Cala Santanyí pedestrian trail (Sa Cova des Vell Marí street parking lot).
10 to 15 minutes walk (approx. 1 km / 0.6 miles) from the primary parking area.
CTM TIB Line 516. Fast, cheap, cashless interurban transit network.
To preserve our fragile coastal environment from exhaust fumes, the municipality of Santanyí does not permit vehicles directly on the cliff edge. Your hike starts in the small coastal village of Cala Santanyí, specifically from the free parking lot on Sa Cova des Vell Marí street.
The unpaved trail begins directly opposite the residential houses near the intersection with Sa Cova d'es Coloms street. Follow the wooden directional signs marked "Es Pontàs". The walk is about 10 to 15 minutes at a standard pace (about 50 minutes if you walk all the way from the central plaza of Santanyí town, which is 5 km / 3.1 miles inland).
The trail starts on a flat dirt track winding through fragrant Mediterranean pine trees. As you approach the sea, the path transitions rapidly into highly uneven, jagged limestone. You will cross natural stone steps and gravel slopes. I cannot emphasize this enough: do not attempt this trail in flip-flops. Closed-toe walking shoes are absolutely necessary to prevent severe foot cuts and sprains on the razor-sharp rocks.
As you walk the dirt path toward the arch, you will run directly into a monumental tower of raw, rough-cut limestone blocks. This sculpture is named "Equilibrio Sur" (Southern Equilibrium), and it was constructed between 1995 and 2009 by the late German sculptor Rolf Schaffner.
Schaffner built this monument as one critical node of a five-part conceptual project spanning the entire European continent. Sibling stone structures are located in Cologne (Germany), Volgograd (Russia), Trondheim (Norway), and Cork (Ireland). The project connects these geographically diverse places to symbolize global peace, human unity, and environmental responsibility.
I suggest pausing here for a brief moment. The massive stones prepare your mind for the ancient, geological forces of the coastline before the trail reveals the colossal natural arch itself. It is a beautiful monument to stand next to.
The viewing platform at Mirador de Es Pontàs has absolutely no safety fences, guardrails, or commercial facilities. The local council decided to keep the clifftop completely raw to protect its natural beauty. However, this means you are fully responsible for your own safety.
If you choose to drive, you will find the free public parking lot on Sa Cova des Vell Marí in Cala Santanyí. However, spatial parking deficits are a major issue here. During May and the summer months, this lot gets completely saturated by 12:00 PM (noon). I advise arriving between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM to secure a spot.
If you block private residential driveways or park on yellow street lines, the local police will fine you heavily and tow your vehicle. In Palma, blue street lines (ORA zones) require payment at metered machines, but in the rural southeastern coves, your main problem is finding empty physical space, not paying for tickets.
A warning on rental car sizes: Travelers often hire large SUVs or luxury sedans (like a Mercedes CLS AMG) for holiday comfort. However, the secondary country lanes leading to inland fincas and the winding streets of Cala Santanyí are notoriously narrow. A compact car is much easier to drive and can slip into tight parking bays that a luxury sedan cannot. Save yourself the stress and rent a smaller vehicle.
The Balearic interurban transport network (CTM TIB) operates the distinctive red-and-yellow buses connecting Palma with the southeast. In 2026, the government has renewed massive subsidies, making buses free for local residents. For tourists, the system has fully replaced paper tickets with an advanced contactless bank card payment infrastructure.
When boarding the bus, you must tap your credit/debit card (or smart device like Apple Pay/Google Wallet) on the card terminal. Critically, you must tap the exact same card on the terminal again when disembarking.
To access the site, utilize TIB Line 516. This route runs Campos <-> Santanyí <-> Son Moja <-> Cala Santanyí <-> Cala Figuera. In May, buses depart approximately once every 3 to 4 hours. The earliest bus departs Campos at 7:35 AM, and the last return bus from the coast leaves around 10:00 PM. Reaching the coast from Campos takes 30 to 35 minutes, while the brief ride between Cala Santanyí and Cala Figuera takes only 10 minutes.
If you are staying in the tourist-heavy area of Cala d'Or or Portopetro, take TIB Line 515 to the Santanyí central transit station, and then transfer to the 516 bus to reach Es Pontàs.
Because the 516 bus only runs every 3-4 hours, taxis are highly useful for local coves. Hailing a taxi on the street is nearly impossible here. You must pre-book via telephone or WhatsApp. Radio Taxi de Campos uses WhatsApp for rapid dispatch, allowing you to drop a digital GPS pin for easy pickups in unmarked cove roads.
+34 971 657 058
The primary 24-hour municipal dispatch office servicing the coastal quadrant.
+34 649 958 489
Strong WhatsApp integration. Best for sharing live coordinates from the trails.
+34 611 16 46 43
Prominent private taxi operator for airport bookings and long island transits.
Fares operate strictly on meters. A short jump of 4 to 5 kilometres (2.5 to 3.1 miles) from Santanyí town center to the coves costs approximately €15 to €20 / $16 to $22. I highly recommend pre-booking airport transfers 24 hours in advance to guarantee availability.
Sa Cova des Vell Marí, Cala Santanyí, Mallorca, Spain. Use the map coordinate markers below to guide your GPS navigator.