Eastern pastures – Sant Llorenç des Cardassar
The east is calling… in particular, Sant Llorenç des Cardassar – or in Spanish, San Lorenzo de Cardessar. This is the name of both the village and the municipality. The cosy village is about 55 kilometres east of the Majorcan capital. From Palma, it’s straight along the Ma-15 motorway in the direction of Artà. The motorway runs in an arc around the village – which is ideal. Because on the one hand, the place has excellent transport links, while on the other, there’s no motorway noise disturbing this rural idyll. The village once had a railway line connecting it with Manacor and Artà. That was up until the 1970s, when the last train rattled along these tracks, and then this stretch was closed down. At least the old railway station from 1921 has survived through the years and is now operating as a café-restaurant – with a fitting name of course: s’Estació.
Real Estate Mallorca – Sant Llorenç des Cardassar
Along the Vía Verde route
Today, the Vía Verde, or The Green Way, follows the one-time railway line. This Vía Verde connects Manacor, Sant Llorenç, Son Carrió, Son Servera and Artà. 29 kilometres long, it is an invitation to all walkers, hikers and cyclists to discover the east of Majorca following this old train line. So why not sally forth on foot or on a pushbike…take a little trip to Manacor (9 kilometres) or Artà (about 12 kilometres)? Or to the Sa Punta de n’Amer peninsula (12 kilometres) between Cala Millor and Sa Coma, which is a designated conservation area? Here, you can visit a defensive watchtower right by the sea and it even has its own small museum.
From baroque to modern-day
You will find animated village life in Sant Llorenç des Cardassar itself and you have everything you need for everyday living here. Espai36 near the town hall is the place to be for cultural and informational events. It has a varied programme with concerts, theatre, cinema, contemporary exhibitions and educational courses. If you like baroque church architecture, it’s worth having a look at and inside the Sant Llorenç parish church, which was built in the 17th century and modified time and again over the centuries. The church stands proudly in the heart of the village, worthy of its status on the church square. Here on the Plaça de l’Esglèsia, traders also offer their goods for sale at a weekly market on Thursday mornings.
Dining with an element of indulgence
You can of course also eat very well in Sant Llorenç. Felix Trappe cooks for his guests in Es Patí, for example – a cute village house complete with cosy patio – with a five-course menu that changes daily at a surprisingly good price. The German, who trained under British Michelin-starred chef Marc Fosh in Palma de Mallorca, serves dishes such as crispy gamba with beetroot pomegranate salad and cardamom, followed by veal spare ribs with oriental mango couscous and sprouts… And Felix always keeps something tasty in readiness for kids.
Beaches and village festivals
In Sant Llorenç des Cardassar, you can have the perfect combination of rural and beach life… because you have the fine-sand playas on the east coast, such as Cala Bona, Cala Millor and S’Illot at hand to offer you unforgettable Mediterranean moments. This combination is one of the things that endears the municipality of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar to so many, including international residents – plenty of whom own their own property here. Foreigners make up around one quarter of the population in the municipality. Do you fancy being among them? There is a selection of apartments, little village houses, villas and fincas to choose from!
And this wouldn’t be a Majorcan village without a festival. You can join in the celebrations in August, when the locals honour the Mother of God with floral tributes and other activities during the Festes de la Mare de Déu. Likewise, you can enjoy concerts, dancing and children’s events at the festival paying homage to the village’s patron saint. Who would that be? None other than Sant Llorenç – Saint Lawrence.