Cala de Deià

The water is what you remember: clear enough to see the stones on the bottom from the rocks where you sit. There is no sand here and there are no sunbeds. The shore is big rocks, old fishermen's houses stand at the edge of the cove, and the Tramuntana mountains climb straight up behind it.

For a strong swimmer it is one of the best places on this coast to get in and stay in, and on a calm day the rocky bottom rewards a mask and snorkel. A few rustic restaurants sit at the water's edge with tables outside, and they fill up. Come for the setting and a long swim. For a whole afternoon stretched out on a towel, the rocks make hard going.

• Rocks, no sand. The shore is large rocks and hard going for sunbathing; bring something to sit on and footwear you can scramble in.
• No lifeguards. Swim only if you are a strong swimmer, and stay out of the water on wavy days.
• Bring water. There are no public toilets or drinking-water taps near the cove.
• Seaweed and wind. Seaweed collects along the shore, and the cove can be very windy.
• The climb back. Whether you came by car or by bus, the return is uphill and tiring on a hot day.

The roads down to the cove are narrow, and parking is limited and fills early. There is a paid car park about 330 m away in a straight line and free parking about 560 m away, plus paid and free spaces along the street. The walk down from where you leave the car can take 25 minutes, and it is uphill all the way back.

Without a car, the nearest bus stop, s'Empeltada 1 (Deià), is about 860 m away in a straight line. The walk between the stop and the beach is tiring in the heat, in both directions, so carry water.

Best: early in the morning, on a calm day. Avoid: the middle of the day in summer, and days of wind and waves.

Arriving early gets you a parking space and a place on the rocks before the cove fills; waves can make swimming impossible, and the climb back up is at its hardest in the midday heat.