FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

The Son Real estate is a “possessió” (old manor house and estate) located in the municipality of Santa Margalida, on the northeast coast of Mallorca, the estate boasts 395 hectares and was purchased by the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands back in 2014.
Son Real sits almost in the middle of the bay of Alcúdia and is an estate that has been continually inhabited right from the most remote prehistoric times until our days. Remains of human presence, dating back 4,500 years can be found here, on top of these we find remains from the pre-talayotic era (4,000 years old) then the talayotic era (some 3,000 years), then Roman (a little over 2,000 years) Islamic, medieval eras and down to our day.

When talking about Son Real, we are talking about one of the most important reference points when it comes to archaeological heritage in the Balearic Islands, proof of this are the well-known prehistoric cemeteries or necropolis located at S’Illot des Porros and the Punta des Fenicis.

Apart from the archaeological wealth, Son Real is closely linked to rural Majorca, and therefore we find a “possessió” made up of different buildings from different eras that are witness to a not so distant past where the economy revolved around agriculture and livestock.

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

Son Real Information Center: Open every day of the week from 9 am to 4 pm, except December 24, 25 and 31, January 1 and 6.
The interpretation center and the archaeological museum are open from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. except December 24, 25 and 31, January 1 and 6.

Contact phones: 686 977 101/971 18 53 63

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

GENERAL RULES
• Private motor vehicles are not allowed in the estate.
• Respect the natural environment of any of the ecosystems that make up the Son Real estate, collection or extraction of any type of animal or plant is forbidden.
• Extraction of any archaeological, anthropological or paleontological material found at the estate is forbidden.
• Always use the designated paths (itineraries are signposted), at a low speed if on bike, and respecting the road signs. It is advisable before starting any of the routes to check the present state of these at the information centre.
• Under no circumstances is fire to be made anywhere on the estate to avoid the risk of forest fires.
• Avoid making any loud noises that could alter the normal behaviour of the fauna living on the estate or bother any other visitors.
• Eating within the buildings that make up the Son Real estate is forbidden.
• Keeping the surrounding areas clean lowers the risk of forest fire.
• Authorization is needed to carry out any sporting activities in the estate.
• Hunting and similar activities are not allowed within the estate, apart from the “filats” method where nets are used when hunting, even then only with the necessary authorization. You can find out at reception how to request the proper permit.
• The estate has areas set aside for agriculture and farming, these are closed off by gates and fences that must always be respected, please do not cross them or feed any of the animals, hence avoiding any possible incidents.
• Dogs or other pets must be tied as they can interfere with the estate’s flora and fauna.

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

The entrance to the estate is at KM 17.7 of the Artà – Port D’Alcúdia road.

You can park your vehicle in the car park next to the estate’s entrance.

MAPA

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

Son Real is an agricultural – livestock estate located in the municipality of Santa Margalida, half way between Can Picafort and Son Serra de Marina, between the sea and the Artà to Can Picafort road.

The agricultural estate boasts buildings with great heritage value, as well as an extensive agricultural area, low hills with aleppo pines, natural beaches as well as a section of coastal dunes.

The beaches, dunes, torrents and vegetation make up a natural setting that is as diverse as it is important. But it also contains monuments and archaeological remains of immeasurable value such as: remains of a pre-talayotic town, caves used as burial plots, megalithic sepulchres, a talayotic necropolis, etc.

The houses that are on the estate were built during the middle ages, making up a traditional group of buildings (Can Morell, Ca n'Apol·lònia and Ca s'Amitger, sa Casa Nova). This architectonic group includes the manor houses, as well as workers cottages, a courtyard, a defence tower, a chapel, storehouses, stables, pigsties, etc.

In the Cases Noves (new houses), that were built during the 20th century, some of the old sheds have been converted into the Son Real information centre, which was inaugurated in 2008, with an ethnological theme, while the Casa dels Senyors (manor house) is home to the archaeological museum, that has information and archaeological remains discovered in the estate’s different settlements.

Native breeds of animals live on the farm (sheep, black pigs, chickens, turkeys, donkeys, etc.) these are raised here and are well looked after. The agriculture on the estate is totally ecological, the crops of almonds, carob and figs being the most important.

The wealth and variety of scenery is amazing (pine tree groves, holm oaks, sand dunes, vegetation on the sides of the torrents, cultivated lands and low hills) as well as the diverse flora and fauna, from which a population of Mediterranean turtles stand out. In the reserved hunting areas only the traditional “filats” or hunting with nets placed in a narrow passage between trees is allowed.

On the other hand, Son Real still preserves some elements of human intervention on the landscape (sandstone and sand quarries, old paths, a bunker, and the towers built along the bay of Alcúdia for submarine exercises during the post war period, to help find the position lines).

Access to the beach is beautiful, a great variety of vegetation and biological elements can be found here.

Son Real is a great rural estate that since ancient times has worked as an agricultural and livestock production unit, that is locally known as a “possessió”; with numerous historic, landscape, cultural, social, environmental and patrimonial assets.

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

The reception is open to the public from Monday to Sunday and on bank holidays (except Christmas day and New Year’s Day) from 9 am until 4 pm. Phone number: 971 18 53 63.

Information Centre and Archaeological Museum
Two of the houses that make up the architectonic group at Son Real, “Es Sestadors” (sheds) and “La Casa dels Senyors” (Manor House), have been renovated and converted into an information centre and museum.

Prestigious, award winning (national design 2001) architect, Dani Freixes, was behind the design of the information centre. Throughout the centre there are various audio visual elements that give visitors a general vision of the estate, explaining its history, and archaeological, ethnological and ecological values.

The tour allows visitors to see how life at Son Real was, a lifestyle based on the knowledge of nature and harmony between the seasons, a lifestyle that revolved around the land, the sea, the woods and the hands of the people that made it their means of living and survival.

The entrance to the centre and the museum is free.

Itineraries
The estate has 4 sign-posted itineraries that allow visitors to see all the different natural and agricultural areas in Son Real, as well as leading to the main points of interest on the estate: talaiot des Figueral, Punta des Fenicis necropolis, the dolmen, the refuge, the beach…
They are:
1. Es Figueral Itinerary
2. Camí de l’Illa des Porros
3. Punta des Fenicis necropolis itinerary
4. Son Bauló itinerary: This route links the Son Bauló housing estate with the Son Real houses, part of it is along the GR 222 road (Artà –Lluch route).

All the routes can be done on foot and on bike.
In the information centre you will find a bike rental service.

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

Located close to the beach this building has been renovated and transformed into a refuge that is part of the refuge network of the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands, managed by IBANAT.

The Son Real refuge is what used to be the old bath house. To reach it one has to walk 1.8 km along a dirt track that starts by the water cistern.

The Son Real refuge is all on one floor, there is a bathroom, living room with a wood fire, and a common room. It is 48 m2 and sleeps 8 people.

Inside the refuge there is a table, a bench, four bunk beds, and a bathroom with access for disabled people, a fireplace, a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. The refuge has solar powered electricity and running (non-drinkable) water. Outside there is a shower and a stone bench. The refuge also has firewood and a recycling area.

For information about the shelter, please visit the following link to IBANAT (catalan version): www.caib.es and if you prefer Spanish language at the following link: www.caib.es

To reserve a shelter: Reservations are made online or throught the web page of IBANAT, in catalan and spanisch at the following link: www.caib.es

For questions you can call 971177652 (Monday to Friday from 10am to 14 pm)

FINCA PÚBLICA DE SON REAL

People who are unable to access the area due to any physical or mental difficulties, can request to do the routes in a Jöelette chair. For more information see leaflet www.caib.es

To choose between the itineraries on offer, you can contact the Estate Information Point, they will suggest various options. (Contact phone number for the park: 971 18 10 22)

To set a date for a visit, please contact the Red Cross volunteers, at least three weeks beforehand. (Red Cross helpline telephone number 971295000, 24hrs).

The visit can be set as long as there are volunteers available.

The loan of the chair is totally free.

The Project is fully financed by “La Obra Social de La Caixa”.

What are Jöelette chairs?
They are a kind of all-terrain chair with just one wheel that allow people with reduced mobility to take part in excursions over rough terrain with the help of three or more people to lead the chair.

Protected natural areas made more accessible
The protected natural areas in the Balearic Islands offer many opportunities for us to enjoy nature, but access to them is impossible, in many cases, for people with reduced mobility.
Now, the Jöelette chairs will allow people with reduced mobility to have first-hand contact with nature.

An offer of 12 chairs.
We have 12 Jöelette chairs that can be used in the protected natural areas of the Balearic Islands: eight chairs in Majorca, two in Minorca, and one in Ibiza and another in Formentera.
And a group of volunteers has been formed to lead the chairs.
Who can go on an excursion in a Joëlette chair?
Any person, whether resident of the Islands or not, who cannot access the natural areas due to physical or mental difficulties can request an excursion in a Joëlette chair in the protected natural spaces of the Balearic Islands.
The use of the Joëlette chairs is limited to people who weigh under 120kg.

What itineraries can be done?
The protected natural spaces of the Balearic Islands offer a wide selection of routes. Check which one is best both for its features and difficulty level as well as for the time of year. The staff of the protected natural spaces can give you extensive information in this regards.

Requests
In Majorca: Tel. 971 29 50 00 (24h), Red Cross in the Balearic Islands.
In Minorca: Tel. 971 17 77 05 from 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday.
In Ibiza and Formentera: tel. 971 30 14 60 from 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday.
The request must be made at least three weeks before.
Depending on the availability of the volunteers a date will be set for the excursion.
If you have a team of people trained in driving Joëlette chairs, the availability of the chair/s will be confirmed when you put in the request.
Education centres that book activities from those offered as educational resources by the natural protected areas can request the chairs, making a note in the inscription form of how many they will need.
The use of the Joëlette chair is subject to availability of the drivers.
The loan of the chair is totally free.