Amanda Butler
THE pretty market town of Santa Maria is located just 14 km northeast of Palma along the motorway M-13.
As well as the Sunday morning market it has a reputation for pottery and the roba de llengues – cloth of tongues – the cotton woven into bright zigzag patterns, as well as being the home of the vineyard Maciá Batle.
It was originally founded by the Moors, but even before that, during the Roman times it was their first weigh station on the way from Palma to Alcúdia.
With the motorway and the train track running by Santa Maria, it is a very well-connected town, with the train station in the centre.
Here you can experience the traditional Mallorcan lifestyle, with very few tourists around and a good mix of locals and expats.
Surrounded by fields, orchards and vineyards, the area offers fantastic views of the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range, which towers above Mallorca’s towns from the centre of the island.
During the week it is a fairly quiet town, with old local men hanging around in the bars, neighbours stopping in the street for a quick chat and a popular stop-off for the many cyclists passing by.
That atmosphere changes immensely every Sunday, when early in the morning the weekly market takes place – an occasion for everyone to meet in the ‘Plaça Nova’ and buy fruit, vegetables, flowers and general provisions for the week to come.
Shops & Services
The quaint high street that leads through town, with the old church of Santa Maria in the background, offers all essential shops and services for daily needs. A supermarket (Eroski) is located here as well as a handful of restaurants and cafes, where you can enjoy some typical Spanish tapas as well as international menus. Bistro 19 by Livingdreams is one of my favourite restaurants tastefully combined with an interior design shop.
Two big shopping centres are within a few minutes driving distance with Al Campo around an 8 minute drive and about 5 minutes to reach Festival Park – a outdoor fashion outlet shopping mall. The local fiesta is 20th of July, of Santa Margarita the patron saint of the town.
Living in Santa Maria del Cami
With Palma de Mallorca being so close, for those not wanting to live directly in Palma but still be close enough to it, Santa Maria is the place to be. It is an ideal location for house hunters looking for a historical village house or a country finca. Expect to pay from around €250,000 for a village house, to €5 million plus for a detached country home.
Property of the week
Traditional finca with beautiful mountain views, walking distance to village
4 Bed – 4 Bath – 314 m² Living – 8000 m² Plot – €2,250,000
Beautifully presented fully renovated country home with magnificent views over orange groves and the Tramuntana mountains, located just five minutes from the charming town of Santa Maria del Cami, and 15 minutes from Palma.
Dating back over 200 years this delightful old stone finca offers beautiful mature gardens, a flat lawn, saltwater swimming pool, patio, lovely covered terrace, fig and almond orchard, herb garden, and several stone outbuildings. The house has been carefully renovated maintaining its authenticity, but providing all the comforts of modern living.
Distributed over two floors, the ground floor accommodation consisting of an impressive entrance hall, light and airy fitted kitchen, dining room, living room with fireplace, and French doors to the stone terrace.
The first floor offers a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, three further double bedrooms all with built in wardrobes, three bathrooms. Large windows from every room affords a beautifully tranquil scene in quiet traditional countryside.
