Valldemossa is one of Mallorca's most-visited places. A must-see village in the Tramuntana Mountains, renowned for the Charterhouse and the winter in Mallorca that Frédéric Chopin and George Sand spent in 1838-39, the massive influx of tourists provides an important source of income for businesses but also brings problems that are evident year after year.
Residents can at times feel overwhelmed by the numbers of people, by the hire cars, the coaches and the cyclists. Security is a matter of increasing concern. This is not confined to the main season, as Valldemossa attracts its visitors in the low season as well - and attracts crime.
This is a municipality with a small police force. The Guardia Civil have a wide area for which they are responsible in this part of the Tramuntana. Residents are demanding a greater response from the town hall, one observing that during the winter there were days when it was frightening to be out on the streets after sunset. There have been robberies from homes and businesses, and on the streets there are the pickpockets. Disguising themselves as tourists, they take advantage - as they do anywhere - of crowds of people.
Catching a bus can be problematic because tourists add to the local demand. Excursions coaches drop visitors off on the outskirts, and they all head for the main attractions, such as the Charterhouse. There are traffic management issues, and at times there are queues of traffic several kilometres long coming from Palma. There is residents-only parking but it is not adequately signed, which causes confusion for visitors. Cyclists park their bikes in such a way that they are obstacles to pedestrians, something that happens elsewhere, e.g. in Bunyola and Soller.
There is the volume of traffic on the winding road to Port Valldemossa. Speaking about the congestion, a business owner says this has been raised on various occasions. "Nothing has been done to prevent it or find solutions."
A beautiful place but one where the residents fear another summer of overcrowding and chaos.