The relatively undiscovered town of Bunyola hides on the southern slopes of the Siera Tramuntana mountains, 14 km north of Palma's suburbs. Here, very little has changed and residents of Bunyola are one of the remaining few left on the island who practice the traditional way of Mallorcan life.

Declared a natural area of special interest, the 12,000 acres of protected terrain surrounding Bunyola offers stunning scenery comprised of sweeping plains, lush greenery and mountainous peaks. The highest points surrounding Bunyola are the summits of the Alfubia Mountains, reaching 3000 feet high. The name Bunyola is believed to have been derived from the Arabic word, ‘bujola', which means ‘small vineyard'. In the Greek tongue, Bunyola refers to ‘mountain', possibly a reference to the Sierra Tramuntana mountains in the backdrop.


One of the main points of interest in the vicinity of Bunyola are the Gardens of Alfabia, a brilliantly manicured estate framed by the breathtaking mountains in the background. The other point of interest in Bunyola is the Commune of Bunyola, home to Mallorca's largest expanse of pine and oak trees. From Palma de Mallorca, Bunyola is easily accessible by car, taxi and via the legendary brass and mahogany Soller train.


Recommended Books

The Taste of Place Mallorca A culinary guide to Mallorca, covering traditions, recipes, ingredients, shops, restaurants and wine, illustrated with full colour photographs throughout. It is one of the the only books on the market in English introducing Mallorquin food; the chapter on wine contains a lot of new information about wines and vineyards not mentioned in Spanish wine books currently available. This book will be of interest to anyone who is interested in foreign cuisines.

Travellers Mallorca 2nd (Travellers - Thomas Cook) A best-selling series of colourful and compact guidebooks, which provide an excellent all-round insight to many of the world's destinations. This is a well put together book - perfect size and light for travel. Combines a good amount of history, photography and lists of things to do. It also combines some suggested itineraries and the information, etc is very easy to find. There's also a CDROM enclosed with a brief overview of the island.

Essential Mallorca This pocket-sized guide to Mallorca is designed for ease of use and comes with colour-coded sections. The main sections covered by the book include: -Mallorca's history -Famous people and events in Mallorca -Where to find peace and quiet -The ten "must dos" on a visit to Mallorca; -Top Ten places to visit on Mallorca -What To See on Mallorca " - alphabetical listings of places to visit (with star ratings, map references and detailed information) organized by region; -Detailed listings of the best places to eat and drink, where to stay, shop, take the children and where to be entertained; -Practical Matters - quick-reference travel information presented in a highly visual easy-to-use format, plus advice on tipping, health, and public transport.