Route of the windmills in Mallorca

Day 1: Montuïri, land of windmills

Majorca would not be the same without its landscape of windmills. In fact, it has an unprecedented density of mills of different types. More than 3,000 have been counted throughout the island, and they had several uses: grinding grain, salt, making paprika to make sobrassada and extracting water. For this reason, it is not unusual to come across one of these constructions on the hiking trails that stretch across the island.

Today you begin your route in Montuïri, a picturesque Majorcan village, home to mills that reveal the region's flour-making past. You will walk through its cobbled streets and discover its agricultural essence, so deeply rooted in the culture of this region.

The first point of interest is the Molí des Fraret, an 18th century flour mill that today houses the Son Fornés Archaeological Museum. This monographic museum offers a fascinating display of archaeological material recovered from the site, with pieces dating back to the first millennium BC. It is a journey through time that enables you to learn about Majorca's prehistory, with special attention to the megalithic period. Guided tours are available throughout the year. 

Leaving the museum behind, enter the charming streets of Montuïri, strolling through the Plaça Vella, the Carrer Major and the Plaça Major. This route takes you to Es Molinar, the oldest and highest part of the village. This place was perfect for the installation of flour windmills in the 17th century. Driven by the power of the wind, they were essential for grinding the cereals grown in the surrounding fields and making bread, the staple food of the time.

Although the advent of electricity marked the end of their traditional use, many of these mills are still preserved. You can find eight there: the Molí d'en Vermell, d'en Nofre, d'en Serra, d'en Ferrando, d'en Perons, and at the end of the street, the mills of n'Andreu, d'en Tevet and d'en Rigo.

One of the most emblematic is the Molí d'en Ferrando, which is part of the modern public building of Es Molinar. There, a wide esplanade enables you to enjoy impressive views of the natural environment surrounding Montuïri before continuing the route.

The last mill of the day is the Can Ballester mill, also known as Can Comelles. Take the Camí Sud and after a kilometre's walk through the fertile crop fields of the region you will find this flour windmill, unique for its small size and restored in the year 2000. The visit to this peculiar mill is a perfect end to your first day exploring the windmills of Majorca.

Day 2: Windmills of Manacor and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar

The second day of your route through the windmills of Majorca takes you to explore the charms of Manacor and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, two towns that have preserved their rich agricultural tradition through their historic mills.

Begin the day in Manacor, at the Molí den Fraret, a flour mill that has been witness to local history since at least the 18th century. This mill already appeared in Jeroni de Berard's Plan iconographique in 1784 and continued to operate until 1937. The mill tower is one of the highest in Majorca, with its five levels and a height of approximately 15 metres.

Since 1969, the mill has belonged to Manacor Town Council and in 2006 the Council of Majorca restored its tower, reinstalling the spire and blades. It later refurbished the house and converted it into the headquarters of the ethnological section of the city's History Museum. This museum offers an interesting exhibition on the history of Manacor and its traditions.

This is the start of the route, but there is more. From Manacor, you will walk about 9 kilometres to Sant Llorenç des Cardassar along the Manacor - Artà Greenway. This old railway line used to connect the east of Majorca and today it is a perfect path to enjoy the Majorcan landscape. The route plunges into a landscape characteristic of the Majorcan countryside, with green or golden fields of cereal crops, carob trees, almond trees and orchards that show the agricultural richness of the region.

Halfway along the route, it is worth making a detour to visit the early Christian basilica of Peretó, the remains of which are very close to the MA-15 road. After crossing with caution, you can explore this fascinating archaeological site, a reminder of the early Christian presence on the island.

The Greenway finally takes you to Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, where you can discover a collection of old water and flour mills, such as the Molí d'en Ferrer, built in the 19th century. This mill is an example of the industrial architecture of the period. It has a rectangular ground plan divided into three parallel naves. Other must-see stops include the Molí d'en Bou, which for years housed a famous Michelin-starred restaurant, and the Molí d'en Gras, restored in 1991 to become an antique shop and cultural space.

The route culminates with a visit to the Molí d'en Ros, a mill that has its own place in Majorcan literature, mentioned in the novel "Flor de Card" by Salvador Galmés i Sanxo. 

Day 3: Mills of Son Servera

On the third day of the route through the windmills of Majorca, continue along the Manacor - Artà Greenway, which will take you from the fields of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar to the coastal town of Son Servera on a 12-kilometre route.

This route will take you through a landscape that changes from the greens and golds of the Majorcan countryside to the blues of the Mediterranean coast. As you advance towards Son Carrió, the terrain becomes more rugged, with small hills covered in Mediterranean forest. The path winds through mastic trees, wild olive trees, pines and holm oaks until it reaches the Ses Planes stream, where you cross a unique bridge with "balconies" that were once used to take refuge from the train.

You soon arrive at the San Miguel station in Son Carrió, a modest stop that now houses a tourist information point. From there, you can explore this charming village, known for its traditional bakeries where you can buy local delicacies such as panades and coques.

Once you leave Son Carrió behind, the Vía Verde will take you along a flat stretch close to the sea. Pass through the Sa Punta tunnel, escorted by rural farmhouses, and come out onto a new straight road that gives you your first broad view of the sea. There, you can see the beach of Sa Coma, Punta N'Amer and Cala Millor, with the possibility of watching the waves breaking against the cliffs on stormy days.

The next stretch takes you past Na Penyal, a mountain of historical interest, before reaching Son Servera. There, the old road joins a cycle lane that leads directly to the town or to the beach of Cala Millor. 

In Son Servera, a visit to the Molí de Sang, located in the old schools, is a must. The peculiarity of this mill is that it was not driven by the force of wind or water, but by the force of an animal. It is also unique in terms of what it used to grind: they used to grind local peppers of the tap de cortí variety, a typical local crop of great historical value. It is used to make the paprika used to season Majorca's traditional sobrassada.

Another outstanding mill is the Molí de Ca s'Hereu. It is a flour windmill next to the municipal football pitch and was restored in 2009 by the Consell de Majorca. It consists of a whole tower without a base with irregular stones. Although its exact date of construction is unknown, its height of 6.20 metres and its robust structure make it an impressive testimony to the agricultural history of the region.

Finally, we suggest you visit the Molí dels Germans, located in Calle Eucaliptus in the coastal residential estate of Cala Millor. This mill and the adjoining pond are vestiges of the agricultural history prior to the development of tourism in the area, today one of the most popular destinations in Majorca.

Day 4: Mills of Llinars

Today we propose a change of location to the Serra de Tramuntana, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011. Specifically, the town of Pollença. It is an area with a low density of windmills, unlike other municipalities in inland Majorca. However, there you will find examples of water mills from the Muslim period, while enjoying a simple, beautiful and family-friendly hiking route. 

The route starts at Camí Vell de Lluc. It starts from the refuge of the old slaughterhouse in Pollença and crosses the beautiful Vall d'en Marc, surrounded by the majestic mountain ranges of Puig Tomir and Puig Gros de Ternelles. Follow the course of the Sant Jordi and Son Marc torrents and you will reach kilometre 3.6 of the road from Pollença to Lluc, where you will find the access to Camí de Llinars.

This asphalt road leads you through spectacular scenery. To the north, there is a cliff of reddish rocks that, after heavy rains, becomes the impressive waterfall known as the Salt de Llinars. As you ascend, you will come across six old watermills. These mills used the water from the Llinars spring to grind wheat, taking advantage of the slope of the hillside to generate the necessary power.

The views from this path are magnificent, with panoramic perspective over the Vall den Marc, Puig de Maria, and the Coma and Fartàritx mountains. At the end of the route, the last two mills offer you the opportunity to explore more routes, such as Penyes Vermelles, Puig Gros de Ternelles, or Penya del Migdia, although these require experience and preparation due to their difficulty and scarce signposting.

We recommend you return along the same route to visit the Passadores de Can Serra, stones that enable you to cross the Son Marc torrent. There you can also enjoy the impressive entrance to the Can Serra possessió, flanked by large shady plane trees.

This day trip offers a unique combination of Majorca's historical and natural heritage, perfect for rounding off your 4-day hiking route to discover the island's rural paths and a representation of its windmills.