Son Serra is a Shore Bet For Free Spirits

Son Serra de Marina lies somewhere between Café del Mar and Tarifa. The hotspot for surfers and nature loving free spirits is one of the last examples for post-modern beach culture. Nowhere else on the island beach life is celebrated so naturally like here.

They still do exist: Places, which even surprise confirmed Mallorca-aficionados. Son Serra de Marina is one of them. Hardly anywhere else the island is so casual and relaxed, so wild and reckless, so wonderfully unpretentious and equally passionate, along the coastline (1 mile) on the eastern edge of Alcúdia bay. At first the Mallorcans had chosen the place as site for their weekend and summer cottages; nowadays the unpretentious apartment complex attracts a colorful crowd of day visitors, which consists of individual tourists, hippies, nature lovers, surfers, beach boys, nude fans, dog lovers and notorious romantics.

Two of them are Nadine and Andrew. For one hour, the couple enjoys a kite surfing ride on short boards, with the kites flying at a height of 30 meters above them. Each wave is a ramp on which the two Germans are catapulted several meters high. Then they fall down again, jumping and speeding across the water. Many more people do so. Almost twelve colorful kites slide across the blue sky since early morning on the eastern edge of Son Serra. It is one of the most popular hotspots for the growing kite and surf community in Mallorca. “The wind blows very well up here – a pleasure for everyone who loves waves”, says Andrew. During the last six years he and Nadine came here almost every weekend to flirt with the forces of nature.

Nick from the UK is addicted to the adrenaline boost on the water. Seven years ago he moved from Devon county in Southwest England to the North-East coast of Mallorca. “Of course the conditions for surfing are also very good at home. But the fun is better under the Mediterranean sun”, says the likeable 28-year-old, who works on the island for a British yacht builder. When he first came to Son Serra de Marina, he was immediately blown away: “The place is so cool, there are no hotels, few tourists, everything seems deserted – that’s probably the charm.”

Indeed, Son Serra might be considered a boring place. Except in July and August, when local and foreign apartment owners settle here for a few weeks, the place is like a ghost town. Three restaurants and two small corner shops are the only alternatives to spending time in the water, at the beach or with a walk through the dunes.

But there is one hot meeting point.

Just as the world revolves around the sun, the life in Son Serra turns around “El Sol”,

the hippest bar in the middle of nowhere: Civilization ends behind streets in checkerboard patterns and strings of bungalows and apartment houses – fading into a scene of dunes, declared a nature reserve some years ago. “El Sol” somehow resembles the “Restaurant at the End of the Universe” from Douglas Adams´ SF-series “The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy”. The limitations of place and time seem to disappear while having a sundowner on the terrace. In the evening the sound of wind and waves mixes with gentle chill-out music – and “El Sol” comes very close to its celebrated Ibizan counterpart “Café del Mar”.

“We´ve spiced up the bar five years ago by adding the cool atmosphere that characterizes it today,” says Frederico. He runs “El Sol” together with a relaxed, good looking crew of about 15 waiters and waitresses 365 days a year. “Even people from Andratx take their cars and come up here, because it´s unique”, the native Basque proudly remarks. He has lived in Berlin many years ago, running a club and later a restaurant there. One day he stranded in Mallorca and decided to stay. “There are worse places in the world,” he says with his typical mischievous smile.

What´s the main reason for the strong attraction of “El Sol”? “With us they like it all: the food, the music, the atmosphere and the views.” It´s that simple. Italian dishes like pasta and pizza are mainly served by Frederico – but also fresh fish and meat. The prices are quite affordable. Depending on the guest, the service is friendly or charmingly chummy, but always courteous. Every Sunday evening the bar offers live music. From June to August DJ live sessions are held on Saturdays. The crowd tends to dance at “El Sol” and the party often lasts until sunrise. The “pizza flat rate” on Saturdays is very popular. At a price of 8 euros, the motto is “All you can eat” from 7 p.m. onwards: A feast for everybody.

Stefan is among the regulars of “El Sol”. He lives in Santa Margalida, just ten kilometers away, and comes not only for his beloved surfing. The regional manager of an Austrian cycling tour agent wants to visit his girlfriend Ulrike. Like Frederico, she works at “El Sol” since many years. “We are like a small family here and people from elsewhere can become easily addicted to this magical ambience”, says Stefan, who could work as a model for the new season swimwear, due to his washboard stomach and his stong arms.

However, boasting is not common in Son Serra. Instead of Porsche and Ferraris, which can be seen in Puerto Portals and Puerto Andratx, the car park at the beach of Son Serra is filled with station wagons, vans and campers. The cars have Spanish, German or British license numbers, offering plenty of space for surfboards, sails, kites and pylons. By the way: journalists in Son Serra are not liked too much here. The risk is high, that they might reveal the last secrets of the island. Therefore, a final request: Please keep this story private!

Opening Hours & Information:

Bar and Restaurant “El Sol,” daily open from about 10 a.m. to midnight – on weekends even up to 1 a.m. or later. Son Serra lies at the road to Artá, about five miles outside of Can Picafort. How to find the surf beach: Follow the main road down to the coastline, turn right at the penultimate road and drive through to the end. Parking is free.

Text by: Andreas John