Cala Esmeralda

Services and Features

Description

Cala Esmeralda is a small beach of sand and rocks located in the tourist center of Cala d’Or, in Santanyí, east of Mallorca. The sandy area is about 50 m long and about 40 m wide. It is located between Cala Gran, the largest of the Cala d’Or beaches, and the mouth shared by Cala Ferrera and Cala Serena. Its traditional name is Caló des Corral, but it was renamed the more commercial name of Cala Esmeralda due to the greenish tone that its waters acquire when it illuminates them in the sun.

Unlike other coves in Cala d’Or, in Cala Esmeralda the beach environment has been respected. Hotels and residences were built at a certain distance from the coastline, and part of the pine forests that cover the rocks that flank the cove were respected. The tall pines partially hide the buildings, alleviating their visual impact.

Like the rest of the Cala d’Or beaches, the waters of Cala Esmeralda are usually calm and protected from the wind. The gentle sandy slope and relatively comfortable access make it a good place to go with children. However, it does not have access enabled for people with reduced mobility.

The bottom of Cala Esmeralda is suitable for anchoring boats. It is made of sand and algae and reaches between four and five meters deep.

Watch Cala Esmeralda in 360º

How to get to Cala Esmeralda

Open route in GPS

Cala d’Or is very well connected, so access to Cala Esmeralda is very comfortable. From Palma we will take the Ma-19 motorway in the direction of Campos / Santanyí / Felanitx for 35 km, until we reach Campos. At the entrance roundabout we will take the third exit, on the Ma-5120. We will arrive at another roundabout, where we will stay on the same Ma-5120, and after about 700 m we will reach a last one, where we will exit through the third exit, following the Ma-5120 again. We will continue along it for about 10 km and we will have reached Felanitx.

After 300 m we will turn right, following the indications for Cala d’Or, on Gabriel Vaquer street. At the end of this street we will turn left onto Calle de Santanyí and then immediately to the right to continue on the Ma-14. At 4 km we will find a fork: we will follow the detour to the left, in the direction of Cala d’Or, on the Ma-4016. After 5 km we will come to another roundabout that we will leave at the first exit, towards the Ma-4012. At 350 m we will reach Calonge. In the first street we will turn left, following the indications to Cala d’Or, on the Ma-4013.

A little more than 3 km we will arrive at Cala d’Or. At the first roundabout we will take the third exit to take Avenida dels Benvinguts. We will follow this avenue until the end, where it connects with Avenida de Tagomago, which we will also follow until the end. We will turn left onto Avenida de Fernando de Tarrago. At the fork we will continue to the left, on Avenida de Sa Platja d’Or, which we will continue until the end, until we reach Calle de Cala Esmeralda. In this area we can find parking, since the access to Cala Esmeralda is less than 200 m.

If we are in the north or east of Mallorca, the most practical thing is to go to Manacor and from there take the Ma-14 towards Felanitx, and from there follow the indications to Cala d’Or and then to Cala Esmeralda.

Cala d’Or is very well connected by public transport, and there is a stop very close to the access to Cala Esmeralda. The A51 line arrives here, which connects the airport with Cala d’Or, passing through Campos, Santanyí, among other towns. Line 501 connects the center of Palma with Cala d’Or, passing through Llucmayor, Campos, Santanyí, and other towns. Line 425, from Manacor, and line 441, from Cala Ratjada, also bring us closer to Cala Esmeralda.

We have already said that it is possible to anchor in Cala Esmeralda. The winds are very light and can only present a problem if they blow strong from this component. And in case of having any difficulty in Cala d’Or itself there is an excellent marina, Marina de Cala d’Or.

Services

In Cala Esmeralda we have some services for the convenience of our beach day, but with nuances. There are showers and toilets, but only for the neighboring hotel guests. There is no hammock and umbrella rental service, and there is no lifeguard presence either.

What there is is a small bar where you can have a snack next to the beach.

Activities

Cala Esmeralda is a perfect beach to go with the family. The slope is very gentle, its sheltered waters are clean and calm, and the main drawback may be the crowding of people.

It also provides a good experience for fans of snorkeling and diving. The cliffs that flank Cala Esmeralda provide a beautiful underwater landscape. There are several nearby facilities where you can rent equipment or hire dives for beginners. Outings to nearby dive sites but offshore are also organized for more advanced divers.

There is some section of the cliffs that can be used to practice psychobloc, although in neighboring Cala Serena there are better walls.

We also have at our disposal several hiking routes from Cala Esmeralda and its neighboring coves. We can get to Portocolom bordering the coast and passing through Cala Mitjana and Cala Sa Nau, among others. We also have a circular route to get closer to the nearby Cala Mitjana:

• Cala Ferrera – Portocolom
• Cala Ferrera – Cala Mitjana (circular route)

Bicycle fans, both road and mountain bike, can take Cala Esmeralda as a good point of origin for their walks. Several routes along the roads and paths near Cala d’Or provide an excellent way to discover its surroundings.

If we are somewhat curious about the culture and history of this area a few kilometers from Cala Esmeralda, next to Portocolom, we can visit the Closos de can Gaià site, a Talayotic town occupied between 1800 and 750 BC. The site is largely restored and can be easily visited.

But if Cala d’Or stands out for something, it is for its great commercial and gastronomic offer. The craft shops and those of big brands alternate even at night, to be able to enjoy the sunny hours on the beach and the cool ones, shopping.

Regarding gastronomy, the offer is also tremendously varied: international-class chefs and small family restaurants have a place in the vicinity of Cala Esmeralda. There are options for all tastes and pockets.

Lodging

In Cala Esmeralda itself there is a hotel, and its surroundings abound with tourist rentals, especially holiday homes and chalets. In any case, Cala d’Or is a first class tourist center and has a wide and varied offer of accommodation.

We have at our disposal hotels from 2 to 5 stars, all-inclusive complexes, aparthotels, hostels, apartments, villas, etc.

 

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