Discover Alcúdia through two historical highlights: the town’s city walls and the Roman history of Pollentia. The cultural route leads through the historic town center; a walk along the Camí de Ronda follows the inner road alongside the walls and passes several city gates. Churches, archaeological remains, the weekly market and the Feria de Alcúdia add to these themes. As you plan, you can decide whether to focus on the town’s history, Roman finds or the market.
City Walls and Historic Town Center
Alcúdia has two historic rings of walls: one medieval and one dating from the Renaissance. The walk along the Camí de Ronda follows the inner road alongside the walls. It leads to the Porta del Moll, also called Porta de Xara, and the Porta de Sant Sebastià, also called Porta de Mallorca. The route through the historic center is a cultural trail through the town.
The parish church of Sant Jaume is also incorporated into the city wall. The Chapel of the Holy Christ, built at the end of the 17th century, adjoins the church. Another detail of the town’s architectural history is Can Fondo: the building bears the oldest known coat of arms of Alcúdia. Together, the rings of walls, gates and ecclesiastical buildings offer different ways to explore the historic town center.
Pollentia: Residential Area, Forum and Theater
Pollentia was founded after the conquest of Mallorca in 123 BC and is considered the beginning of urban life on Mallorca. The settlement was designated a historic-artistic site in 1946. Its architectural remains reveal different areas of a Roman city: La Portella was a residential area with the remains of three Roman houses. The Casa de los Dos Tesoros in La Portella is the best-preserved house in Pollentia.
The Forum includes the Capitolium, two smaller temples and a group of tabernae. Religious and other public buildings therefore stand side by side there. Pollentia’s Roman theater dates from the 1st century; the cavea, orchestra and stage have been preserved. It is the only surviving Roman theater on Mallorca. The residential area, Forum and theater each draw attention to different aspects of life in the city at the time.
Archaeological Finds in the Museum
The Museo Monogràfic de Pollença is located in the historic center of Alcúdia. Its first exhibition area displays pottery, jewelry and games from the excavations at Pollentia. These objects tell the story of everyday and domestic life in the city and among its residents. The second area focuses on archaeological materials from the Forum of Pollentia and other public buildings, including sculptures and inscriptions.
The museum visit complements the architectural remains with objects from different areas of life: the first area focuses on the home and everyday life, while the second presents finds from public buildings. When planning, you can distinguish between these perspectives by considering whether you would rather focus on individual Roman buildings or also on the objects found there.
Plan for the Weekly Market and Feria
The weekly market takes place in the historic center on Tuesdays and Sundays from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm. Stalls sell fruit and vegetables, as well as costume jewelry, leather goods and clothing. If a market day is important to your stay, check the hours again before you travel.
The recurring Feria de Alcúdia takes place in the historic center on the first weekend of October. It is a fair for agriculture, livestock, commerce, arts and crafts, and gastronomy. Check the dates and program before you travel. The market and Feria also differ in how you plan for them: the market has set days and hours each week, while the Feria is held on a weekend in October.
Choose Alcúdia as a Place to Stay
To decide whether Alcúdia fits your travel plans, consider its different highlights: the city walls and churches in the town center, the Roman sites of Pollentia, the finds in the museum, or a stay that includes the market or Feria. You can prioritize these themes according to your interests rather than treating them as a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Port Alcudia, Es Mal Pas, Jornets, Selva, Cala Mendia, Campos, Calvia, Portals Vells.
Go to the main travel guide: Mallorca.
