Camí de s'Arxiduc

Rocky ridge path above Valldemossa, laid out by an Austrian archduke, with cliff-top views over the coast

The Camí de s'Arxiduc is a mountain footpath in the Serra de Tramuntana above Valldemossa, on Mallorca. It is named after Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, who laid out bridle paths across his estates on this stretch of coast in the nineteenth century. The path climbs through open woodland on bare, rocky ground, then follows the ridge and the cliff tops, with wide views over Valldemossa and down to the sea.

Hiking

Entrance: Free; there is no ticket.
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible: a rocky mountain path, and the parking is not accessible either.
Parking: A car park about 1.3 km away in a straight line; the Hotel Continental car park nearby is for customers only.
Difficulty: Rocky mountain path along the ridge and cliff tops, with hard route-finding below the ridge; sturdy footwear needed. From La Talaia Vella, about 40 minutes down to the path and back up.
Transport: Bus stops Son Gallard 1 and Son Gallard 2 (Deià), about 1.2–1.3 km away in a straight line.
Advance booking: Not needed.
Hours: Open at any time; walk it in daylight.
Address: Ma-10, 07179 Deià, Illes Balears, Spain

What makes it special

Up on the ridge the ground drops away beside the path, and Valldemossa and the whole line of the coast lie spread out below. That view is the reason to come.

The path was laid out by Archduke Ludwig Salvator, who built his routes along this coast to take in exactly these panoramas, and it still keeps to the edge of the cliffs where the outlook is widest. Below the ridge the walk is quieter: sparse trees, pale rock underfoot, and shade for long stretches before the open crest. The ground is stony all the way, which is part of the character of the walk.

Good to know

There are no toilets and no drinking water near the path: carry all the water you will need.
Below the ridge the track fades on bare rock and the waymarks are far apart. Load a GPX track on an offline map before you set out.
The ground is rocky throughout. Wear boots or shoes with a firm grip.
The nearest car park and bus stops are more than a kilometre away in a straight line, and the walk in is longer than that.

Getting there

Nothing drives up to the path itself. The nearest bus stops are Son Gallard 1 and Son Gallard 2, on the Deià side, about 1.2 km away in a straight line. A car park lies about 1.3 km off; the Hotel Continental car park nearby is for customers only.

The path runs along the ridge above the road, so the rest is on foot and uphill, and the real walking distance is longer than those straight-line figures. Guideposts stand on the approach, but on the wooded stretch below the ridge the waymarks are spaced out and the ground looks the same in every direction. Have an offline map with the GPX track open before you leave the road. From La Talaia Vella it is about 40 minutes down to the path and back up.

Best time to visit

Best: clear, dry days in spring and autumn.

The views are the point of the walk, and they need a clear sky; the open ridge is also far more comfortable outside the summer heat.

Avoid: summer middays, and days of low cloud or rain.

The crest is exposed to the sun with no water nearby, cloud takes away the view entirely, and wet rock makes the stony path slippery.

Sun & daylight

Historical landmark

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Puig de l'Ofre