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Back HomeMallorca’s Port Andratx is a Private Paradise on the Water
The area in Spain boasts a sort of laid-back luxury
Port Andratx with Sa Mola cape in the background.GONZALO AZUMENDI / GETTY IMAGES
Port Andratx, which is often described as the “St. Tropez of Spain,” is a sophisticated fishing village off the coast of the celebrity-centric Balearic Island of Mallorca.
It’s an uber-Mediterranean resort and a mecca for the yachting set. From its fashionable boutiques and crystal-clear waters to its catch-of-the-day fine-dining establishments, it wears its elitism with elan.
With an estimated population of only about 1,900, it is indeed a private paradise. For those who require a respite from its sedate style, civilization awaits in the Mallorca capital city of Palma.
Boundaries
The port of Andratx, which is shaped like a pointing finger, juts into the Balearic Sea off the same named shore, Andratx. The ancient town of Andratx is about three miles away on the southern side of the port. Carrer D’Isaac Peral is on the southern border, Avinguda de Gabriel Roca Garcias is at the western border, Torrent des Salvel makes up the northern border, and Carrer Saulet is to the east.
Price Range
In Port Andratx, water views drive prices. According to Roddy Aris, a partner at Knight Frank, newly built or refurbished single-family villas that are sited to see the sea typically are priced at €7 million to €9 million (US$7.74 million to US$9.95 million), and those that are newly built or refurbished and that look toward land generally are €4 million to €6 million.
Christine Glawar, Port Andratx office director for Mallorca Sotheby’s International Realty, added that although villa prices can range from €2 million to €35 million, generally “€2 million to €6 million will secure a great one.”
Although there are very few condos in Port Andratx, Mr. Aris noted that there are luxury developments, such as New Folies, which features detached villas with private pools, and Gran Folies, which has apartments. He said that in these luxury developments, three-bedroom units and detached villas sell for €1.9 million to €3.7 million.
Typically, Ms. Glawar said, the price range for apartments is €800,000 to €5 million.
Housing Stock
The central waterside area of the port is comprised of shops, restaurants, bars and supermarkets, while the residential properties surround it. In addition to housing in the center of town, the eastern section of the port, which includes the areas of Las Brisas and Mon Port, offers a wide selection of properties, ranging from big, modern and traditional Spanish villas to apartment complexes.
“Set in the hills, these properties in Las Brisas and Mon Port often offer a wonderful view of the bay and the port itself,” Ms. Glawar said. “Many residents keep their yachts a short walking distance away at the yacht club.”
She added that virtually all of the villas, regardless of style, arecustom and that most of them are new.
Mr. Aris said that modern is the most popular style. “But this doesn’t mean minimalistic,” he added. “It means great windows and sliding doors opening and integrating the outside areas.”
He noted that such homes typically have interior walls and floors made of stone and wooden doors.
“The properties that sell are normally no more than two years old,” he added. “Beyond that, it is very difficult to sell houses that are eight years old; they go mainly to investors who then refurbish them and put them on the market again.”
Typical amenities for villas and apartments include private or communal swimming pools as well as private parking.
“Even the most basic properties have air conditioning and under-floor heating,” Ms. Glawar said.
This traditional five-bedroom, five-bathroom villa, which has sea views, is on the market for €6.25 million. Recently renovated, it has air conditioning, an infinity pool, a two-car garage and a gym.Mallorca Sotheby’s International Realty
What Makes It Unique
Port Andratx, compact and chic, is a neighborhood made for walking and cycling, which is a wonderful way to enjoy its pristine beauty.
“It faces the protected Tramuntana mountain range, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site,” Mr. Aris said. “It’s one of the most beautiful harbors in the world with a beautiful entrance and a still-thriving local fishing industry. Finally, the lack of sandy beaches has kept the Andratx region free from mass tourism.”
Ms. Glawar said the combination of luxury shops, waterside dining, sea views and the luxury yachts in the harbor make it an appealing place.
“There’s a positive vibe between locals, visitors and residents that’s unique in Mallorca,” she said. “It’s just a 20-minute drive from Mallorca’s capital city, Palma, which was recently voted as the best city in the world to live in by readers of the U.K.’s prestigious Sunday Times newspaper.”
Luxury Amenities
Port Andratx’s fish restaurants are so renowned that they attract residents from Palma.
Noting that all the fish restaurants are excellent, Mr. Aris said Toni El Gallego, which is next to the neighborhood’s church, is his favorite.
“It’s a family business dating back 40 years,” he said, adding that the arroz de bogavante (lobster and rice), and the gallo frito con cebolla (St. Peter’s fish with onions) are among his favorite dishes.
Tim’s Bar, which has been a waterfront institution since 1978, is where the locals and celebrities go for beer, wine and cocktails and to hang out. Ms. Glawar said that it’s “famous on the island, and was where supermodel Claudia Schiffer was discovered.”
Cappuccino Grand Café, which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and cocktails, “offers an informal experience,” Ms. Glawar said.
RocaMar is famous for its so-called Roclobster Casserole; Sumailla, a fine-dining establishment, serves Japanese-Peruvian cuisine; and the restaurant and bar Trespais is a master of Italian/Asian dishes.
The lounge/bar Romeo’s is known for its roof-terrace, where diners and drinkers can watch the sunsets and for its national and international tapas. The nightclub Monkey Mind keeps the party alive long into the evening with several styles of music.
The port also features a variety of boutiques that sell everything from beach attire to wine. Beach House offers furniture and fixtures for the home, and K&K specializes in reclaimed and antique furniture that has a laid-back summer vibe. The Spanish organic supermarket Veritas also recently opened a store in the port.
Tricia’s, a women’s clothing boutique that was founded in 2011, stocks designer brands such as Missoni, Citizens of Humanity, J Brand, MOTHER, Frame and IRO.
Club de Vela, the port’s sailing club, was established in 1968 and has berths for 475 yachts.
The Centro Cultural de Andratx, which is in the ancient village of Andratx next to the port, has been featuring exhibitions of contemporary art since its establishment in 2001.
Camp del Mar, a holiday resort that is known for its 18-hole championship golf course and beach and boat excursions, is a 10-minute drive from Port Andratx. It features “the longest hole in Spain,” which is nearly 2,000 feet from the back tees.
The neighborhood also hosts the annual fiesta honoring Verge del Carme, the patron saint of fishermen. The festival, which is held in mid-July, includes a procession where locals carry a statue of the saint to a decorated boat that leads a parade of other ships out to sea.
Palma is the true cultural center. “Here, you can find luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton as well as a fantastic range of art galleries and more individual boutiques,” Ms. Glawar said.
Its attractions include Palma Cathedral, the ecclesiastical edifice that opened in 1601 after 400 years of construction. Also known as La Seu, or Cathedral Light, its stained-glass rosette window, which is 36 feet in diameter, is the world’s largest window.
Other Palma destinations include Gallery Red, which features contemporary art and furnishings and also sells designer handbags. The Fundació Miró Mallorca (Foundation of Joan Miró), a museum built in 1992, showcases 6,000 paintings, ceramics and sculptures donated by the Spanish artist.
There are no schools in Port Andratx. However, there are two main schools in Portals Nous, which is a 15-to- 20-minute car drive away. Agora Portals International School, an International Baccalaureate institution founded in 2008, is the largest private school on Mallorca. It offers bilingual Spanish/English classes for children from infancy through age 18. King Richard III College, a British International School, is a private day school for students aged 2 through 18.
About a 25-minutes drive from Port Andratx, Queen’s College, which was established in 1977, is a private international school for students aged 3 through 18 that overlooks the Bay of Palma.
Who Lives There
Some 60% of the population is from Germany, according to Mr. Aris, who added that there also are British, Scandinavian, Swiss and Spanish residents.
“Normally, they are in their mid-50s and are using their villa as a second residence,” he said. “In recent years, more and more come from northern European countries to live the whole year.”
Ms. Glawar said that lately, she’s been getting a lot of inquiries from Americans. “Most of them are high-net-worth businesspeople from the technology sector who appreciate the hub access via the efficient general aviation terminal at Palma and the local Internet technology and connection that’s on par with the U.S.”
Notable Residents
According to published reports, Formula 1 Driver Michael Schumacher bought his Port Andratx home from Real Madrid football president Florentino Pérez earlier this year for €30 million.
Also according to reports, actor Brad Pitt has a holiday home in the area, and model Claudia Schiffer has owned properties all over the area in recent years, including in Port Andratx.
Outlook
Mr. Aris believes that Port Andratx will “remain a very good address and sure investment location for luxury villas.”
He said he expects prices to not only be stable but increase 5% to 7% per year. “The main reason is the lack of land and the constant demand from international buyers,” he said.
Ms. Glawar said that Port Andratx market has a long track record for resiliency to market downturns compared with the rest of the country.
“Currently, prices are stable, but prices in the area have been rising by 8% to 10%, especially due to economic growth,” she said.
In his Mallorca Insight 2019 report, Mark Harvey, head of European sales for Knight Frank, noted that average prices across the South West region, which includes Port Andratx, rose 8% in 2018.
“Average values are now close to €6,250 per square meter, whilst prime values are in excess of €10,000 per square meter,” he wrote in the report. “Mallorca’s property cycle is two to three years ahead of that on mainland Spain. We expect prices to continue rising in 2019, but we may see sales volumes weaken due to a degree of uncertainty in the run-up to the U.K.’s exit from the European Union.”
The report added that the scarcity of new residential construction is “insulating prices”—only 1,842 residential units were completed in the Balearic Islands in 2017, as opposed to the 12,162 of the previous decade. The report noted that a building license moratorium that was in place until November 2018 particularly impacted the South West market.
Source: NANCY A. RUHLING | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 | MANSION GLOBAL
© Jackson Lieblein, LLC 2015.
