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On the way on Mallorca's most beautiful long-distance hiking trail

Freshly squeezed orange juice, café con leche and of course a sweet ensaimada, Mallorca’s snail-shaped cream pastry – it’s not easy to end breakfast in Port d’Andratx harbour.

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On the way on Mallorca's most beautiful long-distance hiking trail

Freshly squeezed orange juice, café con leche and of course a sweet ensaimada, Mallorca’s snail-shaped cream pastry – it’s not easy to end breakfast in Port d’Andratx harbour. But it doesn't help. A long day of hiking is ahead. Or rather: a long week of hiking.

When the sun doesn't burn so hard in autumn, it's time to lace up your hiking boots in Mallorca. The picturesque long-distance hiking trail GR 221 leads across the Tramuntana mountains. It is almost 150 kilometers from Port d'Andratx in the southwest to Port de Pollença in the extreme northwest.

Shortly after the marina, the path loses itself in hilly pine forests. The view is magnificent, it falls on the former fishing village of Sant Elm and the "Dragon Island" Sa Dragonera in front of it. The beach, the cute shops, the smell from the fish restaurants - Sant Elm invites you to take a break.

Through pine forests it then goes steeply uphill again. In some places, thick boulders turn the way into a climbing party. The views of Sa Dragonera always invite you to take a breather. The view of the long island from the abandoned Trappist monastery of La Trapa is impressive.

Classical music echoes from the ruins. Miguel Torres likes to listen to Mozart while building walls. The 80-year-old Mallorquin is helping with the restoration of the almost 80-hectare monastery complex that French Trappist monks built in 1810. Torres used to be a dry stone mason and belongs to the nature conservation organization GOB. They bought the monastery ruins in 1980 to prevent the construction of a hotel.

In dry stone constructions such as the buildings and terraces of the monastery, no mortar or cement is used at all. Only edged stones of different sizes are put together.

“Nowhere has dry stone walling been so perfected as on Mallorca. Unesco even named it a World Heritage Site in 2018,” says Torres. He compares the craft with a composition: "Each stone is like the note of a symphony. It must have its appropriate place in order to create a harmonious wall.”

Miguel Torres assures us: On the hiking trail we will still be able to marvel at countless border walls, terraces, houses, defense towers and stretches of road built with this technique. That is why the GR 221 is also known as the Dry Wall Trail – Ruta de Pedra en Sec.

The panoramic views of the rugged west coast of Mallorca provide excitement for the rest of the day. At the Mirador d'en Josep Sastre viewpoint, the cliff falls dramatically 450 meters into the sea.

In the evening, the stage destination is reached with the Finca Ses Fontanelles. The 200-year-old farmhouse has been transformed into an idyllic hiking hotel. It serves a first class three course meal with vegetables from their own garden. Sheep graze under citrus trees. Cell phone reception is pleasantly poor here. Calm returns.

From Ses Fontanelles, it first goes 200 meters steeply uphill through a lonely gorge. Wild goats seem surprised by human presence. The higher you climb, the more beautiful the view over the wild coast and the Mediterranean Sea becomes.

The next destination, Banyalbufar, is one of the most beautiful villages in the Tramuntana with its stone terraces, steep streets and ocher-colored sandstone houses. Banyalbufar means "built by the sea". The name comes from the Arab occupiers, who laid out the terraces here centuries ago for the cultivation of the famous Malvasia wine.

"This type of grape is particularly robust against wind and the salty sea air," explains winemaker Toni Darder. The white wine tastes the same way: dry, salty, with a high polyphenol content and around 14.5 percent alcohol. The wine terraces of his Bodega Son Vives stretch far down to the rocky bay, which invites you to swim after a hike. On the terrace of the winery, visitors can enjoy beautiful sunsets with paella and wine.

The next day, the path meanders through dark holm oak forests again. Some parts of the paved path are said to have come from the Arabs. After Esporles, the path leads up to the ridge at almost 600 meters altitude.

The beautiful stage destination can soon be seen in the valley: Valldemossa, not without reason the most visited village on the island with the emblematic monastery, narrow streets and stone houses decorated with flowers.

However, the most beautiful village for many is Deià. And the almost 13-kilometer stage to get there is one of the most beautiful of the GR 221. It initially runs along a historic bridle path. Old stone charcoal burners line the path through the woods.

It goes slowly uphill to the 938 meter high Puig Gros. On one side of the narrow ridge you can see the north coast of Mallorca with the peninsula of Sa Forada. On the other side you have a view of almost the entire southern part - even Palma's cathedral in good weather.

The descent into the picturesque mountain village of Deià is beautiful, but not without a difference in altitude of almost 800 meters. The path leads dramatically along steep walls until olive grove terraces slowly level the terrain.

Deià is Mallorca's artists' village. It has always attracted painters, poets and composers. Quite a few stayed at the hotel “La Residencia”. The hostel is worth a visit just for its sculpture garden and around 800 works mostly by local artists. The café also has 33 original works by Joan Miró. Art is one thing. After the hard descent from the Teix massif, hikers also like to enjoy the pool area between olive and citrus trees.

The day's hike to the port of Port de Sóller runs through endless olive tree plantations. Goblins, faces and all sorts of animals can be seen in the gnarled, centuries-old trees on the Muleta Peninsula. At the Cap Gros lighthouse, built in 1842, the path abruptly turns right and leads to the beautiful natural harbor of Sóller. And with it the longed-for jump into the Mediterranean Sea.

The next morning begins relaxed and nostalgic: The wood-panelled tram, inaugurated in 1913, takes you from the beach promenade through citrus plantations to Sóller. In the market hall you can buy good provisions for the long day's hike to the Tossals Verds refuge. The first few kilometers are a real olfactory intoxication. Huge plantations full of fragrant oranges, lemons, almonds and figs line the way.

Condition is required shortly after the mountain village of Biniaraix. Through a lonely gorge, the trail climbs steeply in zigzags over dry stone paths. Almost 750 vertical meters have to be climbed to the Coll de L'Ofre. The view back into the Orange Valley from Sóller: stunning.

Up in the high valley, the two reservoirs glitter in the sun. It smells of sage and herbs. Mallorca's highest mountain, the 1436 meter high Puig Major, towers imposingly over the landscape.

At the Tossals Verds mountain hut you are far from civilisation. “No villages, no cell phone reception, no roads. Lonely in nature, simply stunning,” says Angelika Greis from Berlin. It is impressive how much untouched and completely remote mountain landscapes there are on Mallorca. "The Dry Wall Trail is a chance to get to know Mallorca in a completely different way," she says. "He completely cleared up my preconceptions about Insel."

Through a landscape of rocks and boulders it goes down again. The monastery of Lluc can be seen from afar down in the cirque. The most important place of pilgrimage in Mallorca was founded in the 13th century. In the monastery museum you can learn a lot about the history of the island, and you can spend the night in the former monks' cells. As soon as the day tourists disappear, it becomes wonderfully quiet.

Departure early in the morning. The chirping of birds in the holm oak forest is soothing. But suddenly, in the distance, you hear powerful knocking and hammering. Dry stone mason Damià González and his team are restoring a stretch of trail destroyed by winter erosion. In the 1980s, the guild of dry masons was threatened with extinction. And with it the preservation of the old mountain paths, explains González.

On the island council's initiative, specialists are once again being trained in traditional dry-wall construction. The Ruta de Pedra en Sec hiking trail is a project that aims to promote hiking tourism in the most remote mountainous areas of the island.

“It wasn't just about saving a centuries-old tradition from dying out. With the help of the dry stone paths and retaining walls, the Tramuntana mountains were made habitable and usable for agriculture in the first place," explains Philippe Alvaro Frotté from the island council. He is responsible for the maintenance of the dry stone path. The restoration has been going on for 14 years.

The forest path leads slowly from the Tramuntana mountains down to the bay of Pollença. Oranges, figs, almonds, pears and apricots characterize the valley. An old Roman bridge takes you to the town center with its magnificent mansions, palaces and parish church.

If you still have strength, you should visit Calvary. But the stairway flanked by cypress trees has 365 steps and it's about six kilometers to Port de Pollença. You can save yourself the last stage along the road. The bus will do the trick here too, if the longing to jump into the sea gets too big.

Incidentally, in the coming years the Dry Wall Trail is to be extended - and then end at the mystical Cape of Formentor.

This article was first published in November 2021.

The Germans want to go on vacation again. The German Travel Association also speaks of a ray of hope last summer in terms of bookings. And yet the industry is still groaning under the corona pandemic.

Source: WELT/Jan-Friedrich Funk

When to go: The GR 221 can be done all year round. Spring and autumn are best due to the mild temperatures.

Arrival: There are direct flights to Palma de Mallorca several times a day from many German airports.

Entry and Corona situation: Current information can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Hike: You should plan between nine and twelve day hikes for the 150-kilometer long-distance hike. If you prefer to be on the move quickly, you should be prepared for some demanding stages because of the differences in altitude.

Information: caminsdepedra.conselldemallorca.cat/de

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