As we briefly mentioned on the previous page, the north east corner of Mallorca has very good sporting facilities, with more than 100 tennis courts and 4 championship standard golf courses at Canyamel, Capdepera, Pula-Golf and Son Servera.

An organisation based in Magaluf in the south of the island called "Mallorca Golf Connection", are the official TUI Thomson golf booking agency for Majorca. If approached they can organise on your behalf tee-off times, transport to and from the courses and discounted green fees. Contract details for more information is:
Mallorca Golf Connection
Avenida Solivera 5
Local 17
07182
Magaluf
Calvia
Mallorca
Telephone: +34 971 221 973
Fax: +34 971 221 974
Web site: www.mallorcagolfholidays.com

In Canyamel itself, the Torre de Canyamel is a superbly preserved medieval fortified tower, and is well worth a visit following its restoration and transformation during 2009 into a thriving artisan centre. Standing at an impressive 23 metres high, it was originally built as a refuge from pirate attacts for the inhabitants of the Valley of Canyamel. Its impressive Gothic architecture and distinctive characteristics, make the tower one of the finest buildings of its kind in Europe and the only one of its kind in Mallorca. Contact details for more information and opening hours are:
Torre de Canyamel
Carretera Artá-Canyamel, km. 5
Capdepera
Mallorca
Telephone: +34 971 841 134
Web site: www.torredecanyamel.com

The municipality also has two well preserved prehistoric Talayot sites, which date back over 3000 years. These ancient structures built by the first inhabitants of Mallorca, were excavated during the 1960's, following which some interesting discoveries were made about the navetas of Mallorca, which were mainly used for living in.

On the road from Canyamel towards the village of Arta, you cannot miss the imposing medieval castle at Capdepera. Originally built in the 13th Century on the site of the En Nunis watch tower, which formed part of a Muslim farmstead, it’s one of the largest castle on the island.

From the 13th to 18th Century, the castle protected the local community from invasion and frequent pirate attacks. From the 18th Century onwards the villagers began to slowly leave the safety of the city walls, and using the stones from their former houses, began to established the community that we see today.

After a further 200 years of neglect and decay the castle was finally placed in municipal hands in 1983, and restoration commenced. Today visitors are able to walk around the top of its well preserved battlements, and look around the Casa del Gobernador and Church of San Juan which are two of the few original buildings that are preserved inside the castle walls.

Inside the church there's is a carving of Christ dating from the 14th Century, along with a Gothic statue of the Verge de l'Esperança, the patron saint of Capdepera. The castle is open during the summer months from 10am to 1pm and again from 4pm to 7pm in the evening.

If you carry on past the castle at Capdepera you'll arrive at the quiet medieval town of Arta, where, at the top of the hill, you'll be able to see and visit the Sanctuary of Sant Salvador. The Sanctuary dates back to the 14th Century, and today is the home to an small effigy of the seated Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her lap, which is believed to be one of the oldest figures in Majorca that is still used for worship.

The walled grounds that surround the Sanctuary, were added during the 16th Century the defend against the frequent attacks from marauding pirates, although much of what you see today is the results of restoration works carried out in during the late 1960’s.

A trip to Sant Salvador is certainly not recommended for those with mobility problems, as there are 180 steps leading up to the Sanctuary which begin at the Parish Church of Transfiguració in Arta. The views from the top are well worth the climb and the Sanctuary is widely recognised as being one of the most impressive sights in Majorca.

The Regional Museum of Arta is also well worth a visit. It was founded in 1927 by a group of scholars from the town who were committed to the study of the cultural, historical and archaeological features of the region.

The museum is split into three distinct areas: an ethnological section which displays diverse objects such as Majorcan textiles, implements for spinning, and an extensive collection of articles made out of palm fibre; the natural history section, which has displays of birds, insects, and fossils etc, and the archaeological section - with displays of pottery, bronze, iron, and bone from different periods of Majorcan prehistory.

Many of the exhibits on show have either been donated from private collections, or were found during archaeological digs that the museum has carried out over the years. Contact details for more information are:
The Regional Museum of Arta Foundation
Calle de l'Estel 4
07570
Arta
Tel: +34 971 829 778
Email: museu@arta-web.com

A visit to the Cave of Arta is another must. The entrance to the cave is set into a cliff face and has spectacular views over the sea. Many famous people have visited in the past and left their signature in the guest book in the entrance - these include the writers Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas and the actress Sarah Bernhardt.

The most famous feature of the caves is the impressive 22m ‘Palm Trunk’ stalagmite - it was widely reported that in 1941 the British Museum was so impressed by the stalagmite that it tried to buy it for £25,000! The caves are open throughout the year from 10am each day, and a guided tour is available, with commentaries in Spanish, French, English and German, which normally last between 25 and 40 minutes. For more information and admission prices contact details for the caves are:
Cuevas de Arta
Carretera de las Cuevas
Capdepera
Tel: +34 971 841 293
Web site: www.cuevasdearta.com