Puig de Sant Nofre walk from Sant Joan

Puig de Sant Nofre is a small hill in the Pla de Mallorca, close to the village of Sant Joan, where this walk starts. The route is about 8 km there and back and takes around two hours. At the top are views across central Mallorca and the ruins of Sant Nofre hermitage.

The hill rises to 254 metres and lies in an Area of Special Natural Interest (ANEI).

From Sant Joan to Puig de Sant Nofre

This walk follows the signposted route from Sant Joan and returns the same way. The municipal paths catalogue lists the Camí del puig de Sant Nofre. Follow the signs and respect any closures along the way.

Start on Carrer del Mestre Mas in Sant Joan, on the street where you’ll find Can Tronca restaurant. Look for parking past the restaurant.

At the end of the street, turn left at the pink sign for Puig de Sant Nofre. The first part follows a quiet minor road. The final climb is on a hillside path, which makes the full walk unsuitable for pushchairs.

Continue past the houses, some with farm animals. After several minutes, take the next signposted turn to the left.

A little further on, the road forks. There was no sign here when we walked it. Take the road on the right, following the direction of the road you’ve been on. The photo shows the junction.

Follow the road downhill to a fig orchard, where the hill comes into view in the distance on the right. You’re already almost halfway there.

Keep going downhill to the entrance to Sa Bastida. Carry straight on past the entrance and follow the road as it bends right. At the end, a sign on the stone wall directs you right again, with the hill straight ahead.

The path runs along the foot of the hill, with views across the Pla de Mallorca to the left. In spring the fields are green and full of flowers.

At the signposted start of the climb, turn right. Almost immediately you’ll see a small information hut with a map. From here, allow around 15 minutes to the summit.

The path climbs steadily and the loose stones can be slippery in places. At the top, the white pillar on the left is the triangulation point marking the summit.

From the pillar you can see Sineu and, on a clear day, much of the Serra de Tramuntana behind it. Continue to the broad clearing, go through the small opening and you’ll reach the hermitage ruins. There was a wooden table to the left when we visited.

Sant Nofre hermitage and Sa Bastida

Little more than the façade of the rectangular oratory survives. A hermit is recorded here in the early 15th century. Beside the ruins, a rectangular cistern partly hidden by plants once supplied water to the people who lived here.

You can see Sa Bastida from the summit and get a clearer view on the way up or down. The estate buildings date to the first half of the 14th century. From above, you can pick out the manor house, wine cellar, cloister, chapel and former livestock buildings. It now operates as a rural guesthouse.

Returning to Sant Joan

Return the same way, allowing a similar time for the walk back.

Shorter option. On our visit there was a widened area on the left near the information hut, from which you could do just the final climb. Check with Sant Joan Town Council whether driving and parking there are currently permitted.

Walk details

Area	Sant Joan, Pla de Mallorca.
Start	Carrer del Mestre Mas, Sant Joan.
Suggested age	From around 4 years old, for children used to walking.
Difficulty	Easy, with loose stones on the final climb.
Route type	Out and back along the same route.
Distance	Around 8 km in total.
Walking time	Around 2 hours, plus stops.
Parking	On the streets of Sant Joan, subject to availability.
Facilities	In the village. No facilities along the route.
Pushchair or baby carrier	Unsuitable for pushchairs. Take care on the final stretch if using a baby carrier.