Is there anywhere in Spain like Puerto Pollensa

[Hector]

I have just got back from my twentyteenth visit to PP. I love it and I have already booked for next year. I particularly like its laid back atmosphere and the buzzy but quiet ambience of the evenings, The existence of this forum and its active membership shows that I am not alone in my appreciation of this lovely resort. However, my attachment to PP has restricted my exploration of the rest of Spain. Knowing how discriminating the contributors to the website are, I wonder whether any one of them can suggest somewhere equally enchanting for a second holiday?

[Disorderly]

Hi Hector

Like you I've been coming for years and am not very adventurous in exploring the rest of Spain.

The two places that I've visited that come reasonable close to PP, in being a "proper" place where Spanish people live, and with an authentic atmosphere and decent restaurants, are Nerja, on the Costa del Sol, and Carla Blanca on Lanzarote.

Still keep coming back to PP though!

Duncan

[its cd]

Closest I have ever come to in terms of "feel" is Garda on Lake Garda ..... but of course that's Italy not Spain

Tried Cascais in Portugal last year because I thought it would be similar to PP but didn't come close for many many reasons

[sws97sdg]

We went to Seville earlier in the year, it had a similar feel, lots of places to sit out and eat, lots of friendly people, felt nice and safe there.

[Gommar Goffer]

The perennial question....I have been to many places and because of knowing PP for so long I always compare them to PP and nowhere I have been since finding PP has offered the whole package but I have to say that the one place that blew me away was Rodney Bay in St. Lucia where we went for our honeymoon long before the travel companies got there

As for other parts of Spain - I have only done Barcelona, and compared to the compact beauty of Palma, Barca is a poor cousin

[Portofan]

Hello Hector, good question you pose.

On the basis of a family recommendation three years ago we tried Cambrils on the Costa Dorada, in particular Port Cambrils, where there is a large marina, a major fishing port and excellent clean wide beaches, not to mention a very attractive “old town “ area.

And very flat too, wide promenades, with dedicated cycle tracks stretching for miles to the west, and to the east as far as Salou.

A working town much larger than PP and boasting an abundance of excellent restaurants, specialising in seafood. No English pubs, no full English breakfasts, no Sunday roasts and no Brit karaoke bars!

Plenty Spanish and Catalan food though.

Have a look here

:: Cambrils - Tourism ::


And it is also available on Google Maps so you can have a look at the whole seafront area.

A lot of PP lovers would enjoy this resort, as long as you could cope without the things I mentioned above!

15 minutes from Reus airport, or an hour's drive from Barcelona airport.

[Nick]

Is there anywhere in Spain like Puerto Pollensa


Err. no !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hector]

Portofan. Cambrils looks interesting, the absence of British pubs, karaoke, fish and chips and full English breakfasts is a positive recommendation. Thanks very much.
If I go I hope I won't be making the usual remarks to my wife as we return to the airport comparing wherever we had been unfavourably with Puerto Pollensa!

[ray]

If you're looking for something like PP just come to PP, but there are loads of places in Spain and elsewhere where you can enjoy laid back but buzzy but safe holidays

[Alcanada]

How literally are we supposed to take the question "Is there anywhere in Spain like Puerto Pollensa?".

"No" is the easy answer but what bits of PP are you looking for?

In August we had a great week in Gaucin (mainland Spain, Ronda mountains) which is about as laid back and beautiful place as it gets - it has got great views of the coast, towards Gibraltar and Africa but no Brit/Aussie bars, also - it is not by the sea....

[lobsterpots]

Nerja is similar to PP but is far cheaper for accommodation, food etc.
It is even less touristy.

[eleanor]

I can't agree with you there lobsterpots. I have visited Nerja a few times and found it to be both busy and touristy. The narrow pathways were always crammed with people. I also found the restaurants to be again busy but also about the same price as many in PP. Accommodation, i'm not sure about as we stayed in a hotel which was reasonable as we are always lucky in finding a good deal. Renting apartments/villas I have no idea of the comparisons.
Nerja is a very pretty place which is 'open' all year. It is very nice but somehow it just doesn't have that same feel as PP. A few miles out and you come to the mountains which offer wonderful views. The problem with Nerja is that it isn't very nice a few miles either side of the town and in some places is quite industrial. Thats my opinion though others may disagree.

[romanb]

Agree with CD Italian lakes and also ligurian coast.
I know they are in Italy!! They are amongst our favourites along with Pollensa though.

[liz d]

It is hard to find anywhere that is exactly the same, that is what makes PP so special, the whole package.

A friend visited recently and wasn't wowed with the ferry to Formentor (too busy) and didn't make the short trip to Pollensa, both of which i think of as essential parts of my hols.

I have been thinking about what it is about PP that keeps me coming back. Is it the weather, the restaurants, the ease of getting there, familiar places etc

If you love the buzz of alfresco eating in Pollensa town with all the beautifull old buildings, then Dubrovnik (not spain i know) is hard to beat.

If you want the laid back atmosphere and plenty of sunshine, i'd second Playa blanca in Lanzarote (rubicon marina end)

or if it is the pine tree edged beaches and promanades, the Parga in Greece or Corsica. Madeira for stunning scenery.

But if you want the whole package, you can rack your brains and try other places, but you'll still come back to Puerto Pollensa time and time again.

What are everyone elses best elements of Puerto pollensa and what draws them back?

[Belladonna]

I think we have done that thread somewhere liz, but I really liked your idea of separating the various attractions of PP and likening them to elsewhere, very interesting, and now I want to go to them all to check them out!