A laid-back lifestyle in sunny Alcúdia

The surrounding area has some of the best cycling and hiking routes on the island. These begin right at your front door at the Natural Park S’Albufera where you’ll find the Balearic’s biggest expanse of marshland, with varied flora, lagoons and wild streams. There are signposted cycle and hiking paths, which residents and tourists alike frequent, particularly in the cooler months.

In Alcúdia, it’s almost as if someone sat down and created the ideal location for family life. The area is safe, friendly and offers the chance to make the most of the great outdoors. This is the kind of place where people feel secure enough to leave their front doors open while the children play freely.

It’s also where you can enjoy stunning countryside and beaches. Head further into the La Victoria peninsular and you’ll face some of the island’s most challenging cycling rides. There is also the nearby Cala San Vicente, where you’ll find three small hidden bays – the perfect place to go snorkeling and canoeing with friends.

For those who enjoy a jog at the start of the day, you will have struck gold by moving to Alcúdia. Take in the fresh air and the mountain views with a run along the coastal paths that skirt the Bays of Pollensa and Alcúdia. Coffee is usually followed late morning but forget about taking it away. Sit down in a café like Fonda LLabres in the main square and relax as your commute to work is likely to take minutes. Most people who move to Alcúdia will either work from home, or work in the tourism sector. Therefore, commuting the 45-minute car journey to Palma is not usual for a resident in Alcúdia, but also not out of the question.

Having the sea nearby means that you’re likely to go swimming in the evening. Particularly in the heat of the summer, you’ll find that residents will head to the beach late afternoon for a refreshing dip. Most of all, for those who have spent the day behind a computer screen, the sea provides the perfect detox.

If you’re nearing the weekend, you might head to the bar 5 Oceanos for a cool cocktail early evening. Or for somewhere with for a DJ, then a lounge at Ponderosa Beach will do nicely.

Alcúdia and its suburbs have a wide range of properties for sale. In the old town, you’ll find plenty of townhouses with original features, high ceilings and traditional green shutters. For something more modern, then Port d’Alcúdia is home to plenty of luxury penthouses with sea views. The beachfront that stretches down to Playa de Muro also has beautiful apartments with direct access straight onto the white sands – not common in Mallorca, where normally the beach is divided by a road.

There are furniture stores in Alcúdia, but choice is limited and prices can be high. You’ll find some boutique stores in the old town, stocking one-off pieces which will suit anyone looking for something quirky in their home. However, for a lot more variety then head to Poligono Ca na Lloreta on the outskirts of Alcúdia, where you’ll find Duran. Here, you’ll find everything you need from ceramics to plumbing and furniture. Duran is a good one-stop shop for everything you need to decorate or renovate a home.

Of course, for the largest variety of furniture stores on Mallorca, then Palma or Son Bugadelles on the outskirts of Santa Ponsa are well-worth making the trip for.

There are no international schools in Alcúdia, although the Mallorca International School, MySchool, is just over a ten-minute drive away towards Palma. This is a relatively new school that opened in 2016 and follows the British Curriculum. It has a school for early years, as well a primary and secondary school, catering for children from 3 to 8 years old. Home-made lunches are made in the school, often using ingredients made from the organic vegetables grown by the students in the school’s garden.

In Alcúdia old town there is a public primary school for children aged 3-12 years, CEIP Porta des Mol. Classes here follow the Spanish curriculum and are taught in Catalan. From here students then go to secondary school at IES Alcúdia where they can complete their studies until they are ready to go to university.

Tourism is the economic bedrock in Alcúdia, but is not only limited to restaurants, hotels and bars. Over the years, other businesses have cropped up, particularly in outdoor activities like kite-surging and sailing. The wind that regularly sweeps Alcúdia bay has made it a hot-spot for people looking to rent out surfboards and yachts. Therefore, businesses in watersports have firmly found their market in Alcúdia, which is especially busy in the summer months.

Alongside, watersports it is no surprise that bike rental and other cycling related businesses have also secured their place in the market too. The world-famous Ironman and Mallorca 312 have put Alcúdia on the map for fitness, attracting thousands of runners, cyclists and swimmers every year. Therefore, if you’re thinking of a setting up a business in fitness on Mallorca, you’d do well to research the market in Alcúdia.

Make sure to always do your market research in both the summer and winter months, as like most places in Mallorca, Alcúdia is not a year-round destination. While the weather is mild, and most sports enthusiasts will train even in the winter months, there is an economic dip around December and January. Businesses reliant on tourism should expect this quieter time.

Living in Alcúdia and loving it for its true sense of character means getting to know its local businesses. Through visiting a few of these lovely enterprises below, you’ll start to build a bigger picture of what it’s like living in the village and get a sense of what the local community offers.

Alcúdia and its suburbs have stunning beaches, majestic mountain views and wonderful countryside right on their doorstep. The old town and Port d’Alcúdia each offer a slower pace of life but with plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance. The area is safe, and is home to a friendly community that welcomes expats. It’s a great location to bring up children and provide them with an active lifestyle. Life in Alcúdia embraces the great outdoors and is the place to settle for a life near the sea and mountains. Now you just need to find your dream home in Alcúdia!