Son Real Public Estate: family walks and seaside necropolis

The Son Real Public Estate is a family day out at any time of year. It lies in Santa Margalida, on the Bay of Alcúdia between Can Picafort and Artà. You can visit the estate buildings, follow a path to the coast, see the seaside necropolis or spend the night in the refuge.

What to see on the Son Real Public Estate

The Balearic Government bought the estate in 2002 to protect its natural, rural and archaeological heritage. Across nearly 400 hectares you’ll find a traditional Mallorcan country estate, or possessió, with native farm breeds and traditional crops, prehistoric burial sites, pinewoods, dunes and coastal junipers. There are also old sandstone quarries and coastal towers once used as navigation marks. Parking and the information point are by the buildings.

The Son Real estate buildings

The estate buildings have medieval origins and include manor houses, a courtyard, towers, a chapel and old storerooms. The interpretation centre opened in Ses Cases Noves in 2008 and shows what rural life was like on a Mallorcan estate. The Casa dels Senyors displays archaeological finds from Son Real. Look out for native breeds of sheep, hens and donkeys around the buildings.

The archaeology of Son Real

The earliest evidence of settlement dates back to around 1900 BC. The Punta des Fenicis necropolis, right by the sea, preserves Iron Age tombs. The estate also has a dolmen, man-made burial caves and Es Figueral, which the Balearic Government dates to the Proto-Talayotic period, around 1100 to 900 BC. Further burials have been found on the offshore islet of Illot des Porros.

Family walks on the Son Real Public Estate

The Balearic Government lists four easy self-guided walks. The distances below are those given in its route guides. If you’re cycling, follow the signs showing where bikes are allowed.

1. Es Figueral

600 m. The shortest walk starts beside the interpretation centre and crosses farmland to the Es Figueral archaeological site.

2. Camí de l’Illa des Porros and Cas Garriguer refuge

2 km · 35 min. Start to the left of the estate buildings and head towards the beach through pines and wild olives. The path passes near the refuge, and you can see Illot des Porros from the shore.

3. Punta des Fenicis necropolis

2.6 km · 40 min. This walk starts in the same place as the Camí de l’Illa des Porros. The path is fairly flat and forks near the coast, with one branch going to the necropolis and the other to the dolmen. You can combine this with the refuge walk for a loop along the coast. You can also reach the necropolis on foot from Son Bauló beach.

4. Son Bauló walk

5 km · 60 min, according to the government route guide. This route links the estate buildings with Son Bauló beach in Can Picafort. It passes through pinewoods and farmland, reaches Punta des Fenicis, then follows the coast and dunes. There are two viewpoints along the way. From Son Bauló you can continue along the promenade in Can Picafort, where there are shops and restaurants.

Cas Garriguer refuge

The Son Real refuge occupies the estate’s former bathing house near the beach. IBANAT gives a walking distance of about 1.8 km along the dirt track from the cistern by the estate buildings. It sleeps eight in four bunk beds and has a kitchen, a living room with a wood-burning stove and an accessible bathroom. It has solar power and running water that is not safe to drink. There’s a shower and a stone bench outside. Visitors with reduced mobility can ask about permission to drive to the refuge.

See the IBANAT refuge listing for bookings and access conditions.

Son Real walk details

For maps, see the Balearic Government’s Son Real guide. To plan a visit to the estate buildings, see the Can Picafort visitor information.