Sa Dragonera is an uninhabited islet off the west coast of Mallorca, about 3.2 km long and up to 500 m wide, rising abruptly to 360 m at Pico Popi. It belongs to the municipality of Andratx. The name, 'dragon island', comes from the silhouette of its ridge and from its many endemic Lilford's wall lizards. A 1970s resort plan was blocked in court in 1984; the Consell Insular de Mallorca bought the island in 1987, and in 1995 it became a natural park together with the nearby islets of Pantaleu and Isla Mediana.
Parc Natural de sa Dragonera
Uninhabited islet and natural park off Mallorca's west coast, home to thousands of tame endemic lizards.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: neither the entrance nor the parking is adapted, the island is reached by boat, and the ground is steep.
- Parking
- No cars on the island. On the Mallorca side, car parks lie about 2.5 km and 2.9 km away in a straight line; the farther one is free.
- Difficulty
- Three walking routes out from the harbour and back: one to two hours for the shortest, about five for the longest, over steep, exposed ground rising to 360 m.
- Transport
- Boat only; boat trips from Santa Ponsa call at the island. The nearest stop on Mallorca is S'Algar (Sant Elm), about 2.6 km away in a straight line.
- Hours
- 10:00–18:00 every day.
- Address
- Sa dragonera, Illes Balears, Spain
What makes it special
The lizards get to you first. Lilford's wall lizards, endemic to the Balearics, live on Sa Dragonera in their thousands, and they are tame enough to walk right up to the picnic tables and inspect whoever is eating.
The island itself is one steep ridge 3.2 km long, climbing to 360 m at Pico Popi, and from the right angle its skyline reads as a dragon's back. The sea around it is crystal clear.
Nobody ever settled here for long. A Roman necropolis lies at Es Lladó, two 18th-century watchtowers kept watch for Barbary pirates, and the Tramuntana and Llebeig lighthouses have worked in the north and southwest since 1910. In 1974 a company bought the island to build a hotel, a casino and a marina; ecologists fought it for ten years until a court barred all building in 1984. That fight is why the island still looks the way it does.
Good to know
- Nothing is sold on the island, no food and no drink. Bring water and lunch.
- Picnic tables stand near the landing, and there are toilets.
- The three walking routes each run out from the harbour and back, and they are hard to combine in one visit.
- Plan around the boat: the shortest route needs one to two hours on the island, the longest about five, and some boat trips stop for just an hour.
Getting there
Sa Dragonera lies just off Mallorca's west coast, and Sant Elm and Andratx are the nearest towns on the Mallorca side. No bridge crosses: the only way over is by boat, and boat trips from Santa Ponsa call at the island.
Boats come into the small natural port at Cala Lladó. Everything from there is on foot. The walking routes head out from the harbour, with guideposts along the paths, and every one of them brings you back to the same harbour for the return boat. If the boat allows only a short stop, the picnic area near the landing and the lizards around it are within easy reach.
Best time to visit
Best: spring and autumn, and mornings in any season.
Avoid: the middle of a summer day.
The island is bare rock and scrub with little shade, the paths climb steeply, and with nothing to drink on sale a midday walk in summer heat turns hard fast.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Parc Natural de sa Dragonera on the map
The paths cross steep, exposed ground with little shade, and nothing to drink is sold on the island: carry plenty of water and cover up against the sun. Cliff edges are unfenced, so keep to the paths.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Sa Dragonera?
Only by boat. Boat trips from Santa Ponsa call at the island, and boats land at the small natural port at Cala Lladó, where the walking routes begin.How much time do you need on the island?
There are three walking routes. The shortest needs one to two hours, the longest about five. Each returns to the harbour, so they are hard to combine in one visit.Can you buy food or water on Sa Dragonera?
No. Nothing is sold on the island, so bring your own water and food. There are picnic tables near the landing and toilets.Why is it called Sa Dragonera?
The name means 'dragon island'. It comes from the shape of the island's ridge, which resembles a dragon from a certain angle, and from its large population of endemic Lilford's wall lizards.Was a film shot on Sa Dragonera?
Yes. Part of the 1982 film of Agatha Christie's Evil Under the Sun was shot here, with the island standing in for part of the fictional Tyrania on the Adriatic.