It is around 35 km (22 miles) from Palma and the airport. Similar to the other coastal towns in Mallorca, Andratx is around 5 km (3 miles) inland from its port area otherwise known as Puerto Andratx.

Although Andratx is not exactly tourist-orientated, it is a popular choice among foreigners who have bought their second homes in the area. Its secluded location as well as its friendly atmosphere had allowed it to continuously attract the rich and famous for many years now which may have contributed to the area’s thriving expat community.

Esglesia de Santa Maria, Andratx – Photo by Aisano, Wikimedia Commons

Below we feature an expat interview with Javier Arriola of First Mallorca who covers the Andratx area.

Specifically, we asked Javier on the advantages of choosing Andratx as a place to live and the value for money that one can get if you decide to stay permanently in the area.

Javier, thanks for helping our readers. I guess we should start off by asking what would you say would be the advantages to living in Andratx compared to other Mallorca towns?

There are lots of advantages, but to keep it short and to pick out the main ones:

There is no other place where landscapes are so beautiful, views are so spectacular, mountains and the Mediterrenean Sea are within one´s reach and people are so friendly and nice to each other but everybody still enjoys such a high quality of life and get their money´s worth.

People in Port Andratx are very multifarious, diversed, open and tolerant as well as aware about the safe investment opportunities and the healthy property market situation.

Old Watchtower, Andratx – Photo by Carschten, Wikimedia Commons

Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?

People who love to live close to big beaches and want to share them with lots of tourists will never be happy in Puerto de Andratx.

What proportion of the local population are Spanish?

Approximately 30 percent.

What are your favourite things to do in the area?

Having dinner in one of the most amazing Italian restaurants.

Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?

I definitely recommend Miji Mij for a sundowner and Made in Italy or Osteria de Sandro – the two best pizza bakers in town.

For the calm evenings at home, there is a delivery service of a very delicious Thai restaurant called Tuk Tuk which delivers their food with a proper autorick.

Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?

There are international doctors, dentists, a pharmacy and plenty of shops, like supermarkets, fashion and souvenir shops.

Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?

Yes, the very pictoresque St. Elm or San Telmo is a beautiful fishing village overlooking the Dragonera island, which is a Nature Reserve.

There is also S´Arraco with its bohemian atmosphere and weekly markets.

What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?

All the international schools tend to be centered around Palma, the nearest of Andratx being probably BIC near El Torro.

There are several in Portals Nous (Agora and King Richard´s), one is San Agusti (Bellver College), one in La Bonanova (Queen´s College).

Then there are Swedish and French in El Terreno and 15 minutes North of Palma The Academy in Marratxi.

Is crime an issue for expats?

Mallorca is a safe place due to several factors. One of the main factors is the clientelle it attracts – vast majority of the people coming to the island are well off people who are coming to enjoy the luxurious island.

People who live here tend to be professionals or families, not impoverished or unemployed.

Having said that, petty crime exists everywhere. The difference is that Mallorca being an island, it is not so easy for the criminals to get off.

Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?

The market has been steadily climbing 10 percent year on year, but for very special or unique properties even more. No signs of the market slowing down, on contrary. The prediction for 2017 is a growth of just over 12.5 percent.

Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?

Yes, a very good time to buy, although the market is going up. There are still good value properties, especially if one is prepared to do some renovations.

How much are the typical property prices in Andratx for apartments, villas etc?

There are no typical prices. A 2-bedroom apartment can be 250,000 Euros but it can also be over two million.
Houses can start at 500,000 and can go up to 30 million.

Javier, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact him, you can find his details below.

First Mallorca

Central Office
Avda Tomás Blanes, 41
07181 Costa d’en Blanes
Tel. +34 971 679 445
Website: www.firstmallorca.com

Javier Arriola
Office Manager of Puerto de Andratx
Email: [email protected]

Here is an interesting tourist video on Andratx.

La entrada Andratx, Mallorca – Quick Essential Tourist Guide From Locals aparece primero en First Mallorca's Blog.

The Government of the Balearic Islands initiates the processing of the Proposed Draft Law for the modification of Law 8/2012, of July 19th, on tourism in the Balearic Islands, concerning the commercialization of tourist stays.

On December 9th , 2016, the Government has published a text or draft in the framework of the study tasks prior to the start of the processing of the Draft for the modification of the Tourism Law of the Balearic Islands.

In any case, it must be borne in mind that we find ourselves beforehand a preparatory text which, in its later evolution until becoming Law, may undergo many modifications, but which nevertheless serves as a basis for knowing what the main lines of action of the Government in the modification of Law 8/2012, of July 19th, on tourism in the Balearic Islands will be.

The main objectives that the new regulation pursues are basically three:

1) ESTABLISH A REAL ROOF OF TOURIST PLACES IN GENERAL, to try to avoid the tourist saturation.

2) IMPROVE THE CURRENT REGULATION AND REGULATE THE TOURIST RENTAL IN MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, trying in this way to put order in the tourist rental.

3) GUARANTEE ACCESS TO HOUSING, trying to solve the problem of reducing the supply of rental apartments for residents, as well as the increase in rents.

Taking these objectives into account, we will briefly outline the main novelties that the text contains and, if they are accepted in the law that is ultimately approved, would mean a major change in the tourism model to the existing moment in the Balearic Islands, fundamentally in relation to the commercialization of tourist stays in houses.

Such developments are as follows:

1) The intention is to make effective the principle of “exchange of places” with the purpose of establishing a real roof of tourist places. To this end, exceptions to the existing exchange of places, with the exception of Menorca, will be abolished, where there will be a transitional period during which the Island Council will establish its own roof of places and its own exchange of tourist places. Therefore, anyone who wants to open a tourist establishment or market tourist stays in a dwelling will have to buy places by going to the corresponding island exchange, as long as there are places available. The places may also be acquired from tourist accommodation or dwellings that are discharged, provided they have previously purchased the places.

2) Plans for intervention in tourist areas (PIAT) and, where appropriate, island territorial plans (PTIs) will be of fundamental importance as they will be able to establish the maximum overall population density, delineate areas and areas of tourism and protection, and set necessary requirements, as well as any relevant exceptions. The PIAT and, where applicable, the PTIs, will determine the maximum limit for island of tourist places in tourist accommodation and the maximum limit of places in residential housing likely to be commercialized touristically.

3) City hotels, inland tourism establishments, and hostels, as well as hostels and tourist refuges according to what is determined by regulation, will be exempt from the “tourist ratio”.

4) The commercialization of tourist stays in houses located in multi-family buildings will be allowed.

5) New minimum requirements, both legal, as urban, sustainability, energy efficiency and tourism quality are introduced, which are to be met by the dwellings.

6) It will not be possible to commercialize tourist houses that have not presented DRIAT or that in spite of having presented it they do not fulfil the established requirements.

7) The pages and web platforms of commercialization of tourist stays can only announce registered housing. Websites that do not comply with this requirement may be sanctioned.

8) The presentation of the DRIAT that refers to tourist stays in residential dwellings subject to the horizontal property regime will enable for the exercise of the activity for a term of 5 years from the said presentation in the Tourism Administration. After this period, tourism marketing may continue only if all legal or regulatory requirements, for a period of up to 5 years, continue to be met, and under the terms that are established.

9) It will be mandatory to have a valid occupancy certificate or similar qualifying title. No more places may be marketed than permitted by the occupancy certificate or similar title.

10) Only new DRIATS may be presented, when these declarations refer to residential homes located in areas declared expressly approved by the Insular Councils or by the Town Hall of Palma. To these effects to the DRIAT must be accompanied an accredited municipal certificate.

11) The “Consells Insulars”, following a report from the town halls, will delimit the areas suitable for the commercialization of tourist stays in residential housing. Only new commercialization will be allowed in these areas, whether one-family or multi-family dwellings.

12) It is not possible to commercialize tourist stays in houses that have a record of urban development infraction or houses that are excluded of the valid regional development registration.

13) The houses will be required to have their own water meter provided they receive the water from a public water supply network.

14) It will be obligatory the previous obtaining of the certificate of energy efficiency.

15) It will only be allowed to commercialize tourist stays in multi-family dwellings subject to horizontal ownership, in the event it is not prohibited by the statutes or the constitutive title or, where appropriate, when there is express authorization from the community.

16) Residential dwellings that are under official protection regime may not be marketed.

17) The marketer of tourist stays must send to the Police the information regarding the stay of the people staying in the dwellings.

18) The express obligation to respect and comply with basic standards of coexistence, as well as public order and, where appropriate, internal system of the community of owners, as well as the obligation to expressly inform those customers or users is introduced.

19) The formalization of contracts by rooms will not be allowed.

20) Only the commercialization of tourist stays in constructions or buildings that have a minimum age of 10 years will be allowed.

21) New commercialization of tourist stays will be prohibited in dwellings located on protected on rural land, unless otherwise stated in the PIAT or the PTI.

22) There must be at least one bathroom for each 4 places.

23) Owners of tourist establishments or marketers, with the express consent of the owner, must communicate, in the terms that are established in the Law, the temporary or definitive discharge of their activity, which must be registered in the corresponding registry, all in the terms, with the exceptions and effects that are determined by law or regulation.

24) In multi-family dwellings the tourist places will be acquired for periods of 5 years renewable.

25) New offenses are defined and the drafting of existing ones modified.

26) The amount of sanctions provided for the illegal offer will be increased considerably, with penalties of between 20.001 and 40.000 Euros being considered where the infringement refers to non-compliance with the regulatory requirements for the exercise of the activity in relation to the marketing of tourist stays in housing for residential use, and also regulating the accessory sanction of temporary suspension of the activity.

PLEASE DO NOT DOUBT TO CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

ILLESLEX, S.L. – CIF: B-57157620; Calle Olmos 50 Esc. A – 1º, 07003, Palma.

La entrada The Government of the Balearic Islands initiates the processing of the Proposed Draft Law for the modification of Law 8/2012, of July 19th, on tourism in the Balearic Islands, concerning the commercialization of tourist stays. aparece primero en First Mallorca's Blog.

Together, let us make this world a better place.
Merry Christmas and a most cheerful 2017!

Christmas Day in the Morning

By Pearl S. Buck

He woke suddenly and completely. It was four o’clock, the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and help with the milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still! Fifty years ago, and his father had been dead for thirty years, and yet he waked at four o’clock in the morning. He had trained himself to turn over and go to sleep, but this morning it was Christmas, he did not try to sleep.

Why did he feel so awake tonight? He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was fifteen years old and still on his father’s farm. He loved his father. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.

“Mary, I hate to call Rob in the mornings. He’s growing so fast and he needs his sleep. If you could see how he sleeps when I go in to wake him up! I wish I could manage alone.”

“Well, you can’t, Adam.” His mother’s voice was brisk. “Besides, he isn’t a child anymore. It’s time he tok his turn.”

“Yes,” his father said slowly. “But I sure do hate to wake him.”

When he heard these words, something in him spoke: his father loved him! He had never thought of that before, taking for granted the tie of their blood. Neither his father nor his mother talked about loving their children–they had no time for such things. There was always so much to do on the farm.

Now that he knew his father loved him, there would be no loitering in the mornings and having to be called again. He got up after that, stumbling blindly in his sleep, and pulled on his clothes, his eyes shut, but he got up.

And then on the night before Christmas, that year when he was fifteen, he lay for a few minutes thinking about the next day. They were poor, and most of the excitement was in the turkey they had raised themselves and mince pies his mother made. His sisters sewed presents and his mother and father always bought him something he needed, not only a warm jacket, maybe, but something more, such as a book. And he saved and bought them each something, too.

He wished, that Christmas when he was fifteen, he had a better present for his father. As usual he had gone to the ten-cent store and bought a tie. It had seemed nice enough until he lay thinking the night before Christmas. He looked out of his attic window, the stars were bright.

“Dad,” he had once asked when he was a little boy, “What is a stable?”

“It’s just a barn,” his father had replied, “like ours.”

Then Jesus had been born in a barn, and to a barn the shepherds had come…

The thought struck him like a silver dagger. Why should he not give his father a special gift too, out there in the barn? He could get up early, earlier than four o’clock, and he could creep into the barn and get all the milking done. He’d do it alone, milk and clean up, and then when his father went in to start the milking he’d see it all done. And he would know who had done it. He laughed to himself as he gazed at the stars. It was what he would do, and he mustn’t sleep too sound.

He must have waked twenty times, scratching a match to look each time to look at his old watch — midnight, and half past one, and then two o’clock.

At a quarter to three he got up and put on his clothes. He crept downstairs, careful of the creaky boards, and let himself out. The cows looked at him, sleepy and surprised. It was early for them, too.

He had never milked all alone before, but it seemed almost easy. He kept thinking about his father’s surprise. His father would come in and get him, saying that he would get things started while Rob was getting dressed. He’d go to the barn, open the door, and then he’d go get the two big empty milk cans. But they wouldn’t be waiting or empty, they’d be standing in the milk-house, filled.
“What the–,” he could hear his father exclaiming.

He smiled and milked steadily, two strong streams rushing into the pail, frothing and fragrant.

The task went more easily than he had ever known it to go before. Milking for once was not a chore. It was something else, a gift to his father who loved him. He finished, the two milk cans were full, and he covered them and closed the milk-house door carefully, making sure of the latch.

Back in his room he had only a minute to pull off his clothes in the darkness and jump into bed, for he heard his father up. He put the covers over his head to silence his quick breathing. The door opened.

“Rob!” His father called. “We have to get up, son, even if it is Christmas.”

“Aw-right,” he said sleepily.

The door closed and he lay still, laughing to himself. In just a few minutes his father would know. His dancing heart was ready to jump from his body.

The minutes were endless — ten, fifteen, he did not know how many — and he heard his father’s footsteps again. The door opened and he lay still.

“Rob!”

“Yes, Dad–”

His father was laughing, a queer sobbing sort of laugh.

“Thought you’d fool me, did you?” His father was standing by his bed, feeling for him, pulling away the cover.

“It’s for Christmas, Dad!”

He found his father and clutched him in a great hug. He felt his father’s arms go around him. It was dark and they could not see each other’s faces.

“Son, I thank you. Nobody ever did a nicer thing–”

“Oh, Dad, I want you to know — I do want to be god!” The words broke from him of their own will. He did not know what to say. His heart was bursting with love.

He got up and pulled on his clothes again and they went down to the Christmas tree. Oh what a Christmas, and how his heart had nearly burst again with shyness and pride as his father told his mother and made the younger children listen about how he, Rob, had got up all by himself.

“The best Christmas gift I ever had, and I’ll remember it, son every year on Christmas morning, so long as I live.”

They had both remembered it, and now that his father was dead, he remembered it alone: that blessed Christmas dawn when, alone with the cows in the barn, he had made his first gift of true love.

This Christmas he wanted to write a card to his wife and tell her how much he loved her, it had been a long time since he had really told her, although he loved her in a very special way, much more than he ever had when they were young. He had been fortunate that she had loved him. Ah, that was the true joy of life, the ability to love. Love was still alive in him, it still was.

It occurred to him suddenly that it was alive because long ago it had been born in him when he knew his father loved him. That was it: Love alone could awaken love. And he could give the gift again and again.This morning, this blessed Christmas morning, he would give it to his beloved wife. He could write it down in a letter for her to read and keep forever. He went to his desk and began his love letter to his wife: My dearest love…

Such a happy, happy Christmas!

THE END

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First Mallorca, the leading local real estate company is once again the principal sponsor of theMajorcaDaily Bulletin golf competition. Heidi Stadler, Chief Executive of the company

tells Bulletin editor Jason Moore about their recipe for success.

1. Jason Moore: First Mallorca, is one of the most successful companies on the island.What is your recipe for success?

Heidi Stadler: “Passion is the best ingredient for success!We all have not only a right but also a responsibility to be happy in our life.Our profession is part of it. I love what I am

doing and Robert Maunder who owns the company with me always shared the same passion with me/us. This was and is the motto of First Mallorca.”

2. Do you think golf, and Majorca’s golf course shave helped Majorca over the years?

“Clearly golf tourism is of major importance to the island. The golf courses have created an additional quality of life for foreigners and local inhabitants alike. It is a superbly

healthy and positive addition to the island.”

3. How would you define Majorca?

“Majorca is a heaven. Majorca is becoming a brand, and for me, stands for beauty of life.Majorca is an inspiration and an opportunity to enjoy life fully.Whatever you are

looking for, you will be able to find it. In my personal life Majorca is good energy, light and a sun rise full of opportunities every day …”

4. Majorca is continuing to evolve,how do you see Majorca in 20 years time?

“Majorca is a micro-cosmos. The key lies in a consolidated society with the necessary understanding between all nations enjoying this paradise. Tourism is of paramount importance for the island, so is real estate but the fact of the matter is to feel and continue to feel welcome. We should never forget to be a good host.”

5.Do you think thatMajorca is one of the most desired places on earth?

“I travelled for 11 years before settling down on the island. For me Majorca is special. The world has many magic places. Majorca certainly has many ingredients of this magic and

attracts therefore many people of different walks of life.Desire is a strong feeling and comes from a wish. When you are ready for paradise, you will find it.”

6.How is the real estate market at the moment?

“It seems the whole world wants a piece of paradise . So many nationalities are ready to invest in Majorca and conclude transactions,bringing prices partly to a higher level than

before the lean years after the demise of Lehman Brothers. Only positive news from us.”

7.Do you think that the majority of people who buy a home on the island are looking for sun and beach?

“Tourists are to be guided to open up to more than sun and beach as the majority seems to only look for these factors. Anyone who really wants to discover Majorca knows of course, that there is so much more to it! Palma is the best example for the new quality of life with so many fantastic new boutique hotels open now. Be it be walking, climbing, cycling or simply sitting in the sun in winter and philosophy -Majorca is the perfect setting for a soul to relax.”

8. And on a final note, would you like to learn to play golf?

“I would be fully in the hands of a patient, humorous and caring Pro! If I get the right CV, I start immediately jajaja…”

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Just last week Mr. Barceló reported the imminent release of a draft law to be submitted to all parties and that after parliamentary procedure could come into force next January 1st, 2017.

This future regulation will not define the areas or regions where properties can be rent to tourists, but as drafted and adopted the Intervention Plan in Tourist Areas (PIAT), a task entrusted to the Consell and Municipalities, the bases will be made to regulate the tourist rental, listing a decalogue of the requirements for a residential housing is intended for holiday rental, setting minimum measures and services to be offered to the client. In any case, if the statutes of the Community referred to prohibit the holiday rental, it would not be possible to carry out such activity, as the Community will always prevail. In practice, a large number of homes that do not meet the legal conditions will be excluded.

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Success and passion last night at the round table “Club Diario de Mallorca” about the “Female Economy in Mallorca.” Our CEO and Co-founder, Heidi Stadler, shared the table with other successful women very influential in the economy of Mallorca to talk about their passion, intuition,optimism, humbelness, and sensuality in the way they run their business.

See more details

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