Alcudia Beaches Guide: Which Alcúdia Beach to Choose

Platja d'Alcúdia: the three-kilometre bay

Officially Platja d'Alcúdia, the beach runs more than three kilometres from the marina at Port d'Alcúdia south-east, eventually becoming Playa de Muro before continuing towards Ca'n Picafort. That length matters when you plan a day: the northern section by the harbour is the widest and liveliest, with the promenade of restaurants, cafés, shops and hotels right behind the sand.

The resort centre is a short walk from the beach, and the surroundings thin out as you head south, so the same bay gives you a busy family morning near the marina and a quieter towel-and-book afternoon further along. Port d'Alcúdia is the coastal resort, not the historic town of Alcúdia, which sits around two kilometres inland behind its medieval walls.

Choose the harbour end for a first visit with children and the southern stretches when the main section fills in August; the trade-off is fewer cafés and a longer walk back to the promenade.

The sand and the water

The sand is pale and fine along the whole bay and pleasant underfoot. The water deepens only gradually and is particularly shallow near the harbour, which is why the northern end is the obvious pick for first swims and sandcastle days.

It is often calm, but strong winds can build waves, especially on the more exposed stretches farther south, so check the flags on the day and treat the southern end as the breezier option. The stretch near the harbour is also where you will find a playground on the sand, which keeps younger children occupied between swims.

Getting to Port d'Alcúdia

Port d'Alcúdia lies on the north coast around 60 kilometres from Palma de Mallorca Airport, a straightforward transfer by road. Within the resort, everything is on foot: the beach, the marina, the promenade restaurants and the shops sit within a short walk of the centre.

If you are combining the beach with the old town, allow for the two kilometres inland between them and plan the old-town visit for the cooler end of the day rather than the middle. Hidropark Alcudia, northern Mallorca's water park, sits on the edge of the resort for a change of scene on a windy day.

Facilities on the main beach

Sun loungers and parasols can be hired on several sections of Platja d'Alcúdia, and there are toilets and showers, with lifeguards on duty during the bathing season. Beach cafés are dotted along the sand, with a fuller choice of pizza, pasta, tapas, fish and Mallorcan dishes on the promenade immediately behind.

Several access points have boardwalks that make it easier to reach the sand with a pushchair or wheelchair, and the beach is certified for universal accessibility. Look for those boardwalk entries if you are carrying kit or pushing a buggy, rather than taking the nearest steps down from the promenade.

Water sports and boat trips from the harbour

Water sports are grouped in specific areas along the beach, leaving plenty of room for swimming. Depending on season and weather, you can find pedal boats, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, banana boat rides and parasailing.

Boat trips leave from the harbour in Port d'Alcúdia, some heading for Cala Formentor and the Formentor peninsula, others to smaller coves and caves that are hard to reach from land. Booking through the ticket offices and boat companies at the marina lets you match a trip to the forecast rather than committing days ahead; check current departure times and prices at the harbour before you go.

The quieter end towards Playa de Muro

When the harbour section fills up, walk south: the beach continues for several kilometres and steadily becomes quieter as you move away from the resort centre. The sand and the gradual entry stay much the same, so you trade a shorter walk to the cafés for more space on the sand.

Further south-east the strand becomes Playa de Muro and runs on towards Can Picafort, which makes a natural second base or a longer beach day if you want to see how the bay changes along its length.

The Pine Walk and the coves towards Puerto Pollensa

Heading towards Puerto Pollensa, the Pine Walk is a shaded promenade edged with calm coves and small beaches tucked between rocks. It is the place to go when you want a quiet swim rather than a full beach day, with a towel and a book rather than loungers and water sports. These are among the most sheltered spots on this stretch for a late-afternoon dip.

Farther round the coast, Formentor beach sits on its own peninsula, and access by car is restricted from 1 June to 30 September once the beach car parks are full. A TIB bus runs from Alcudia and Puerto Pollensa, with departures about every 30 minutes in the busy season and extra services when needed, which removes the parking question entirely.

Cala Sant Vicenç: three coves, three characters

Cala Molins is the most popular of the three Cala Sant Vicenç beaches, with easy access, cafés nearby and a small beach bar, and clear water that local dive schools use for beginner lessons. It gets busy in summer, so arrive in the morning if you want space near the water.

Cala Barques is the largest of the trio, with shallow water that suits swimmers of all levels, rocks near the edges that reward snorkelling, and beachfront restaurants for a long lunch. Cala Clara is the smallest and quietest, a rocky shoreline with clear water and no restaurants or beach bars, so bring what you need.

All three face north, which means the sun dips earlier in the afternoon and the cliffs throw shade sooner than on the Alcúdia bay. That makes the Cala Sant Vicenç coves a good choice for a morning swim and a late lunch rather than a full sunbathing day.

Mal Pas and the Sant Joan and Sant Pere beaches

The twin beaches of Sant Joan and Sant Pere at Es Mal Pas, a short drive from Alcudia, are smaller than the main bay and noticeably more laid-back. Sunbeds can be hired for the day and a nearby beach bar serves cold drinks, with views across the water to the cliffs of Cap de Formentor.

Treat these as the quiet option when the resort beach is at its busiest: less space overall, but fewer people competing for it and a more local feel. They suit couples and quiet-seekers more than families who need a full day of facilities.

Coll Baix: the remote bay on foot

Platja des Coll Baix sits on the Formentor peninsula side of the bay and is reached on foot rather than by car, which keeps it free of the crowds that gather on the resort beach. It appears among the Alcudia area's beaches alongside the main Platja d'Alcúdia, Sant Joan and Aucanada.

Because the walk in sets the terms of the day, carry water, wear proper shoes and keep the load light, and skip it with very young children or anyone unsteady on rough ground. Go early, swim, and walk out before the afternoon heat.

Best time to go

The sea is at its warmest and the beach at its busiest in July and August, when the harbour end of Platja d'Alcúdia fills early and the promenade restaurants get booked up. June and September give you warm water with more room on the sand, and the northern coves at Cala Sant Vicenç are at their best in the morning whatever the month.

On the Formentor run, remember the summer restriction on car access between 1 June and 30 September once the car parks are full, and take the bus instead if you are heading out for the day.

Nearby beaches to combine

Playa de Muro continues the same bay south-east of Port d'Alcúdia, with the same pale sand and gradual entry, and Es Comú lies within reach for a day that mixes the resort beach with a more natural shoreline. Son Bauló, near Ca'n Picafort, gives you another option at the bay's southern end.

For a contrasting day, take the bus to Formentor beach for the cliffs and the sheltered bay, or drive to Puerto Pollensa and walk the Pine Walk for small coves instead of a long strand. A wider look at Mallorca beaches helps you decide how far to range from your base.

Practicalities: what to bring and where to base yourself

Base yourself in Port d'Alcúdia if you want the beach, marina, restaurants and shops within walking distance, and choose the harbour end for shallow water and the playground. Bring shade if you plan to sit away from the hire sections, and pack reef-safe sunscreen and water for the walk-in bays.

For a quieter stay, the Cala Sant Vicenç coves and Mal Pas put you closer to small beaches and rocky shorelines, at the cost of a longer trip to the resort's facilities. Either way, a car or the local bus network makes the combination days to Formentor and Puerto Pollensa straightforward. If you are weighing this kind of split between a long resort strand and smaller coves, the Almeria beaches guide covers the same choice on the Spanish mainland.

Plan Your Alcudia Beach Day

For most visitors the plan is simple: Platja d'Alcúdia near the harbour for a family day with shallow water and full facilities, Cala Sant Vicenç for a morning of snorkelling and a long lunch, and Mal Pas for a quiet afternoon when the main bay is heaving.

Add one combination day, either the bus to Formentor beach or the Pine Walk at Puerto Pollensa, and you have the north coast's beaches covered without repeating the same day twice.