The monastery is one of the spiritual centres of the island and was the first ever monastery on the island to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is located in the northwest of the island in the Tramuntana Mountains.

The Mystery of the Madonna Statue

The first references date back to the 13th century. According to legend, a young shepherd found a statue of the Madonna in the local woods and took it to the church in the village of Escorca, where it mysteriously disappeared several times and was always found again in Lluc.

And in the place where the statue was found each time, a hermitage was later built, then a chapel, a church and finally a whole monastery where you can still see the statue of the Black Madonna today. La Moreneta (the Black Madonna) is always turned around after the service in the basilica into a small chapel behind the main altar, where visitors can see it up close.

The Blauets Children's Choir

The children's choir is also an integral part of Lluc, the boys and girls of which are known as Blauets, after their blue outfits (blau means blue in Catalan). The choir dates back to the 14th century, but the school itself was founded 2 centuries later.

Today there are about 40 pupils in full-time study, and the choir performs a salute every day, at Sunday masses and also on special occasions. Their Easter Mass and Cant de la Sibilla, sung by one of the boys, is a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site.

Accommodation

The whole monastery complex is very large, you will find 2 restaurants, a small bakery, a souvenir shop, a basilica, a botanical garden.

This is a great alternative for a nice day out if you want to take a break from the beaches and the hustle and bustle of the tourist resorts. It is possible to stay in the monastery complex at very good prices from 36 eur per night in a double room. Especially suitable for those who want to use this place as a starting point for hiking.

Accommodation can be booked on the official website: www.lluc.net.

On the rock behind the monastery there is an iron cross with a beautiful view of the valley and the whole complex. Don't miss the botanical garden.

Entrance fees and official website

The monastery itself and the botanical garden are free, while the small museum is accessible for a fee 4 eur.

All details and current opening times can be found on the monastery's official website www.lluc.net.

How to get there

The monastery lies in the mountains about 50 km from Palma (see route map). A road leads up to the monastery and there is free parking in front of the entrance.

There is also a 312 bus that runs directly to the monastery from Inca. There you can change to several other buses that go in different directions around the island or to the train to Palma.