Alcudia - Wandering Around
The Hotel Daina has a bontiful buffet breakfast. Eggs, bacon, many kinds of rolls, bread, toast, pastries, fresh and dried fruit, yoghurt, watermelon, ham, cheese, sausages, the English staple - baked beans - and, decent coffee. Today is sunny, and hot in Porto Pollensa.
one of the squares
We decided to take a public bus and visit Alcudia (1 Euro/person). The buses run every 15-30 minutes throughout the day, and they stop one block from our hotel.
Alcudia is a historic old city with Moorish-style medieval walls surrounding most of it. The walls were built during the 14th century for dual protection - to protect the townspeople, and as a stronghold against attacks from outsiders. There are still two gates remaining: one connected Alcudia to the royal road to Palma with a restored moat and two towers which have openings where stones and boiling water could be dropped on enemies; and the other, located on the opposite side of town has two towers joined by a gatehouse.
You can walk along the top of the walls around the City for wonderful viewes of Alcudia including old houses with gorgeous gardens.
There are several churches within the medieval walls View image, and an archaeological area where the Roman city of Pollentia was located around 70 BC. Some interesting sights were the Forum and Roman Theatre. The Theatre is unusual because it was dug out of rock unlike most other Roman Theatres. There isn't much left of it.
Roman Theatre
Alcudia is stunning....squares filled with outdoor restaurants and cafes, shops built inside old homes, historic houses....all against the backdrop of the Moorish Walls and Towers with the golden stone just glowing in the sun! Even Alcudia's Information Office is inside an old Church with more information than a person could possibly require - not only for Alcudia, but for all of Mallorca.
Information Office
Alcudia, and the other towns we visited, resemble perfect movie sets and are drop-dead gorgeous. I'm glad we came early in the morning to visit because bus loads of visitors keep on arriving. There is also a nature reserve for birders about another 15 minutes drive, or bus ride, from Alcudia.
Alcudia gate
Our trip is almost over....
