Former Real Madrid player Toni Kroos spends his holidays in Cala d'Or, a small coastal village in Santanyí with just 4,000 inhabitants. The town, built to defend against Berber pirates, now offers an oasis of tranquility away from mass tourism.
The German midfielder Toni Kroos, a legend of Real Madrid, has found his personal summer sanctuary in Cala d'Or. This small coastal enclave, part of the municipality of Santanyí in southeast Mallorca, has become his preferred destination to disconnect from the media noise. With only 4,000 inhabitants, the place offers a slow pace of life, far removed from the excesses of Ibiza or Marbella.
Kroos is not an occasional tourist: he has been solidifying his bond with the area for years, turning it into his second home in Spain. There, the former footballer swaps the spotlight of the Bernabéu for sunset strolls, dinners on discreet terraces, and swims in turquoise coves. Discretion is key: in Cala d'Or, the German can buy bread in flip-flops without anyone bothering him.
A fortress against corsairs
The history of Cala d'Or explains why it is the perfect hideaway for a celebrity. For centuries, the coast of Santanyí suffered the siege of Berber pirates and corsairs who plundered the Mallorcan shores. To defend themselves, the authorities built military defenses like Es Fortí, an imposing 18th-century structure that overlooks a rocky promontory.
That old stone structure, designed to repel attacks from the sea, now watches over the tranquility of tourists. The town's urban design, with narrow streets and low houses, functions as a natural bunker against crowds. The Ibizan-inspired architecture — cubic white houses with flat roofs — creates a bubble of intimacy where it is easy to go unnoticed.
Kroos himself has managed to take advantage of this protection. While other footballers secure their villas with private security, he walks along the coast seeking a calm Mediterranean. The area also hosts some of the best diving routes in the Balearics, with rocky cliffs that protect a unique biodiversity.
Elegance without ostentation
The aesthetic of Cala d'Or matches the German's personality: elegance without ostentation, efficiency, and zero unnecessary embellishments. Even the village church rejects monumental grandeur in favour of sober lines and an immaculate facade. As you stroll through its streets, the white walls reflect the sunlight and visually block the outside, creating a sense of isolation.
The balance of this oasis is fragile. Tourist overcrowding threatens each season to break the magic of the small fishing villages of the Mediterranean. Available accommodations in the area start hanging the 'fully booked' sign long before the high season begins. The rising trend of seeking disconnection in the same places where stars turn off their phones is putting that secret at risk.
For the local Mallorcan, Kroos's presence in Cala d'Or is a reminder that the island still holds corners where time seems to stand still. The former footballer has shown that true luxury is not in yachts or nightclubs, but in the ability to completely disappear from the map for a few weeks. Anyone wanting to imitate him will need to hurry: summer in Cala d'Or is booked months in advance.
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