Ses Salines is the village many tourists miss because they drive straight through to Colònia de Sant Jordi. A pity, because the village is the more pleasant place to stay. In the center stands the church of Sant Bartomeu from 1894, a massive building for a village of 5,000 people, and the bell tower is visible from everywhere. Around it: old stone houses with green shutters, narrow alleys, and noticeably many cats dozing in the midday sun.
For food I know of two options. Cassai on the edge of town in a 300-year-old patio house, on the smarter side, good for a long evening dinner with wine. Sa Plaça directly on the square, simpler, Mallorcan, good for lunch. Neither is a secret tip, both are solid.
What sets Ses Salines apart from Santanyí or the Colònia: it is not a tourist place. In summer day-trippers pass through, in winter it is empty. The salt pans themselves (Llevant salinas) lie 4 km south toward the beach and are what gave the village its name. If you are there anyway, drive the road toward Botanicactus, a private cactus garden with 12,000 plants, the first cactus at the entrance is 300 years old.
For a place to stay: Hotel Can Bonico in the village center, in an old manor house, small pool in the patio. If you do not need beach access and want a few quiet days, this is a better base than the hotels in the Colònia.
