Walls ring the top of a 162-metre hill, and the town of Capdepera spreads out below them. James II of Aragon ordered a fortified village built here in 1300, on the site of a coastal watchtower, to control the empty land beneath and the sea routes. For centuries people lived inside Capdepera Castle (Castell de Capdepera) for protection from pirate raids, then moved down the slope once the danger passed. Cala Ratjada grew up as the town's fishing and trading port.
Capdepera
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Catalan, Spanish
- Power plug
- Type C/F, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen
- Time zone
- UTC+1 / UTC+2 (CET/CEST)
- Tap water
- Safe; mineral taste in the south
- Tipping
- Not expected; 5–10% for great service
- Emergency
- 112
Things to do
All tours in Capdepera on GetYourGuide
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When to go
Shoulder
Apr – May
Spring brings warm days before the summer heat, and the scrub on the castle hill is at its greenest.
High season
Jun – Aug
Summer is hot, dry and muggy, the nights stay sticky long after dark, and Cala Ratjada is at its busiest.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
The sea keeps its summer warmth into autumn, the wettest season here, when cold-drop storms can bring sudden heavy rain.
Low season
Nov – Mar
Winters are mild and the resort coast goes quiet, leaving Capdepera to the people who live there.
How long to stay
Capdepera town and its castle fill a morning: the climb to the walls, the view from the top, the lanes at the foot of the hill. Four or five days make sense with a base in Cala Ratjada, the municipality's port, where the coast is on the doorstep, Artà is 8 km away for a day out and the ferry to Menorca opens up a second island.
What to see
Destinations in Capdepera
Frequently asked questions
Are Capdepera and Cala Ratjada the same place?
They belong to the same municipality. Capdepera town sits inland around the castle hill; Cala Ratjada, on the coast, grew as its fishing and trading port and is now the better known of the two.Why does Capdepera have a castle?
The hill first carried a watchtower guarding the coast. In 1300 James II of Aragon ordered a fortified village built on it to control the land below and the sea routes, and residents lived behind its walls for centuries as protection from pirates.Can you get to Menorca from Capdepera?
Yes. Cala Ratjada, the municipality's port, runs a ferry service to Menorca.When does it rain in Capdepera?
Autumn is the wettest season, when cold-drop storms can bring heavy downpours. Summers are hot and dry, and winters mild.