Cala Portals Vells (Mallorca): beaches + cave

Why visit Portals Vells in Mallorca?

Is Portals Vells worth visiting?

The beaches are nice, but not as special as other beaches in Mallorca.
However, the caves are quite a treat. This is not a top destination, but if you have time, this is a fun place to explore.

Beaches and cave

The Bay of Portals Vells is typical of Mallorca, although there are no large hotels.
It is not one large bay. It has several smaller coves with sandy beaches.
Rocks are covered with beautiful trees.

What makes this bay unique compared to other, is the presence of a cave.
Not an underground karts cave, but an old quarry cave that is quite large (80m by 60m) that is called « La Cova de La Mare de Deu ».
This is where the stones for the Palma cathedral come from.
And it can be accessed and explored via a short hike.

About the name

Portal Vells means "old portals". It refers, of course, to the 3 giant openings to the cave.

More photos after the planning tips.

Planning Tips & Map - Cala Portals Vells, Mallorca

All my favorite locations are included (with GPS coordinates, maps and tips) in my travel Guide eBook that helps you easily plan your Mallorca road trip:

Need to rent a car in Mallorca?
My tips:

• Compare car rental prices on Discovercars.com - one of the best customer-rated comparison sites!
• Prefer a smaller car for the narrow roads
• Choose the company you prefer
• Consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind! 
• Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

Where to stay in Mallorca?
My tips:

• For a choice of restaurants and a main town - See best rated accommodations in Palma
• For beach + practical location to explore - See best rated accommodations in Port d'Alcudia
• For a party area - see best rated accommodations in S'Arenal
• For a quiet in the mountains - See best rated accommodations in Valldemossa
• For a quiet, charming seaside place - see best rated accommodations in Canyamel
• For access to the best calas - see best rated accommodations in Cala d'or
• For families - see best rated accommodations in Cala Millor or in Colonia Sant Jordi

More tips on my article about where to stay in Mallorca (to be published)

4 Portals Vells beaches

The cove of Portals Vells has 4 beaches, all of them are sandy.

Platja de Portals Vells

This is the main beach in the cove, the largest.
This is where you can find a restaurant.
In season there are sunbeds and umbrellas for rent.
This is the best beach to access the caves.

Platgeta de Portals Vells

If you walk 2 minutes to your right from the main beach, you can find another smaller sandy beach. 
This one is more charming in my opinion, with views of the rocks. Great spot for snorkeling.

Platja del Mago

From the second carpark, head right to reach this beach.
It is north of the main beach, you can find Platja del Mago.
This beach is narrower and is a nudist spot.

Platja del Rei

From the same carpark, if you head left, you reach Platja del Rei.
This is another small sandy beach surrounded by trees and rocks

Cliff hike to the cave of Portals Vells

Is the Portals Vells cave difficult to access?

The Portals Vells cave is not difficult to access.
From the main beach, it is a short hike under 10min to access the entrance.
Good walking shoes are recommended.

The walk to Portals Vells Cave

From the main beach, head right.
You will find stairs leading to a small building.
The path then reaches the next small beach

From the smaller beach, walk up the cliffs.
The path is not so obvious to find, go up to the tree level to find it.

Then it is a rather flat walk around the rocks and trees.
This is quite enjoyable.

The path looks narrow on the picture but it was not bad.
I did not suffer from vertigo.

And the views from the path were beautiful!

Inside the cave - the sculptures

History and legend

Contrary to the other famous caves in Mallorca, this is not an underground karst cave.
It was a quarry.
The stone blocks extracted in the 14th and 15th centuries were used to build the Palma de Mallorca Cathedral.

Inside, you can find carved altars associated with a legend about fishermen that says: 

During the 15th century, a Genoese sailor and his crew were caught in a terrible storm in the bay of Palma. 
Scared, they made a vow that, if they were saved, they would build a place to honor for the statue of the Virgin of their ship, where they would reach land.
The wind pushed the ship into the Portals Vells bay, where they discovered the cave and found protection.
They decided to place the statue of their Madonna there, carved an altar in the rock and decorated the walls with inscriptions and religious drawings.

In the 18th century, the statue was transferred to the church of Calvia.

The giant entrance holes

There are 3 main giant entrance holes to the cave.
Some of large rocks which have fallen and limit the access.
The views of the bay from those holes are stunning.

The carved altar

Inside, take some time to admire the altar and its many carvings.
Check out the symbols and detailed work.

A deep cave

And you can go explore deeper into the rock.
The cave is 80m (262ft) in length and 60m (197ft) wide
Look at the ceiling to see the rectangular shapes of things, because they were extracting blocks for building the cathedral.

View of tower

From the front of the caves, look towards the mouth of the cove.
You will notice one of the many watch towers around Mallorca.

Petrified dune

Back on the main beach, you can also find a walking path to the left (North).
This is an easy path next to the restaurant.
Don't just visit the cave, head this way too.

And you reach a fascinating area with a petrified sand dune that the elements have carved.

This is a nice place to sit for a while and enjoy the view.

From here, you clearly see the entrances to the Portals Vells caves on the opposite side of the bay.

Want to see more of Mallorca?

• 40 most beautiful landscapes in Mallorca (with pictures) - read article
• 7 Best Mallorca caves - read article
• 10 best calas in Mallorca (coves) - read article
• 12 Mallorca hidden gems, off the beaten path - read article
• 21 most beautiful views in Mallorca - read article
• Mallorca travel tips - read article
• Driving in Mallorca - read article
• 21 Most beautiful towns and villages in Mallorca - read article

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