"I live in Majorca, Spain, and I am not sure there are better places.
-- Rafael Nadal
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(in
the southeast of the island of Majorca) Santanyí is a municipality on
Majorca (or Mallorca), one of the Balearic Islands, which is found in
the westernmost part of the Mediterranean. The town’s original name
Santi Annini means "Lamb of God" (the symbol for which can be seen in
the parish church and Santanyí’s coat of arms.) The municipality
encompasses beaches popular for their scenic beauty. The coast covered
by it extends around 35 km (~22 mi.) along the southeast of the island.
It also has 172 archaeological sites, with evidence of the existence of a
productive agriculture and farming tradition since at least
the Talaiotic period (during the Iron Age). This municipality in the
southeast of Majorca is home to the towns of Santanyí, Calonge,
s'Alqueria Blanca and es Llombards, as well as Cala d'Or, Portopetro,
Cap d'es Moro, Cala Figuera, Cala Santanyí, Cala Llombards, and Cala de
s'Almunia. Santanyí is also home to a protected natural area known as
the Mondragó Natural Parc. Apart from the amazing harbor of Cala
Figuera, the town has one of the few fishing harbors in the south of the
island. The paradisiacal coves and many art galleries attract
international artists every year.
+ A historic town famous for its
gold stone architecture, Santanyi is charming, with quaint cobbled
streets and a majestic church; it appeals to many due to its slow pace
of life. (In times of threat from pirate attacks, which troubled the
town; many people took to sleeping in the town’s locked church during
invasions.) Forts and defensive towers dating back to the 18th century
mark the coastline, most notably Torre d’en Beu, in Cala Figuera.
Agriculture was the mainstay of the town until tourism arrived in the
1950s. Today, this beautiful place is particularly popular among Germans
for "holidaying." (It also retains a year-round German community.)
+
Santanyi’s location makes for a great base to explore some of
Mallorca’s best beaches, and the town becomes quite busy in the summer
months -- but has plenty to offer all year round. Do not be surprised if
the buildings in Santanyi look a bit more mellow than everywhere --
this town is the source of the golden sandstone used in Palma's
cathedral and La Llotja among others. (Santanyi stone is still quarried
today.)
+ In summary, Santanyí is pretty, rural, and authentically
Mallorcan. Occupying a great position slightly inland from a ravishing
coastline, next to the second-largest nature park in the Balearics, this
golden-stone village is blessed with stunning natural surroundings. A
traditional but upmarket rural town, living in Santanyí appeals to most
for its peacefulness and natural beauty, combined with good doses of
culture, art, and gastronomy. You will find Mallorcan and Spanish
residents intermingling with the German community, as well as smaller
numbers of British, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Italian denizens.
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