DESTINATIONS BALEARIC ISLANDS | SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL 3


OF THE BEST


SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS FOR 2021


Ibiza: A Unesco-listed Phoenician settlement is due to be updated with a new visitor centre explaining the area’s history.


Balearics: A new app is set to help holidaymakers learn about and protect the area’s marine ecosystem.


ABOVE: Pep Toni, leader of a project to convert Majorca’s Ses Porqueres de Galatzó building into a refuge for hikers OPPOSITE: Alcudia’s town wall; writer David Golledge; irrigation channel at Ses Porqueres de Galatzó PICTURES: David Golledge


The first step involved shoring up the crumbling dry-stone walls, followed by restoring water channels that feed a reservoir. Specialist skills are needed, and the project has created jobs by training locals in traditional techniques. At the foot of the terrace, a kaki (persimmon) tree offers a glimpse of what is to come, producing succulent fruit that tastes like a sweet kiwi. Back on the better-known


tourist track, Alcudia’s old town is a maze of sleepy streets encircled by 14th-century walls, sections of which had fallen into disrepair. Some parts had collapsed completely, while those that remained standing were overtaken with plants or graffiti. Following funding to the tune of €442,000, the medieval magnificence of the walls has been restored, with modern bridges linking previously inaccessible parts. Visitors can now stroll safely along while peering between the rooftops and looking out to Pollenca harbour.


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33Paving a 2m-wide cobbled path in traditional Roman style costs around €250 a metre


MENORCA


Arriving in neighbouring Menorca, I’m immediately struck by the relaxed pace of life: the capital, Mahon, has a small-town feel in stark contrast to the bustling Majorcan metropolis of Palma. The comparative lack of development stems from the two islands supporting different sides during the country’s civil war in the 1930s. After his victory, nationalist dictator Franco sought to punish republican supporters by withholding public funds, so while Majorca went through a high-rise development boom during the 1960s, Menorca remained relatively untouched.


It may have been a blessing in disguise. My guide Laura explains that Menorcans are happy with the island’s quaint and rustic way of life, summed up by the phrase ‘poc a poc’, or ‘little by little’. Little by little is indeed how the


restoration of the Camí de Cavalls path has been progressing since the project began in 2016. The 115-mile bridle path encircles the island’s rocky perimeter and was originally constructed during the 13th-century French occupation. It now attracts walkers with


dramatic coastal views set against a backdrop of forested hills en route to secluded beaches. If tackling the full distance sounds a little too ambitious, the path is broken down into a chain of 20 shorter walks, offering plenty of enticing options for an enjoyable day. Paving a two-metre-wide cobbled path in traditional Roman style costs around €250 a metre, with some areas so remote that materials have to be flown in by


Menorca: The restoration of San Diego Convent will provide a base for a new gastronomy centre showcasing Menorca’s culinary traditions.


helicopter. Besides the logistical challenge, another has been getting workers up to speed on traditional methods. Just off the Camí de Cavalls, and


north of Mahon, the sustainable tourism tax is also funding the restoration of the Torre de Rambla defence tower, which looms on a rocky outcrop overlooking the azure waters below. The hefty limestone tower conjures up images of cannon balls being fired at invaders, and was one of eight on the island built by the British during the 18th century, similar to others built in Ireland and elsewhere around the same time. Miquel Angel Maria Ballester of the island’s council describes it as a “romantic restoration”, the aim being not to open up the tower for use but to preserve its current state and prevent further deterioration. Having seen how much pride and passion goes into these projects, it seems restoring the islands’ most important heritage spots really is a labour of love.


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