Santa Ponsa ( Catalan and officially: ''Santa Ponça'') is a small town in the southwest of

Mallorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...

. Located in the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

of Calvià, it is 18 kilometres from the capital Palma.

History

It was long believed that the name Santa Ponsa was derived from a Roman villa called Santa Ponctia. In fact it derives from the Arabic words ''Sanat Busa'', which refer to an area of rush bushes. Santa Ponsa is where King

James I of Aragon James I the Conqueror ( Catalan/Valencian: ''Jaume I or Jaume el Conqueridor''; Aragonese: ''Chaime I'' ''o Conqueridor''; ; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1 ...

(''Jaume'' in Catalan) landed on September 12, 1229, in his successful quest to conquer the island and take it from the

Moors The term Moor is an Endonym and exonym, exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslims, Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a s ...

after more than 300 years of Muslim rule. Following James's conquest, Majorca became part of the

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon (, ) ;, ; ; . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona (later Principality of Catalonia) and ended as a consequence of the War of the Sp ...

; it later was annexed to the

Monarchy of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish monarchy is constitu ...

. A cross at the sea entrance to the marina marks the spot where King James landed. Every September a grand fiesta is held to commemorate the landing with a mock battle between the ''Moors and Christians'' on the beach. The two-week fiesta incorporates a pop concert and fireworks display.

Tourism

The town is a popular holiday destination. Especially from May to October, it attracts people from countries with colder climates, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Some visitors have bought villas and apartments in the hills on each side of the bay. In recent years, it has become a popular party destination among youths due to its nightlife and also its proximity to Magaluf, another party area.

Facilities

Santa Ponsa has two 18-hole (I, II) and one 9-hole

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, tee box, a #Fairway and rough, fairway, the #Fairway and rough, rough and other hazard (golf), hazards, and ...

s (III). Santa Ponsa II has hosted a PGA European Tour event and is open only to club members. Its 18th green is in the shape of the island of Majorca within a pond, reached by a bridge. The Baleares International College, an English school founded in 1956, is located on the road to the nearby village of Magaluf. Santa Ponsa also has a private

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

, ''Club Náutico Santa Ponsa'' (Santa Ponsa Yacht Club), built in 1975 within the natural cove known as "Sa Caleta". The marina can accommodate up to 522 boats from 7m to 20m in length as well as offering dry dock services. Santa Ponsa hosts the Balearic Islands node of the COMETA

electric power transmission Electric power transmission is the bulk movement of electrical energy from a generating site, such as a power plant, to an electrical substation. The interconnected lines that facilitate this movement form a ''transmission network''. This is ...

system from the Spanish mainland.

Santa Ponsa is a well known holiday location for people of all ages, However, it is especially well recognised to be a holiday location for teens of the age 17 and up and was listed as the top ten holiday spot for older teens.

References

External links

Santa Ponsa tourist informationSanta Ponsa tourist information UKSanta Ponsa - MallorcaSanta Ponsa - Majorca
{{Authority control Populated places in Calvià Seaside resorts in Spain