Porto Colom
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Porto Colom

Porto Colom

Mallorcan harbour town where pastel boathouses and fishing boats edge a quieter east-coast inlet.

Porto Colom is a natural harbour on the east coast of Mallorca, the main coastal settlement of the municipality of Felanitx. It has a quieter, more local feel than the big resorts on the island's south and west coasts — the harbour is still used by working fishing boats, and the waterfront is lined with traditional boathouses (escars) painted in faded pastels. The 19th-century lighthouse at the harbour mouth is one of the oldest in the Balearics.

The town spreads around both sides of the inlet. The south shore has a small sandy beach (Cala Marçal) popular with families, while the north side is rockier and favoured by locals for swimming off the flat rocks. Several good seafood restaurants line the harbour promenade.

Porto Colom is about 65 km east of Palma — allow around an hour and a half by car. There is no direct public transport from the airport, so a hire car or pre-booked taxi is the practical option.

Guide

Day Trips

Porto Colom is well placed for exploring the eastern and southern coast of Mallorca. The chain of coves between Cala Marçal and Cala d'Or is reachable on foot via the GR-222 coastal path or by short drives — each cove has a small beach and clear water. Inland, the old market town of Felanitx (10 minutes by car) has a Wednesday morning market and the dramatic hilltop monastery of Sant Salvador with one of the best panoramic views on Mallorca. Palma is about an hour by car.

Guide

Eating Out

The waterfront promenade has a row of seafood restaurants and tapas bars; the side streets behind it have a couple of more interesting local places. Fish straight off the boat (peix de roca, dorada, llampuga in autumn) is the obvious thing to order. Many places close from November to March.

Guide

Things to Do

Porto Colom is small enough that you can walk every part of it in an afternoon. The harbour, the lighthouse, the boathouses, and the two short beaches at the mouth of the inlet are the main attractions; for more, head out by boat or drive south to the coves below Cala d'Or.