Portixol – village and urban at the same time

Portixol was once a fishing village, and now this district of Palma is a combination of traditional Majorcan and trendy. It is both village and urban at the same time. Where there were inconspicuous houses with crumbling plaster crouching behind the seafront just a few years ago, impressively renovated buildings with large glass fronts are now springing up. Since Portixol became a hip neighbourhood, the property prices have gone through the roof. It’s simply a really beautiful location!

This district of Majorca’s capital city is right on the water and only half an hour’s walk from the city centre. There are two harbours, if you count the small port in El Molinar. You also have motorway access and bus services that run like clockwork – in to Palma, for example.

Real Estate Mallorca – Portixol

Harbour bars, internet cafés

Architects, designers and well-heeled residents have settled in Portixol now. And there aren’t just residents here, living in minimalistic-looking houses on the seafront. There are also people who work here – perhaps in stylish lofts such as those located in a former pedal boat factory, for instance, with high ceilings, lots of exposed concrete and plenty of art on the walls. Alongside harbour bars, which serve a homemade Majorcan bread soup, there are hip cafés that offer sweet treats and organic food – as well as free Wi-Fi, so customers can casually surf the internet… while relaxing on the open-air terraces.

Mini beach by the promenade

There are opportunities aplenty in Portixol for going out and stopping off somewhere for a bit to eat. There is the Assaona Beach Club, for example, with its palms and loungers right on the beach. You can sip your drink with your feet in the sand and look at Palma – so near and yet so far. You can indulge in a seaside lunch at the other side of the harbour in the Hotel Portixol, which was once a hostel and was stylishly renovated by its Swedish owners. It was very forward-looking of them because that was back in 1999, when Portixol was not yet fashionable at all.
Of course, you can also bask on the mini beach around the corner, even though you’re never alone there. Running right alongside it eventually is Portixol’s seaside promenade, which seems to magically attract the city dwellers.

Jogging, cycling, skating, walking

It seems, anyway, that half of Palma heads out to Portixol after work and at weekends. People are out strolling, chatting and keeping fit. At breakneck speed, cyclists in skintight outfits go racing past. In-line skaters glide along gracefully. Walkers are out too, pointing their noses into the wind, taking a seat now and then on one of the many benches, letting their gazes wander over the fabulously blue sea towards the horizon…before carrying on, further and further, as long as they still have the time and inclination…perhaps even as far as Ciutat Jardí.

Those of a more leisurely disposition got the early seats

Only the sporty ones make it that far though. The connoisseurs are already ensconced in one of the bars or restaurants. Maybe they’re tucking into paella in Ola del Mar, or they’ve found a spot with no fuss at Es Vaixell or Yam – or perhaps they’re just along the street sipping a sparkling Prosecco in the bar of the same name. And so it goes on, bar after bar, restaurant after restaurant, in the trendy neighbourhood of Portixol.

Real Estate Mallorca – Portixol