Porto Colom is one of several places in the world claiming to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and is among one of the east-coast of Mallorca’s more charming resorts.

From the international airport at Palma it usually takes around 11/4 hours to make the 65km journey eastwards through the town of Felanitx and onto Porto Colom.

Located 20 kilometres south of Porto Cristo, the town grew up around an existing fishing village and is more atmospheric than some of the entirely manufactured developments up and down the coast.

Fishing boats still bob up and down in the harbour at Porto Colom and at the northern end of the quay the colourful fishermen’s cottages provide a charming view.

Beach

The main beach of Cala Marcal, is 500 metres from Porto Colom, backed by apartment blocks and hotels with the hills of the Serres de Llevant further behind in the distance. It is a blue flag-rated piece of sand, which gets cleaned every night and has a gently sloping entry to the water, making it popular with families. It’s worth buying a mask and snorkel to check out the fish.

Also worth a visit is the actual port which has a more genuinely Mallorcan feel. Locals wanting to sunbathe often prefer to use the less crowded pair of beaches in Porto Colom itself.

Climate

Mallorca enjoys a typical Mediterranean weather, with mild winters and hot summers. During the months of July and August, the weather is hot and beautifully sunny, boasting around 11 hours of sun daily.

During the winter, the weather can get chilly, but is generally you can enjoy fine, mild weather on most days.