Ses Salines

Ses Salines occupies the southernmost tip of Mallorca and is a small municipality with two very distinct parts: a quiet inland village that is agricultural and has little traffic, and the Colònia de Sant Jordi, a coastal settlement by the sea that serves as the departure port to the Cabrera archipelago and the gateway to many of the virgin beaches in the south. The municipality also shares with Campos the sandy beach of Es Trenc and the salt flats that give it its name, which have been in operation since ancient times. There are no large developments or built-up seafronts from one side to the other: the protection of the coastline has left a municipality with plenty of coast and little construction, which defines its market.

The municipality is flat and low-lying, with dry land, almond trees, fig trees, and pine forests, featuring a long coastline of sandy beaches, dunes, and low rock, with the salt flats as the element that gives it its name and character: they have been exploited since ancient times and, along with their ponds and the surrounding wetland, create a landscape unlike any other on the island. The village of Ses Salines is small and discreet, with low houses and quiet streets, with the parish church as a reference point and a laid-back local life. The Colònia de Sant Jordi, on the other hand, originated as a settlement linked to salt and fishing and later grew as a beach destination, retaining the port and a more maritime character that is less crowded than other points along the Mallorcan coastline.

The municipality has two settlements and plenty of countryside and protected coastline in between. Ses Salines village concentrates the main residences and services of the municipality, with village houses, some apartments, and more affordable prices. The Colònia de Sant Jordi is the coastal settlement and the larger of the two in terms of offerings: port, promenade, beaches, shops, and restaurants, with apartments, townhouses, and villas, and a mix of residents and second homes. Next to the sandy beach of Es Trenc, Ses Covetes —shared with the neighbouring municipality— and the access points to the protected area. Surrounding it is the rural land with fincas, country houses, and dry land plots. There are no extensive developments like those found on the coast of Llucmajor or Santanyí; the choice is between village, Colònia, and countryside.

The village functions as the administrative centre, with local shops, municipal services, primary healthcare and education, sports facilities, and a constant local life throughout the year. The Colònia de Sant Jordi has its own range of shops, restaurants, and services, which is quite comprehensive in season and more limited in winter, although it maintains a resident population and more winter activity than a pure development, due to its status as a village with a port. For specialised services and larger commercial offerings, the reference points are Campos, Llucmajor, or Palma. It is a comfortable municipality to live in year-round in either of its two settlements, with the difference that the village does not feel the seasonal impact as much as the Colònia does.

Here lies almost all its value. The coastline of the municipality includes Es Trenc —an open sandy beach with no buildings on the front line, shared with Campos—, the salt flats, and the surrounding wetland, sandy beaches next to the Colònia, and stretches of low rock and pine forest, as well as islets off the coast. From the port of the Colònia de Sant Jordi, boats depart to the Cabrera archipelago, a maritime-terrestrial national park and one of the best-preserved natural areas in the Mediterranean, making the municipality the gateway to an exceptional place. There is also a botanical garden of cacti and plants from arid zones, one of the largest in Europe, which is another well-known attraction of the municipality. The flat interior is ideal for cycling and rural paths.

Ses Salines is located at the southern tip, connected by road to Campos, Santanyí, and Llucmajor, and through them, to the motorway towards Palma. It is not close to the capital or the airport —this is the most important aspect to consider—, but the journey is comfortable, flat, and without mountains. Within the municipality, the distance between the village and the Colònia de Sant Jordi is significant, and a car is necessary to move between the two, to access the countryside, and to reach the entrances to Es Trenc. Public transport connects the two settlements with neighbouring municipalities and Palma, with frequencies typical of a small municipality and better in season. In summer, access and parking around Es Trenc and in the Colònia are critical points.

The supply is limited and spread between the two settlements. In Ses Salines village, there are village houses of one or two floors, many with patios and often in need of renovation, and some apartments, in the more accessible part of the municipality. In the Colònia de Sant Jordi, there are apartments and penthouses near the sea and the promenade, townhouses and villas in the residential areas, some with sea views: this is where most of the offerings are, as well as the higher price ranges. In the countryside, there are fincas and country houses with dry land, which are scarce and highly sought after. New builds are very limited, constrained by the protection of the coastline and natural spaces, so the market is primarily focused on second-hand properties, rehabilitation, and renovation, with a considerable amount of stock from the early stages of tourism development in the Colònia.

The municipality combines a market for main residences in the village, with local and regional demand and affordable prices, with a market for second homes in the Colònia de Sant Jordi, where international and national buyers are attracted by the sea, the proximity of Es Trenc, and the character of a village with a port. The total volume of supply is small, and it is important to view it as what it is: a municipality where little is built by law and where sales occur slowly. This sustains the value of what exists, especially in the Colònia and in the countryside. The supply of long-term residential rentals is more realistic in the village than on the coast, where seasonal rentals heavily influence the market.

Ses Salines particularly suits those seeking the sea in a sparsely built municipality, those who want to live in a village with a port rather than in a development, profiles of second home buyers attracted by the southern beaches and the proximity of Es Trenc, those looking for an affordable village house or dry land finca, and enthusiasts of boating and nature, due to Cabrera and the salt flats. It is important to consider, however, the distance to Palma and the airport, which is the most significant factor, the seasonality of the Colònia compared to the stability of the village, the overcrowding and access limitations to the Es Trenc area in summer, the dependence on cars between the two settlements, the limited services within the municipality, the age of part of the housing stock in the Colònia, and the low volume of supply, which requires a patient search.