Son Bisho
ES EN DE
Book

Mallorca's most charming villages

Campanet, home to Villa Son Bisho, is a quiet village in the north of Mallorca at the foot of the mountains. From here it takes 20 minutes to reach Pollença, Alcúdia or Sineu, and about an hour to reach the stone villages of the Serra de Tramuntana. Here are ten, with the highlights of each and its market day.

Approximate driving times from Villa Son Bisho, according to Google Maps with typical traffic. Updated October 2026.

  1. Campanet

    • 5 min by car
    • Market: Tuesday

    The village where the house is: quiet streets, the church of Sant Miquel and views of the mountains. Just outside are the Coves de Campanet, caves with stalactites that you visit on a guided tour, and the Fonts Ufanes, springs that burst out of the ground in a holm oak wood after several days of heavy rain.

    Tip: The Fonts Ufanes only flow on a few days a year, usually in winter.

  2. Pollença

    • 20 min by car
    • Market: Sunday

    One of the prettiest towns in the north. Near the Plaça Major, a stairway of 365 steps lined with cypress trees climbs to the Calvari, with views over the town. The Roman bridge and the Puig de Maria, an hour's walk up, are also worth a visit.

    Tip: On Sundays the market fills the square: a good time to go.

  3. Alcúdia

    • 20 min by car
    • Market: Tuesday and Sunday

    An old town enclosed by medieval walls, parts of which you can walk along, with the ruins of Pollentia, the most important Roman city on Mallorca, right next to it. The beach is two kilometres away.

    Tip: Market morning in the old town, beach in the afternoon.

  4. Sineu

    • 20 min by car
    • Market: Wednesday

    In the centre of the island, on the plain known as the Pla. Its Wednesday market, centuries old, is the most traditional on Mallorca and still includes a livestock section. Look out for the church of Santa Maria and the former palace of the kings of Mallorca.

    Tip: The market is in the morning: go early.

  5. Artà

    • 45 min by car
    • Market: Tuesday

    A town of steep streets crowned by the sanctuary of Sant Salvador, enclosed by walls you reach up a long stairway. Just outside is Ses Païsses, a prehistoric Talayotic settlement, and nearby are the unspoilt coves of the Llevant peninsula.

    Tip: Combine it with Cala Torta or Cala Mesquida.

  6. Lluc

    • 45 min by car
    • Sanctuary
    • Start of hikes

    The sanctuary of Lluc, deep in the mountains, is Mallorca's spiritual heart. It houses the Mare de Déu de Lluc, known as La Moreneta, and has a boys' choir, els Blauets, with centuries of history. It is also the starting point for hikes such as Puig Tomir and Puig de Massanella.

    Tip: The road from Campanet climbs through the mountains: take your time.

  7. Valldemossa

    • 50 min by car
    • Market: Sunday

    A stone village among the mountains, known for the Royal Charterhouse, where Frédéric Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838 to 1839. It is also the home village of Saint Catalina Thomàs, whose image on ceramic tiles decorates many front doors, and the place to try coca de patata, a sweet potato bun.

    Tip: Arrive early: by mid-morning it is busy with visitors.

  8. Sóller

    • 1 h 05 by car
    • Market: Saturday

    In a valley of orange groves surrounded by mountains. The Plaça de la Constitució, with the church of Sant Bartomeu and its modernist façade, is the heart of town life. The wooden Sóller train has run here from Palma since 1912, and a tram runs from the centre down to Port de Sóller.

    Tip: An idea: take the tram to the port and walk back. In winter the train and tram stop for a few weeks for maintenance: check the timetable before you go.

  9. Fornalutx

    • 1 h 10 by car
    • Stone village

    Five minutes from Sóller and often described as one of the prettiest villages in Spain: stone houses with green shutters, stepped streets and terraces of orange and olive trees below the Puig Major. From here you can walk down to Biniaraix and Sóller.

    Tip: Park at the entrance to the village: the streets inside are very narrow.

  10. Deià

    • 1 h 10 by car
    • Artists' village

    Stone houses stepped up a hill facing the sea, between olive groves and mountains. It has drawn writers and artists for a century: the poet Robert Graves lived here, and his house, Ca n'Alluny, is open to visitors. A path leads down to the small Cala de Deià.

    Tip: It fits into a day trip with Valldemossa and Sóller.

Planning your visits

  • The mountain villages (Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller and Fornalutx) can be seen in one day along the Ma-10, one of the most beautiful roads on the island. Start early: car parks fill up by mid-morning.
  • Markets are held in the morning. For Sineu, the most traditional, arrive before 10:00.
  • Pollença, Alcúdia and Sineu are about 20 minutes from the house: each is enough for a morning or an afternoon.