Calvia is bringing its extensive film heritage to life with the launch of a new visitor experience, “Calvià, Film Set”, a film trail designed to showcase the most iconic locations that have appeared on screens around the world. With spectacular scenery, characterised by a coastline dotted with beaches and coves of crystal-clear waters, Calvia has for years served as a natural backdrop for all kinds of international productions. Now, visitors can follow in the footsteps of film crews and actors, discovering the real-life settings behind some of the most iconic films shot on the island.
Calvia Town Council has completed the installation of ten information plaques at ten different locations across the municipality to provide details of the film and television productions shot at each site. The locations, along with detailed information on the productions, can also be viewed on the website calvia365.com.
At each location, visitors will find commemorative plaques with QR codes linking to detailed information on each production, anecdotes and interesting facts about the filming, technical details and historical context, all specifically related to that particular spot in Calvia. The public is invited to follow the full itinerary, transforming their visit to the municipality into a cultural, interactive and narrative experience that brings together landscape, cinematic memory and public engagement.
The initiative aims to position Calvia as a permanent film set and attract both the audiovisual industry and visitors. ‘Calvià, Film Set’ reflects the town’s growing focus on cultural and experiential tourism, offering a fresh and innovative perspective on the town that goes beyond its traditional sun-and-beach appeal. Calvia invites visitors to enjoy an experience through the lens of cinema, where each location tells a story beyond what meets the eye.
The creation of the route also responds to a growing demand for cultural and experiential tourism linked to film and television locations. It is a tourist product that can be enjoyed all year round, contributing to the deseasonalisation and diversification of the municipality’s tourism model.
One of the route’s highlights is Caló d’en Monjo, a small, secluded cove surrounded by pine trees and cliffs.
This was the setting for Evil Under the Sun (1982), directed by Guy Hamilton, who lived in Mallorca and also directed a number of James Bond films, and based on a novel by Agatha Christie, with Peter Ustinov in the role of the legendary detective Hercule Poirot. Decades later, the same cove appeared in Netflix’s White Lines (2019), where its natural beauty becomes a central part of the narrative, capturing the freedom and intensity of life in the cove.
Nearby, Playa del Mago offers one of the most unique stories on the route. Originally part of Portals Vells, the beach was renamed following the filming of The Magus (1968), starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn. The production left a lasting legacy, and the destination continues to retain its cinematic identity to this day.
Calvia’s versatility is further demonstrated in The Hustle (2019), starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Filmed in Puerto Portals and on the terrace of the luxurious Hospes Maricel Hotel and Spa, Mallorca was transformed into the French Riviera, with its superyachts, sea views and elegant settings that perfectly replicated the glamour of the Côte d’Azur.
Beyond the big screen, Calvia’s locations have become a go-to spot for international advertising and fashion campaigns. Cala Comtessa, for example, was transformed into a Mediterranean-inspired catwalk for H&M’s global spring-summer 2022 campaign starring Gigi Hadid, whilst the cliffs and coves of Portals Vells have featured in productions such as The Mallorca Files (BBC).
Santa Ponsa remains one of the island’s most recognisable bays. Over the years, it has served as the backdrop for historic film shoots such as Bahía de Palma (1962), famous for featuring the first bikini in Spanish cinema. Today, its wide white-sand beach and sheltered setting continue to be a magnet for both tourism and the audiovisual industry.
The launch of “Calvià, Film Set” is being coordinated with Conecta Magaluf, which will take place from 25 to 28 May, allowing the route and locations to be showcased directly to key decision-makers from the international audiovisual sector visiting the municipality. Conecta Magaluf is an international professional event aimed at promoting co-production, project development and collaboration among the main players in the audiovisual industry, in both fiction and entertainment.
Over four days, the event will bring together around 400 professionals from the audiovisual sector, including executives from major media groups, television platforms, production companies, advertising agencies, creative talent and investors from Europe and the Americas. In this way, Calvia reinforces its position not only as a venue for professional events and conferences, but also as an active player on the international audiovisual map, capable of combining industry, tourism, culture and international promotion within a coherent, long-term strategy.
The initiative forms part of the awareness campaign on sustainable tourism in Magalluf, which promotes responsible behaviour among tourists and residents, fostering coexistence and care for the environment; an initiative driven by the Balearic Government and funded through the Sustainable Tourism Tax. Calvia Town Council frames these actions under the slogan ‘Magaluf for All’.
A few weeks before the Conecta Magaluf event, the AI Movie Awards will take place, a competition aimed at discussing the benefits of technology applied to audiovisual storytelling. On 24 and 25 April, Magalluf will host a brand-new film festival focused on the benefits and application of artificial intelligence in the film industry.
The main mission of this event is to raise the profile of emerging filmmakers and foster debate on how these technological tools can democratise audiovisual creation, enhance creators’ capabilities and open up distribution opportunities. The festival will recognise the creativity of works generated using artificial intelligence, positioning Calvia as a laboratory for new narratives. The event is expected to bring together over 200 professionals from the audiovisual sector.
The “Calvià, Film Set” project is a key element in the official designation of 2026 as the Year of Cinema. Through this initiative, the Town Council aims to consolidate its position as an international audiovisual destination, whilst celebrating its historic cinematic legacy. The Mayor of Calvia, Juan Antonio Amengual, has stated that “this is a new tourist and cultural itinerary created to highlight a cinematic legacy built up over decades. It is an invitation to discover coves, beaches and landscapes that not only dazzle with their natural beauty, but also form part of the history of cinema and television”.
In short, with the AI Movie Awards taking place in April, coupled with the arrival of professionals from Conecta Magaluf in late May and the launch of the “Calvià, Film Set” tourist route, Calvia is advancing its international profile and establishing itself as a comprehensive destination for the audiovisual industry, capable of blending the area’s tourist excellence with leadership in the debate on the new narrative and technological frontiers offered by artificial intelligence in the visual arts.