© Stefan Werner
© seemallorca.com/
© seemallorca.com/
© Stefan Werner
© Anton Vamplew
© seemallorca.com
© seemallorca.com
Ermita de Betlem, Arta
Church in the wilds of Llevant Natural Park
The Ermita de Betlem was founded in 1805 by the monks of Saint Honoratus, Randa and the Holy Trinity of Valldemossa. The church has a solar clock and a rose window, and lies at the end of a cypress tree-lined driveway.
The church was designed by architect Joan Rosselló, and inside there are sculptures by Adrià Ferran and a vault decorated with frescoes by Francesc Parietti.
The hermitage is completed by orchards, a fountain and outbuildings (including an ancient water-mill) that allowed the monks to live self-sufficiently.
Due to the steep climb to reach the chapel, and the wonderful views, it is very popular with cyclists and hikers.
Visitor comments
- "Another church / monastery visit on our hilly cycling holiday in Mallorca. Interesting & spectacular ride out from Artà up & down the switchbacks to the church. A secluded location with a very interesting interior. Well worth a longer visit than we had that day" - Trip Advisor
- "Some twenty years ago a local told us about his 'secret place' where he went for solitude. There were no directional signs to Ermita de Betlem in those days and we had to rely on a hand-drawn map. We became regular visitors - a tranquil and beautiful spot far removed from the hustle and bustle of tourist Majorca - where we were often the only visitors. It is now very much busier and the limited parking at the end of the road can be problematic. But once you are on foot the peace and quiet still surrounds you. There is a lovely short walk which leads pass the spring and if you follow the path for about 1 mile, it comes out on a headland overlooking the whole of Bay of Alcudia. We take a drink and small picnic with us - sitting on the flat rocks at he end - taking in the views. Perfect!" - Trip Advisor
- "Beautiful drive through national park area along windy, steep but well maintained roads. The views are glorious but not many viewpoint stops along the road so you may need to stop on the road itself to take in the view or take photos. The church and surrounding area is so peaceful and calm. We came from a day at the small beach at Colonial de Sant Pere, a lovely quiet town which is also worth a visit for coffee/meal/swim." - Trip Advisor
Directions
The site lies right next to the sea and there are several paths that lead both along the coastline and back through the Llevent Natural Park to Arta. See our Walking Routes page for more details. You can also access the site by car - it is sign-posted from Arta.
