The first article about the villages of the Pla de Mallorca was dedicated to Algaida. This second article will be dedicated to Montuiri because it is one of the main neighboring villages of Algaida.
Montuiri stands out for still maintaining an important agricultural activity that embellishes its landscape and gives it a strong personality of its own.
Contenidos / Contents
General data of Montuiri
Montuiri is a village and municipality of Mallorca. The extension of the municipality is of 41km2 in which there are about 3.100 inhabitants.
Located about 30 kilometers from the capital of Mallorca, it is linked to it through the road that runs between Palma and Manacor, one of the main communication routes of the island.
Originally surrounded by wetlands, which were drained to give an agricultural use to the land where they were located, the village stands on a mound of 170 meters that places it in a predominant situation to see any movement that takes place in the vicinity.
The etymology of Montuiri leads us to what was the original name of the area during the Roman occupation: Montuariu (mound). The use of the toponym by the Mozarabic inhabitants made it derive to Muntueri or Montueri, form that gave way to the current name.
Like other municipalities in the Pla de Mallorca, Montuiri has human settlements from the Bronze Age, which we will refer to later. It was not until the arrival of the Christian troops that the settlement became permanent and was documented (1329).
What Montuiri is known for
One of the details that best define Montuiri is the silhouette of its flour mills. Eight mills are still standing, although none of them are in use today.
Most of these mills are original from the 17th century and were active until the 20th century, some of them working until 1920. As they were replaced by electric machinery, their conservation conditions worsened notably, some of them even disappearing.
It was at the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century when the Consell de Mallorca, together with the town council, initiated a recovery campaign that returned to these mills the lost and/or deteriorated elements that allowed them to recover their original appearance.
What to visit in Montuiri
Montuiri is not a place that is usually found on tourist routes. And that is part of its charm.
The preservation of the industrial heritage of the village and the dedication of its population to agricultural tasks make it an excellent place to enjoy the quietness of Mallorca and to buy local products.
Flour mills
Ca’n Nofre Mill
Joan Mesquida
jmesquidapocovi@gmail.com
Tel. +34 635 531 248
Fraret Mill
Visits from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm.
The last Sunday of every month, the Museum is open, from 10am to 2pm, free entrance.
info@sonfornes.mallorca.museum
Tel.: +34 971 644 169
Son Fornés archaeological site
This Bronze Age settlement is located about 2.5 kilometers from the village on a hill 130 meters above sea level. The path to the site is repeatedly signposted from the village and is only 100 meters from the road, so access is easy.
Son Fornés was inhabited for eight centuries, from X BC to I AD, when it was abandoned.
The excavated area includes two talayots (one of them, the largest in Mallorca) and seven inhabited spaces. Around the settlement there are caves that were inhabited, such as Son Company or Son Comelles.
It is associated with the Archaeological Museum of Son Fornés.
Where to eat in Montuiri
Although the gastronomic offer in Montuiri is not very extensive, we will highlight two restaurants that, due to their peculiarity, stand out.
S’Hostal de Montuiri
S’Hostal de Montuiri is an institution on the island when it comes to pa am boli, being proclaimed as the best place in Mallorca to eat pa amb oli, due to its variety and quality. Informal atmosphere. You must go without rushing.
Another of the star dishes of S’Hostal de Montuiri are the “variados”. Typical of Majorca, they are elaborated joining in a single plate different cooked elaborations. Although the elaborations of which they are composed vary according to the restaurant, the most common ones are the potato omelette, salad, kidneys, mushrooms, pica-pica, meatballs, etc…
Puig de Sant Miquel
The restaurant located in this mountain is distinguished by its family atmosphere. Its elaborations are totally homemade. Traditional Mallorcan dishes: rice brut, suckling pig, leg of lamb, suckling kid, snails, etc…
The diners who have visited it emphasize its abundant rations, the quality of the product, the treatment of the owners and its location, from which all the surroundings are dominated.
We recommend calling to make a reservation as it is usually full, especially on weekends.
Where to stay in Montuiri
Treurer Agritourism
In our small hotel you can experience firsthand everything that surrounds the production of extra virgin olive oil, without sacrificing comfort and exclusivity. Located in the old houses of the Treurer estate, our hotel will open its doors in the spring of 2023.
Would you like to get to know us better and book your stay? You can do it here.
Markets and fairs
The weekly market in Montuiri is every Monday, between 8:00 and 13:00 hours and at its stalls you can find animals, handicrafts, plants, sausages, cheese, fruit and other agricultural products. If you are interested, this article will help you to know better the markets of Pla de Mallorca.
The annual fair that is held in this town could be mentioned as curious, since it is articulated around the partridge.
The main activity that takes place in it is the partridge contest, highly valued by hunters not only from Montuiri but also from all over Mallorca. In addition, we can find traditional products and agricultural machinery, exhibition of dogs of autochthonous breeds, sheep, etc.
Festivities
If something distinguishes the popular festivities of Montuiri is the presence of its cossiers, the most famous and acclaimed of the island.
The dance of the cossiers is traditional in some villages of the island of Mallorca. Young people from the village, dressed in feminine and colorful clothes, perform a dance around a lady to protect her from a devil who tries, with trickery, to harm her.
If you want to know this tradition in depth, we recommend you to read our article, in which we talk in detail about each of the details that surround it.
The festivities of Montuiri are celebrated on August 15, 23 and 24 in honor of its patron saint Sant Bartomeu.
