Not to be confused with Mallorca’s north-coast Cala Figuera beach–the town of Cala Figuera is seriously Insta-worthy. Wrapped around a Y-shaped creek, its roads descend to harborsides huddled with green-shuttered houses, boat sheds, and independent hotels, shops, and seafood restaurants overlooking the water.
Visitors arrive independently to sample old-school Mallorca, hike to the nearby watchtower and nature reserve, watch fisherfolk mend nets, and savor freshly caught seafood at the restaurants. Aside from walking, shopping, and eating, visitors can also take boat tours to sail past outlying beaches and caves and enjoy swimming and snorkeling stops.
Cala Figuera is great for peace-seekers, boat enthusiasts, foodies, hikers, and photographers.
Cala Figuera’s harborsides are challenging for wheelchair users, families with strollers, and anyone with limited mobility.
Parking is difficult on the various harborfronts, so aim to leave your car higher up in town and walk to the waterside.
Bring a sunhat, sunscreen, and water if hiking the cliffs, as there’s little shade around.
Cala Figuera isn’t well-served by Mallorca’s buses, so cabs or self-drive are your easiest transport options. If you’re driving from Palma or Palma airport, take the Ma-19 to Santanyi before joining the Ma-6102 to Cala Figuera–it’s a roughly 32-mile (51-kilometer) and 50-minute journey. By bus, catch the #501 from Palma’s Intermodal Station or the #A51 from the airport, and change onto the #516 at Campor for Cala Figuera.
The best time to visit is May–September when all Cala Figuera’s restaurants are open and the weather is warm, although August can be busy and hot with highs reaching 83°F (28°C). In July, you might just catch the celebrations marking the annual Virgen del Carmen festival. Alternatively, consider late January to March to experience Mallorca's peaceful wintertime and the gorgeous almond blossom season.
Beauty spots surround Cala Figuera. Hiking trails wind to the clifftop Torre d'en Beu watchtower to the north–around an hour’s walk away and commanding magnificent sea views. About 1.5 hours on foot but also accessible by car is Mondrago Nature Reserve, whose fields melt into sandy bays perfect for bathing, like Cala Mondrago. Head for Cala Santanyi’s picturesque white-sand beach just to the south to swim closer to home.
