S'illot Holidays

S’illot rocked up a little late to the tourist party. Originally a quiet fishing hub, this picture-postcard village is now a bit of an up-and-comer on Majorca’s east coast. What that means is that you won’t have to fight for towel space on its sweeping sandy beach. And if you’re wondering whether to pack your dancing shoes, S’illot’s noisier neighbour, Sa Coma, comes up with the goods. It’s got a beehive-buzzy nightclub scene, plus it’s just a 10-minute skip down the road.

When you’re not sunbathing in S’illot, you’ll probably be diving into the local cuisine. A palm-edged promenade walks its way along the front, where you’ll find a bushel of restaurants and cafés. Hungry tummies are easily pleased with local Majorcan dishes, like sobrassada – a spreadable cured sausage, with bread – or a dish of tumbret, which is a bit like ratatouille. If you’re only peckish enough for a snack, nab yourself an ensaimada. This sweet pastry oozes with cream or sweetened pumpkin.

S’illot’s perfectly placed for daytrips. An hour’s drive west lands you in Majorca’s capital of Palma, where a Gothic cathedral joins forces with stylish shops and a pile of churches and palaces. Or, plump for a drive north to Alcudia. There’s the main town, packed to the rafters with Roman and Medieval throwbacks, plus two banana-shaped beaches where feather-soft sand snuggles up to gin-clear water.