Montuïri, the land of windmills, historically linked to cereal farming and flour milling, offers a rich blend of culture, heritage and tradition. That makes it a must for anyone who wants to discover the most traditional side of Mallorca, set in beautiful rural surroundings.
Despite the social changes of recent decades, Montuïri is still a strongly agricultural village, which has helped preserve a landscape shaped for centuries by rich farmland. Most crops are dry-farmed —especially cereals and vines— though there is also some irrigated land fed by simple water systems.
This cereal-growing land needed machines to turn wheat into flour, so people turned to the cheapest energy available: the wind. Dozens of windmills were built across the municipality and around the village, creating Montuïri's distinctive skyline.
A short history
Montuïri bears witness to the many civilisations that have passed through it, from the Talayotic world to today's tourist Mallorca. The settlement of Son Fornés, inhabited during the first millennium BC, preserves the largest talayot in Mallorca and two Roman-period sanctuaries. In 1300, King James II granted the Settlement Charter that founded the town and set out the regular street plan of the old town, the characteristic "Quadrat". In the 17th century the Molinar quarter filled with flour mills, which worked until the arrival of electricity.
Landscape and countryside
Montuïri lies in the Pla de Mallorca, the island's central plain: wide fields of cereals, vines and almond trees, dry-stone walls, waterwheels, wells and rural windmills. Puig de Sant Miquel, a protected Natural Area of Special Interest, is the municipality's great viewpoint, crowned by the hermitage of the Mare de Déu de la Bona Pau (1396).
Its unique historic centre and rich heritage make Montuïri a quality destination. Explore it with our guide to
what to see in Montuïri, experience its traditions at the
fairs and festivals, or join the
guided tour to discover it with expert guides.
Visit and discover this special place where the land reaches for the sky.
Montuïri is in the centre of Mallorca, in the Pla region, on a hill beside the Palma-Manacor motorway (Ma-15). It is 30 km from Palma, 22 km from Manacor and 21 km from Palma airport (Son Sant Joan).
Take the Ma-15 motorway towards Manacor and leave at exit 27 (Montuïri) or exit 29 (Porreres). Both entrances have signposted visitor car parks.
Because cereal farming required dozens of flour windmills. Eight still stand in the Molinar quarter and many more are scattered across the countryside.
