Winter construction in Port d'Alcúdia and Colònia de Sant Jordi

In the quiet winter months, municipalities use the lull in tourists: extensive waterfront and road works are starting in Port d'Alcúdia and Colònia de Sant Jordi — with new trees, wider sidewalks and cameras on the promenade.

Winter sleep? Not for the excavators

When the chairs in the cafés along the promenade stay turned over and the rental sunbeds lie quietly, construction machines roll in on Mallorca. This time two of the best-known holiday resorts are being worked on: Port d'Alcúdia in the north and Colònia de Sant Jordi in the southeast.

Port d'Alcúdia: Promenade, trees and surveillance

In Port d'Alcúdia the waterfront promenade is at the top of the to-do list. The old asphalt surfaces, which in places looked torn up and patched, are being renewed. Locals report that the work is scheduled to begin as early as mid-November — early in the morning when the first delivery vans arrive, and mostly on weekdays until late afternoon.

Authorities also plan to replant around 50 trees. Not a bad idea: shade for the warm months and a friendlier look for strollers. At the same time, cameras that can read license plates will be installed in some places. That elicits mixed reactions — understandable: those who value peace view it critically, while those frustrated by illegal parking welcome it.

Colònia de Sant Jordi: New sidewalks and streetlights

Things are different but equally thorough in Colònia de Sant Jordi. Gabriel Roca Street will get a new surface. The works are scheduled to take about four months, with a budget of just over €400,000. That's a significant sum, but not outrageous — for a popular coastal town that receives many times that number of visitors in summer, well-maintained roads are important.

Important for pedestrians: the sidewalks will be widened to around 2.25 metres. That may sound like a small number, but in practice it's a real improvement in comfort, especially for families with prams, cyclists and older visitors. New streetlights should make evenings safer and give the town a more modern look.

Why now?

Simply put: the tourist lull. In winter there are fewer people around, some businesses are closed, and the construction sites hardly disrupt most daily routines. Municipalities and the port authority use this time to carry out disruptive work without causing major hassle for guests and businesses. With clear air, cool mornings and often still sunny afternoons, work can proceed well — say the site managers.

What residents say

A café owner in Colònia says it's better to do it now than in the middle of the season: “I accept a bit of noise if afterwards there is more space on the pavement.” Others are more skeptical, hoping for noise protection times and clean site management. The tone remains pragmatic: Mallorca lives off tourism — and functional infrastructure.

Practical information

If you are arriving in the coming months or live on the island: expect detours, temporary closures and working hours on weekdays. Many measures are planned to be completed before the next high season — that is the goal. In short: it will rumble now so that things run better later.