The village of Colónia de Sant Jordi in Majorca

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Introduction

Colónia de Sant Jordi is a small resort situated near the southeastern tip of the island of Majorca. Since the 1950s, the small fishing port has become a tourist destination family-oriented, with the long beaches that surround the southeast and northwest, and thanks to its proximity to the National Park of the Archipelago of Cabrera.

The port of Colónia since 2500 was also the year resulted in significant production of sea salt produced by salt marshes located in the hinterland, the saltworks of S’Avall and saltworks of Salobrar.

Colónia de Sant Jordi is administratively part of the municipality of Ses Salines in the south of the county (Comarca de Migjorn), and nearly 3,000 people, more than the capital of the municipality.

Etymology and toponymy

Colony of St. George is still sometimes called "Port de Campos". Colónia de Sant Jordi is named Colonia de San Jorge in Castilian Spanish.

Some researchers believe that it is in this area that was the city of Latin Tucis, mentioned by Pliny, the Romans exploited, in fact, the salt of Colonia.

Location

The village of Colonia de Sant Jordi Majorca - Situation station in Majorca. Click to enlarge the image.

The village of Colonia de Sant Jordi Majorca - View from the Ràpita. Click to enlarge the image.

Colónia de Sant Jordi is located on a small peninsula protruding in the south-east corner of the island, the resort is a kind of cul-de-sac, the ribs on both sides, being areas protected roadless.

The remote station is 6 km from the main town of the municipality, Ses Salines, 13 km from the city of Campos, and 14 km from Santanyí. The lively seaside resort of Cala d’Or is located 27 km.

The capital, Palma, is a distance of 53 km. From Palma or from the airport of Son Sant Joan, the fastest way is the highway Ma-19 to Llucmajor, which becomes a road to Campos, Campos, take right on Ma-6040 road that leads straight to Colónia de Sant Jordi. The last part of the journey is a bit difficult, and it takes an hour to get from Palma.

Visits

Until the 1950s Colónia de Sant Jordi had only a few fishermen’s houses, its tourism development - better controlled elsewhere - has created a regular urban fabric, made of a checkerboard of streets, which extends from the port, southeast, and the area to the north-west, where most of the hotels near the beaches of Estanys and Es Trenc. Between these two centers, the urban fabric is occupied by many second homes owned by residents of Palma or region. The town does not include many cultural attractions, if not the Visitor Centre of the Cabrera National Park and Aquarium. The attraction of the resort is mainly based on its natural environment, its beaches and trips to Cabrera.
The Port of Colónia de Sant Jordi
The natural harbor of Colónia de Sant Jordi was used in the fourth century BC to export salt from salt; Punic vestiges of this time are still on the small island of Na Guardis, just outside the port, including two docks, warehouses and blacksmith shop. Port usage continued under the Roman Empire wrecks Roman ships were found near the coast. Today, fishing boats and pleasure boats are moored side by side in the harbor.

Domain of S’Avall
The Possessió de S’Avall is a large estate belonging to the wealthy family of bankers March and is the largest private property of the island of Majorca, with about 38 km² in area. The finca comprises the March family mansion, built next to a defensive tower of the fourteenth century. The field S’Avall is located east of Colónia de Sant Jordi, back from the beaches of Es Dolç, to Es Carbó and Ses Roquetes, thus it ensures the preservation and tranquility these beaches, which are only accessible by foot, along the coast, or by sea The property is fenced, but the inhabitants of the commune - in principle - the right of way across the land, to make on beaches. Tourists can arrange a tour through the city of Ses Salines (phone: 00 34 971 649 454). On Thursday, you can visit the cactus garden. The area is a protected natural area, with two important wetlands, Llacuna Es Tamarells and Estany its Gambes, where you can see many birds and wild Mediterranean flora consists of sea lily (Pancratium maritimum) of sea hollies (Eryngium maritimum), pine, juniper juniper, wild olive… It is from this property in 1916, Joan March catered German submarines, Austro-Hungarian flag, anchored behind the island of Cabrera. This incident provoked the fury of the British and had resulted in the expropriation of the island of Cabrera and its transformation into a military zone.
The Beaches
Colónia de Sant Jordi has beaches that are among the most beautiful on the island of Majorca northwest of the station - in the municipality of Campos - first there is the whole beach of Els Estanys and the long beach of Es Trenc, which is partly a nudist beach. the northwest tip of the station, between Punta des Torts and Punta de sa Llova, lies the small Platja des Marquès (Marquis beach, probably the Marquis Palmer), also known as the beach of Es Coto. southeast of the resort are the Beach of the Port, very well equipped and the beach of Es Dolç, which is also equipped beach, later, after a rocky promontory, there are two long natural beaches, fine sand, which are only accessible on foot: the beach Es Carbó and the beach of Ses Roquetes. From the port of Colonia it is possible to go to the lighthouse at Cape of Ses Salines through all these beaches, the walk is a dozen kilometers. Shortly before the lighthouse is another beach, beach Es Caragol.
The Port Beach (Platja d’es Port) and the Dolç Beach (Platja d’Es Dolç)
Platja d’es Port is located next to the fishing port and marina, this is a fairly small but well maintained beach, very well equipped and monitored. It is close to restaurants and cafes in the port. From the left of the main beach end share a walk, with benches, which leads to the beach of Es Dolç. The beach Es Dolç ("sweet") of is 250 m from the station, you can walk it, but it also has a parking. Platja d’Es Dolç is a beach of fine white sand and is equipped with sun loungers, parasols and a bar. At about 300 meters from the beach of Es Dolç is the small island of Na Guardis where the remains of Carthaginian port facilities remains, the wreckage of a Carthaginian merchant ship and a Roman galley rest, a few meters deep between Colonia and Na Guardis and many divers visit these wrecks.
The Carbó Beach (Platja d’es Carbó) and Beach of ses Roquetes (Platja de Ses Roquetes)
Platja d’es Carbó ("beach of Coal") is 2.3 km walk from Colónia de Sant Jordi (30 min walk), the Platja de Ses Roquetes ("beach of the rocks"), a nudist beach, continuous. One can also reach these beaches from Cape Ses Salines, walking 6 km. Due to the distances on foot, the crowd of bathers is quite low. However, these beaches are also popular with boaters, it is even rumored that the beach of Es Carbó is a favorite of the Spanish royal family beaches. These two beaches are a set of 1400 m of fine sand, with an average width of 45 m, probably the most natural and most unspoilt Mallorca, overgrown in places by the Mediterranean seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) rejected by the sea, these beaches have no equipment and are not monitored, but swimming is safe: the beach slopes gently into the water is shallow. On the back of these beaches is the protected area of the Possessió de S’Avall, which is fenced, which does not find places in the shade of the pine forest. Both beaches facing the small island Na Moltona and the island of the same name, close enough to be reached by swimming.
The saltworks of S’Avall
The saltworks of S’Avall is the second oldest in the world salt, these marshes were first exploited by the Carthaginians, from the fourth century BC, the Carthaginian merchants exporting salt from the port of Colónia de Sant Jordi and small island of Na Guardis, located at the exit port. The Romans, Byzantines, Moors and Catalans continued operation until today. It is this very ancient activity that gave its name to the city and the municipality of Ses Salines, which is part of Colónia de Sant Jordi. The saltworks of S’Avall is in the northwest part of Colonia, on the back of the beach of Els Estanys and area hotels. The use of salt is made the traditional way, the salt is harvested in August. With the salt marshes of Es Calobrar (Es Trenc) in Campos - much bigger - the saltworks of S’Avall is part of a protected natural area (Área natural d’especial interèes).



The salt marshes of S’Avall are home Provence cane (Arundo donax) and tamarisk (Tamarix), as well as salt-tolerant plants such as the European samphire (Salicornia europaea) or savin juniper (Juniperus sabina). Brackish waters have a pink color due to the presence of halobacteria (Halobacterium) which contain carotenoids orange-red. These micro-organisms are food for shellfish a few millimeters, which also have the pink color.

Small shellfish are consumed by shorebirds such as stilt (Himantopus himantopus) or redshank (Tringa totanus), dabbling as shoveler (Anas clypeata), Audouin’s gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) quelquesfois scoffers and gulls (Larus genei). Sometimes an osprey (Pandion haliaetus) come for a meal.

The saltworks of Es Trenc or Salobrar
The saltworks of Es Trenc are much broader than those of S’Avall and is 6 km north of Colonia, left the road going towards Campos. Go to saltworks of Es Trenc.
The Baths of Sant Joan
The Baths of Sant Joan is the only hot springs on the island of Majorca, they are near the saltworks Es Trenc, on the territory of the municipality of Campos. Go to the baths of Sant Joan.
The Visitor Center Island Cabrera
The National Park of the Cabrera archipelago is a protected and buildable space, that is why the Visitor Center of the National Park (Centre d’Interpretació / Centro de Interpretación) was built in Colónia de Sant Jordi, the town’s most close to Cabrera, located about 13 km to the south. From the roof terrace in the center, you can see the archipelago of Cabrera. The main building of the Visitor Center, which opened in July 2008, is presented as a "talaiot" conical tower lookout talayotic the time. The visitor can find any documentation on the natural environment of the archipelago of Cabrera and terrestrial and aquatic species that inhabit it. The Visitors Centre is located at the east end of Colónia, Calle Gabriel Roca s / n. Hours: 10:00 to 14:30 and 15:30 to 18:00. Entry Fee (2012) 8 €, children: 4,5 € Phone: 00 34 971 656 282

In the basement of the Visitor Center are 17 tanks with 400 fish and other sea creatures belonging to 150 different species living in the waters of Cabrera (See Wildlife of the Cabrera Island).

Practical Information

The Tourist Office
Address: at the beginning of the Carrer Gabriel Roca, on the port. Hours: Monday to Friday, from 8:00 to 14:00 Phone: 00 34 971 656 073 http://www.ajsessalines.net
The Road Transport
The 502 bus line connects Colónia de Sant Jordi to Palma via Ses Salines and Santanyí, up to 8 times per day (price: about € 6). Detailed itinerary and schedules on: www.tib.org/web/ctm/autobus/linia/502 The 495 bus line connects Colónia de Sant Jordi in Manacor via Campos and Porreres. Detailed itinerary and schedules on: www.tib.org/web/ctm/autobus/linia/495
Excursions to the island of Cabrera		Weather forecast
Several companies organize trips to Cabrera, different formulas are available depending on the duration of the tour, from 2 hours to 5 hours and the visit of the Blue Grotto, lunch… The price quite high (35 to 50 euros), include the entry in the National Park of Cabrera price. Marcabrera site on the web: www.marcabrera.com

Hotels
Isla de Cabrera
The Isla de Cabrera has a hotel category *, quite old, and apartment hotel category ** later. The apartments of the Aparthotel are spacious enough but noisy when opening the pools.

The hotel, located on the other side of the street to avoid, with very narrow corridors and some rooms that are unacceptable for a hotel. ***

Address: Carrer Marquès del Palmer, s / n, 100 m from the beach of the port.

Phone: 00 34 971 655 000

Site on the Web: www.hotelislacabrera.com / en