilometres and around 300 metres from Valldemossa. It is narrow, winding and only one vehicle wide for long stretches, with rock on one side and a drop on the other. On many bends, two cars can’t pass. Someone has to reverse, often uphill and around a corner.
Be honest about your confidence before setting off. This road is for experienced drivers. If narrow mountain roads make you uneasy, if you dislike reversing beside a drop, or if you’ve only just picked up the car, this may not be an enjoyable morning. Driving back uphill needs care too: oncoming traffic can appear quickly and see you late.
Don’t attempt it in a motorhome or with a trailer. The same advice applies to larger hire cars.
If you’re unsure, leave the car in Valldemossa and walk down — around an hour and a half downhill, and longer back up — or enjoy the view from above and skip the drive. It’s a beautiful place, but not worth a journey you find frightening.
There are very few parking spaces at the bottom.
When not to drive down
July and August. Traffic queues on the bends and the parking fills up.
When to come
March, October or November, when the road is quiet, the light is clear and you can hear the water against the slipways.
Get supplies in Valldemossa first. The restaurant below doesn’t open all year.
Photographs
Port de Valldemossa in Mallorca
How much time do you have?
Things to do in Port de Valldemossa
Three hours
Drive down, walk beside the slipways and shingle, stop for a drink if the restaurant is open, then head back up.
Half a day
Add Valldemossa itself, or continue to Son Marroig and Deià.
A full day
Combine it with Valldemossa, Miramar, Son Marroig and Deià for a day along the west coast.
On a rainy day
Not a good choice; the hairpins are less pleasant in rain.
Practical details
- Parking
- Very few spaces at the bottom, with virtually none available in season
- Public transport
- No service
- Time to allow
- An hour here, or two including the drive
- Good to know
- The shore is shingle and rock shelves rather than sand. Pick up supplies in Valldemossa first; there is only one restaurant here and it doesn't open year-round.
- Bus
- No service
- Access
- Shingle, slipways and stone steps · Pushchairs: Not suitable · Wheelchairs: Not suitable · Dogs: Generally straightforward
- What you will not find
- A sandy beach · Readily available parking · A bus service · A shop
- Coordinates
- 39.7186,2.5897 Google Maps Apple Maps
Within reach
Places to visit
Nearby
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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 Port de Valldemossa
How do you reach Port de Valldemossa?
The only road is a narrow, winding descent of around six kilometres from Valldemossa. Two cars can't pass on some bends. There is no bus service.
Is there a beach?
No sandy beach. There is shingle and rock beside the water, along with wooden boat slipways. You can swim, but getting in isn't particularly comfortable.
Can you eat here?
There is one restaurant, but it doesn't open all year. To be sure of supplies, buy what you need in Valldemossa first.
When should you avoid driving down?
July and August, when traffic queues on the bends and parking at the bottom is full. March, October and November offer a very different visit.
Practical questions
When is the best time to visit Port de Valldemossa?
Recommended months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December. Access and opening are limited in January, February, November, December. See the visiting advice on this page. Businesses are closed and the road is quiet. The settlement is at its most striking.
Is Port de Valldemossa worth visiting in July and August?
July: another month may suit you better. Usually very crowded. Queues on the bends and nowhere to park below. Better not to drive down. August: another month may suit you better. Usually very crowded.
How far is Port de Valldemossa from Palma airport?
About 40 km from Palma airport. Allow roughly 55 minutes by car. Six narrow, winding kilometres downhill from Valldemossa. There are very few parking spaces at the bottom. Don't attempt it in a large vehicle.
Do I need a hire car for Port de Valldemossa?
A car is needed No service
Where can I park in Port de Valldemossa?
Very few spaces at the bottom, with virtually none available in season
Can you swim at Port de Valldemossa?
There is no beach here. See the nearby swimming options on this page.
Can I visit Port de Valldemossa with a pushchair or wheelchair?
Shingle, slipways and stone steps Pushchairs: Not suitable Wheelchairs: Not suitable
Are dogs allowed at Port de Valldemossa?
Generally straightforward
Words and photographs: Friedhelm Fischer. Exploring Mallorca since 2013 — by bike, on foot and with a camera.