Sightseeing

San Miguel Tourist Guide

San Miguel lies in the north, on a hill overlooking a wide bay: the port of San Miguel.

Sant Miquel is a small village, almost a hamlet, halfway between Sant Joan, the municipality it belongs to, and Sant Antoni. As soon as you arrive you find yourself on the main street that runs through the village, and you see the church of Sant Miquel de Balansat, around which the village grew up. Built in the 16th century as a fortress church, it protected the whole area from the pirates who landed at the port, which you can see perfectly from up here. It stands on a mound that overlooks the entire valley, and a winding road leads down from it to the main street. A handful of picturesque houses and a few apartment buildings make up the rest of the village.

Life in Sant Miquel

This is one of the quietest and cleanest parts of the island, with a surprisingly green landscape and air that is a pleasure to breathe. Its best-known spot is the church square of Sant Miquel, which pays tribute to Marià Villangómez, the distinguished poet and writer. The beauty and solemnity of the upper village change as you head down: the old brick houses built around the church give you an idea of what winters are like here, facing so squarely north, and further down come the modern buildings that surround so much history.

Places of interest in San Miguel

If you are visiting Sant Miquel de Balansat, don’t miss these spots.

Church of San Miguel

This fortified church was built in the 16th century as both a place of worship and a defensive refuge. A century later it was extended with the Benirràs and Rubió chapels.