The road from the village of Alaró travelling north and in the direction of the hamlet of Orient is one of the most picturque routes on the island.  The views on your left side towards the mountains between Alaró and Orient are remarkable, bestowing a feeling of untouched historic beauty. An old tea planter from former Ceylon could be forgiven for thinking he can see King Kasyapa of Sigirya standing on the top of the natural rock fortress he occupied from 473 AD, or perhaps below the cliffs, a family of grazing dinosaurs. Instead, the mountain plateau of Mount Alaró is home to the remains of the castle and hermitage of Mare de Déu del Refuge. The hike up to the hermitage and castle ruins are the area’s most important attraction and indeed heritage. The walk is considered one of the most gratifying on the island. Half way up Mount Alarò is a simple restaurant, its speciality being roast lamb. At weekends the restaurant is bulging with cheerful locals and visitors.
The nearest town to Alarò is Santa Maria less than 10 minutes south by car.  Alarò’s name originates from the Arabs and lies within the ancient farming area called Oloron. Alaró Castle was the principal centre of the Muslim resistance during the invasion of Mallorca by King Jaime I in the year 1229.

For information on the nearby village of Orient, please read our article here.

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