If the bustling, high energy resorts of southern Majorca aren’t your scene, Alcudia on the island’s quieter north coast might just be the perfect destination for your next family getaway.

Although located about 62km north of the capital Palma, the journey over to Alcudia from the Son Sant Joan International airport is possibly one of the easiest on the island.

However, if you are driving please make sure you have either an up to date map, or a reliable GPS signal before you set off.

For those hiring a car, here's a simplified route to Alcudia:

- Exit the airport and take the Ma-19 (Autovia de Levante) west towards Palma.
- Merge onto the Ma-20 (Circunvalacion de Palma), skirting the northern edge of the city.
- Look for exit 3B marked Inca/Port d'Alcudia/Son Castell and join the Ma-13 heading north.
- Pass Inca and continue on until the road becomes the Ma-13a near Crestatx.
- Follow signs to Alcudia and take the Ma-3460 at the roundabout just before reaching the old town to arrive in Puerto Alcudia.

A more detailed version of this route, complete with links to maps where appropriate, is available from the Route Map link on the left hand frame of this page.

A coach transfer typically takes about 1.5 hours. However, some tour operators may stop first in nearby Puerto Pollensa which can add up to 45 minutes to your journey time.

Taxis and Transfers

Taxis are always readily available outside of the arrivals hall, although on occasions you should be prepared to queue. Whilst they operate on a fixed-price basis, usually around €100 to Alcudia, prices can vary slightly depending of the number of suitcases, the time of day, and of course the number of passengers carried.

Also an important consideration for those families travelling with small children, is that most taxis do not normally carry child seats, so if you're travelling with young children, it's best to pre-book a taxi and request an age appropriate child seat in advance.

Discovering Alcudia Old Town

The original old town of Alcudia is 2 miles inland from the coastal development, and it is certainly worth a visit during your stay with parts of the town dating back to around 1300. What visitors may not realise however, is that it was the Phoenicians and Greeks who first settled here, closely followed in the 2nd century BC by the Romans, who made Alcudia the capital of the island.

Visitors to the Old Town today enter the narrow streets through one of the two gates that were constructed, along with the impressive city walls, after the conquest of the island by King Jaime I of Spain. The best way to fully appreciate this side of Alcudia is to take the 2 hour guided walking tour that is organised by the local tourist office every Wednesday and Friday, starting at 10.00am by the Sant Jaume church.

The Resort and Surrounding Area

The actual port and holiday resort of Alcudia, where most of the hotels and tourist developments have taken place over the last 40 years, lies at the western end of the magnificent Bay of Alcudia, which runs for over 8km through Playa de Muro and onto the resort of C'an Picafort in the east.

Many of the tour operators now conveniently refer to the hotels of Playa de Muro as being in Alcudia, however, the resort is quite remote and some considerable distance from the centre of Alcudia. A leading tour operator was once asked what the difference is between Alcudia and Playa de Muro, and flippantly replied "about 200 Euro per week". Which indirectly highlights that, being the newer development, Playa de Muro does have a far higher proportion of 4 and 5 star hotels and aparthotels than Alcudia.

The resort itself is spread either side of the busy Ma-12 northern coast road, and really lacks a centre or focal point. When booking a holiday here it may be worth checking on which side of this road your accommodation is situated. For the more adventurous, brave or just stupid, this road does have a "dedicated" cycle lane running the full 3 mile length of the resort, which on occasions you do have to share with taxis, or other locals who can't be bothered with the formality of using the main road. Bicycle hire is plentiful and relatively cheap throughout the resort, and costs around 12 Euro per person for a days hire.

Beach and Family Appeal

The warm shallow waters of Alcudia Bay make this resort very popular with families with young children, and the beach is without doubt a major attraction with fine, clean sand with a wide variety of water sport and other facilities available to suit all tastes. Whatever part of the beach you choose, you will never be more than a few hundred metres from the nearest beach bar or cafe.

Getting Around

One thing that we did unfortunately encounter on our visit is that actually getting around the resort is sometimes very difficult. Buses are often full, especially so on market days, and taxis are almost non-existent when you need one. So be prepared to walk.

If however you are determined to use public transport to see more of the surrounding area, during the summer months at least, the local bus operator the "Consorci de Transports de Mallorca" do in all fairness run 11 routes that pass through the town. Whilst no guarantee is given on our behalf as to the accuracy of their timetable it can be found at:
www.tib.org

Final Thoughts

In recent years, Alcudia has benefited from major investments in public spaces and infrastructure, creating a cleaner and more attractive environment for visitors to enjoy.

Unlike the nightlife heavy resorts along the south coast, Alcudia offers a more relaxed, family friendly atmosphere. Most of the entertainment happens within hotels, though there are a few late night bars and clubs.

All in all, Alcudia is a high quality beach resort that combines history, comfort, and natural beauty making it an excellent choice for families and travellers looking for a quieter, more laid back beach holiday in the sun.

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