Lluc

Monastery Lluc (Monestir de Lluc) in the Tramuntana Mountains is a popular destination for day-trips and hikers on Mallorca. It is 500m above sea level which makes a visit in the monastery on hot summer days a great break from the intense heat. Also, the landscape around the monetary is beautiful. There is a hostal (Spanish for a basic hotel) in the monastery for the many hikers and cyclists who go to visit the Tramuntana Mountains.

History: Monastery Lluc was built in 1250. Unfortunately, for the first few centuries of excistence monastery was destroyed several times. In the 17th and 18th century it was renovated and made bigger. Prior to the introduction of mass tourism on Mallorca, Lluc was a place of prayer and silence, which could only be reached by narrow and steep footpaths. Today several thousand tourists each day in summer visit the monastery. The parking area is about as big as the monastery itself. Not only foreigners visits Lluc, but also many Mallorcans: Monastery Lluc is the centre of catholic Mallorca.

Information: The most important building is the central monastery church with the world famous madonna figure "La Moreneta". You should also go to see the garden and the inner yard of Monestir de Lluc.  When you walk up the hill on the footpath behind the monastery (10 min) you will find a great view over valleys and Lluc Monastery. There is no entrance fee for the monastery. You only have to pay for the museum (€3 in 2008) of Lluc, which is in a side wing of the main building. Most things in the museum have nothing to do with Lluc or religion; it is a general museum about Mallorca. In different rooms you find ceramics, pictures, cloth, furniture, handicrafts and archaeological findings of Mallorca. In my opinion, The Lluc Museum is only interesting for museum freaks and art fans. The different topics of the museum are random and most signposts are only in Spanish and Catalan.

Island of Crete (Greece): Tours Samaria Gorge (Hiking Day Trip from tourist cities on Crete)

Hostal Lluc: The Hostals in Lluc Monestary are popular with hikers. Unfortunuately, prices for the hostal in Lluc climbed a lot in the last few years. In 2007 a single room was €28 and a double room €33. The pension in Lluc can be booked out in summer. You can book ahead. (info@lluc.net). The Lluc Monastery is an ideal base for hikes in the Tramuntana Mountains, with some well signposted hiking trails starting in Lluc.

Outside there is an information office for the Tramuntana Mountains, the best hiking area of Mallorca. The staff speak good English and are very helpful. Inside the office is an interesting exhibition about endangered animals on Mallorca, especially the rare Cinereous Vulture.

Around the monastery there are some restaurants, souvenir shops and even a pharmacy. The best and cheapest place to go for a coffee or a small lunch is the Cafe de Placa next to the monastery. You can get cold water bottles cheaply in the main souvenir shops. The restaurants around the parking areas are a little bit expensive but not bad.

Bus Connections to Lluc: There are five buses a day to and from Inca and three to/from Palma de Mallorca. In summer (May-October) there are also public buses (one a day) from Port d`Soller, Alcudia, Can Picafort und Pollensa. A ticket from Palma to Lluc is €3.65 in 2007 one way. From Inca it is only €1.10.