Page 529 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain
P. 529
THE BALEARIC ISLANDS 527
a Ferreries town is unremarkable in itself,
but within reach of it are three
Baleares. * 4,600. @ n Town Hall:
Carrer Sant Bartomeu 55, 971 37 30 places of interest.
03. ( Tue, Fri, Sat. _ Sant Bartomeu El Toro, 3 km (2 miles) to
(23–25 Aug). the east, is Menorca’s highest
mountain, at 350 m (1,150 ft).
Ferreries lies between Mercadal It is also the spiritual heart of
and Ciutadella and sprang up the island and at its summit is
when a road was built to the Santuari del Toro, built in
connect the two towns. Today 1670, which is run by nuns.
Ferreries is an attractive village of About 10 km (6 miles) north of
white houses, built against the Es Mercadal, the fishing village
slope of a hill. The simple church, of Fornells transforms itself
Sant Bartomeu, dates from 1770. every summer into an outpost
The bay of Santa Galdana, of St Tropez. In the harbour,
10 km (6 miles) to the south, is smart yachts jostle with fishing Horse rearing in the
even prettier. You can take a boats, and the local jetset crowd fiesta of Sant Lluís
pleasant walk from the beach into the Bar Palma. Fornells’
inland through the fertile river main culinary speciality is the
bed of Barranc d’Algendar. caldereta de llagosta (lobster The Balearic
casserole), but the quality Islands’ Fiestas
varies and prices can be high.
The roadcumdirt track to the Sant Antoni Abat (16–17 Jan),
Cap de Cavalleria, 13 km (8 miles) Mallorca. This fiesta is cele
north of Es Mercadal, passes brated with parades and the
through one of the Balearics’ blessing of animals all over
finest landscapes. Cavalleria is a Mallorca and in Sant Antoni
rocky promon tory, whipped by in Ibiza.
the tramon tana wind from the Sant Joan (24 Jun), Ciutadella
north. It juts out into a choppy (Menorca). The horse plays
a major part in Menorca’s
sea which, in winter, looks more festivals. In the streets and
like the North Atlantic than the squares of Ciutadella on
Mediterranean. At the western 24 June, the Day of St John
edge of the peninsula are the the Baptist, elegantly dressed
Courtyard in the Santuari del Toro remains of Sanisera, a Phoenician riders put their horses
village mentioned by Pliny in the through ritualized medieval
1st century AD. The road leads man oeuvres. The fiesta
s Es Mercadal to a headland, with a lighthouse reaches a climax when the
and cliffs 90 m (295 ft) high, horses rear up on their hind
Baleares. * 5,000. @ n Town Hall: legs and the jubilant crowds
Carrer Major 16, 971 37 50 02. ( Sun. where peregrine falcons, sea
_ Sant Martí (third Sun of Jul). eagles and kites ride the wind. swarm around them trying
Further west along the coast to hold them up with their
Es Mercadal is a small country is a string of fine, unspoiled hands. Similarly, the annual
town – one of the three, with beaches, though with difficult fiesta in Sant Lluís, which
Alaior and Ferreries, that are access: Cala Pregonda, Cala del takes place at the end of
strung out along the main road Pilar and La Vall d’Algaiarens are August, sees many of the
locals taking to the streets
from Maó to Ciutadella. The three of the most beautiful.
on horseback.
Sant Joan Pelós (24 Jun),
Felanitx (Mallorca). As part of
this fiesta, a man is dressed in
sheepskins to represent John
the Baptist.
Romeria de Sant Marçal (30
Jun), Sa Cabeneta (Mallorca).
A feature of this fiesta is a
market selling siurells, primitive
Mallorcan whistles.
Our Lady of the Sea (16 Jul),
Formentera. The island’s
main fiesta honours the
Virgen del Carmen, patroness
of fishermen, with a flotilla
of fishing boats.
A quiet stretch of beach at Santa Galdana
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