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creu de Can Monavi – Historic Cross near Campanet

creu de Can Monavi

The creu de Can Monavi is a historic landmark near Campanet in northern Mallorca. It is particularly interesting for travelers who want to discover not only churches, manor houses, and caves but also the island’s less conspicuous historical traces. “Creu” means cross. The creu de Can Monavi should not be confused with similarly named accommodations, hotels, or crosses in other municipalities of Mallorca.

As a standalone attraction, the cross does not warrant an extensive excursion. Its appeal lies in observing it closely and connecting it with Campanet: the historic village, the rural surroundings of Raiguer, and several cultural and natural attractions together create a varied day in the north of the island.

Visiting the Cross

At the creu de Can Monavi, attention focuses on a single historic marker and its local context. The visit offers an opportunity to see this historic landmark in Campanet. A clear distinction is important when planning: the creu de Can Monavi is not the same as the Coves de Campanet, the Sant Miquel chapel, or any of the other named crosses recorded in the area.

Anyone navigating with a map app should therefore check the full name and not search only for “creu” or “Monavi.” Field, house, and estate names frequently recur in Mallorca; similar-sounding results may lead to another municipality or a vacation rental.

It is not practical to specify a fixed amount of time for visiting the cross. Anyone coming solely to see the monument can treat the visit as a brief historical stop. Allowing more time is worthwhile if the stop is combined with a walk or an exploration of Campanet.

No specific opening hours or admission fee are recorded. Since local accessibility and conditions along the final section of the route may change, checking current information before making a dedicated trip is recommended. This is especially important if the cross is not simply being visited in passing during a tour of Campanet. Property boundaries and local signs should be respected, as a historic site is not automatically the same as a freely accessible attraction.

Getting There and Parking

From Palma Airport

From Palma Airport, the route initially follows the Ma-30 and then the Ma-13 north. Campanet is 42 kilometers away by road, and the journey takes around 34 minutes. These details expressly apply to the journey as far as Campanet, not to a drive directly to the creu de Can Monavi. For the final section, check that the full name of the cross is entered as the destination and determine the local access route only after arriving in the municipality.

The Ma-13 covers most of the route and connects the Palma area with Raiguer. Campanet lies away from the coastal resorts in a gently elevated landscape where the plain meets the foothills of the mountains. After leaving the main roads, navigation becomes more local; at this point, the map location, signs, and actual drivability of the final road are more important than the distance to the village alone.

From Central Palma

From central Palma, the route follows the Ma-13. Campanet is 39 kilometers away by road, and the journey takes around 38 minutes. Here too, the reliable distance and journey time end in Campanet. Additional time should be allowed to navigate from there to the creu de Can Monavi without being directed to similarly named destinations in other parts of Mallorca.

Anyone combining the visit with the village can head to Campanet first and plan the rest of the trip based on the local position.

By Bus

Búger and Menestralia are possible stops for onward navigation.

Bus lines to creu de Can Monavi at a glance

LineRouteDepartures/dayFirstLast
314Campanet / Búger8306:1522:02

From the official GTFS feeds (TIB/SFM), no real-time data. The figures cover all stops in the town; weekend and holiday services differ — check with the operator before travelling.

Getting there by bus

  • Búger (9001) · 0.2 km as the crow flies

    • 314Campanet / Búger · Daily

  • Menestralia (9002) · 1.3 km as the crow flies

    • 314Campanet / Búger · Daily

  • Campanet (12002) · 2.4 km as the crow flies

    • 314Campanet / Búger · Daily

Timetable data: official GTFS feeds (TIB/EMT), no real-time — check with the operator before travelling.

Nearby Attractions

Campanet

Campanet is more than merely a starting point for finding the creu de Can Monavi. The village occupies a slightly elevated position in the Raiguer region and has an established, medieval-style center with narrow streets, village houses, a central square, and the parish church. Old watermills and windmills also form part of its historic character. Anyone visiting the cross can therefore easily combine the short stop with a walk around the village instead of returning immediately to the highway.

The history of Campanet is closely linked to agriculture, which shaped its economy until the 1940s. Shoemaking subsequently became particularly important. This transition helps place the village in context: the creu de Can Monavi stands in a municipality that pursued new economic paths over the course of the 20th century. The weekly market on Tuesday offers another opportunity to combine the visit with everyday life in Campanet today.

Sant Miquel and Fonts Ufanes

The Sant Miquel chapel and Fonts Ufanes are good options for combining history and nature. Sant Miquel dates from the 13th century and recalls the period of the Catalan conquest; it also stands in the valley where Campanet’s original settlement was located. Fonts Ufanes is a hydrogeological natural phenomenon in the Gabellí forest. The springs emerge when sufficient rainfall causes water from Puig Tomir and the surrounding area to accumulate.

Both destinations give the short stop at the creu de Can Monavi a broader context without reducing the cross itself to an afterthought: here stands a single historic marker, while elsewhere there are an early Gothic chapel and a landscape whose water system can still become visible today. With Fonts Ufanes, however, it is important to remember that the natural phenomenon is not permanently visible.

Coves de Campanet

The Coves de Campanet are a more weather-independent addition to the trip. The caves were discovered in 1945 after a small hole emitting cool air was enlarged during a search for water. They have been open to visitors since 1948. As a developed attraction with an underground tour, they offer a different experience from the creu de Can Monavi. This contrast can make the excursion especially appealing: first the historic cross near Campanet, followed by the municipality’s geological underworld.

The place it belongs to

Campanet in the place guide
23°C Campanet
What is the creu de Can Monavi, and why is it worth visiting?
The creu de Can Monavi is a historic landmark near Campanet in northern Mallorca. It is particularly worthwhile for people interested in historic attractions in northern Mallorca. The stop makes the most sense as part of an exploration of Campanet, where visitors can also discover the medieval-style village center, the parish church, the village square, and old watermills and windmills. As a standalone attraction, the cross is best treated as a brief historical stop rather than an extensive excursion. Its appeal lies in seeing one of Mallorca’s less conspicuous historical traces and placing it in the rural context of the Raiguer region. The visit can also be combined with the Sant Miquel chapel, Fonts Ufanes, or the Coves de Campanet for a more varied day.
What are the opening hours, and is there an admission fee?
No fixed opening hours or admission fee are recorded for the creu de Can Monavi. Before making a dedicated trip, you should therefore check whether the site and the final section of the route are currently freely accessible. Specific times or prices cannot be stated reliably. Property boundaries, access roads, and local signs should be respected regardless of the map location. The attraction is a historic cross and is not the same as the Coves de Campanet or the Sant Miquel chapel; information about other destinations in Campanet must therefore not be applied to the creu de Can Monavi.
How do you reach the creu de Can Monavi from Palma Airport?
From Palma Airport, the route initially follows the Ma-30 and then the Ma-13 north. The distance to Campanet is 42 kilometers by road, and the journey takes around 34 minutes. These figures expressly apply only as far as Campanet, not directly to the creu de Can Monavi. For the final section, check the full name in the navigation app, as similar place, finca, and cross names occur more than once in Mallorca.
How do you drive from central Palma to Campanet and the cross?
From central Palma, the route follows the Ma-13 to Campanet. The journey of 39 kilometers by road takes around 38 minutes. The stated distance and journey time end in the village of Campanet; no additional reliable driving time is recorded for the onward journey to the creu de Can Monavi. After leaving the main roads, it is advisable to carefully compare the full name of the cross with the map location.
Can you reach the creu de Can Monavi by bus?
The Búger (9001) and Menestralia (9002) stops are located in the surrounding area. Current timetables and connections should be checked before departure. No direct bus connection to the immediate vicinity of the creu de Can Monavi is recorded. The location of the cross, its full name, and the final section of the route must therefore be checked separately for onward navigation. The available route details also describe driving only as far as Campanet: from Palma Airport, the route follows the Ma-30 and the Ma-13, while from central Palma it follows the Ma-13.
How much time should you allow for the creu de Can Monavi?
No fixed visiting time is specified for the cross alone. The time required depends primarily on whether the visit is combined with Campanet or other destinations in the municipality. Options include a walk through the medieval-style village center, a visit to the Sant Miquel chapel from the 13th century, or an excursion to Fonts Ufanes and the Coves de Campanet. The caves were discovered in 1945 and have been accessible since 1948. Anyone visiting only the creu de Can Monavi can treat the stay as a brief historical stop. Allowing more time is worthwhile if the cross is included in an exploration of the village, its parish church, its square, and its old watermills and windmills.
What nearby attractions can be combined with the visit?
The most obvious option is a walk through Campanet, with its medieval-style center, village square, parish church, and old watermills and windmills. Other possibilities include the Sant Miquel chapel from the 13th century, Fonts Ufanes, which emerge only after sufficient rainfall, and the Coves de Campanet, discovered in 1945. These destinations have different highlights: local history, early Gothic sacred architecture, a rare natural event, and a developed stalactite cave. Together, they turn the short stop at the cross into a varied excursion.