|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
  |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Palma de Mallorca is the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands and, with great beaches, wonderful food and a reputation for top hospitality, is the gateway to one of the country’s top holiday destinations and the ideal choice for a gourmet break, shopping spree or perhaps a weekend away to play golf. History and modernity merge together in this bustling port town, home to around 320,000 people – close to half the island’s population. Numerous museums and monuments around the city will keep culture vultures busy, while the local beaches and nightlife provide plenty of opportunities to let your hair down during the day, evening and, quite possibly, into the dawn. Palma is something of a surprise, it’s the only place in the Balearics with a big city feel to it, yet still has hidden corners where time has stood still - Renaissance mansions and patios hide behind wooden doors. The town exudes a cosmopolitan confidence and offers excellent restaurants, lively cafés and a thriving arts scene. And it is nothing if not colourful. Palm trees flank the long, sweeping seafront boulevard, brilliantly-painted fishing boats bob alongside gleaming yachts while the fishermen mend and dry their nets under a cobalt-blue sky. If you’re into shopping, pack a bulging wallet because every possible taste is catered for along the shores of Palma’s bay, from chic designer boutiques to gypsy markets. Pick up bargains by the score in the Baratillo, the city’s famous flea market and don’t miss the simulated pearls. History-buffs can choose between ambling past the Moorish whitewashed limestone houses, examining Gaudí’s controversial ‘help’ restoring Palma’s cathedral or stopping off at one of the town’s many architectural treasures - the Almudaina Palace or Sa Llotja. And when it comes to art, there are over 20 galleries in Palma alone, displaying local artists’ work - Miquel Barceló, New York’s current darling of the arts world, is a local boy. If you want to check all the latest on Mallorca’s art scene, the Independent Association of Balearic Art Galleries publishes a bi-monthly gallery and exhibition list. But perhaps you’re planning a stag or hen celebration, Palma has to be the place to party, here the club scene is fast and furious. Bars heave way into the small hours right across the Bay and there are dozens of lively, friendly discos and clubs around Paseo Maritimo. Mallorcans know how to have a good time and, if you’re a visitor, expect to make friends, their hospitality is legendary.
The town occupies a strategic location that has been covwww.koldoroyo.cometed in the past by Romans, Arabs and Berber pirates before the Catalan monarch Jaume I put an end to Muslim rule in the 13th century. Early remains are scarce but the town’s layout remains labyrinthine. Start exploring at the cathedral, known locally as la Seu, which features decorative details by Antoni Gaudí, then have a rest at the Parc de la Mar. The lake is designed to reflect the cathedral, making it the ideal spot for photos. Most of Palma’s sights lie in the narrow streets spanning out from la Seu, so have a coffee and ensaimada (best of the local cakes) at one of the cafés. Then visit Palau de Almudaina, opposite the cathedral, a wonderful piece of Moorish architecture (see Key places to visit above). After lunch, head over to Bellver Castle, the summer residence of Mallorcan kings, and visit the Tower of Homage to read the wall scratchings of desperate political prisoners. Spend the rest of the afternoon in the city’s Gothic quarter, wandering the narrow lanes, peeking through the iron grilles at luxuriant courtyards. One old house on Carrer Sant Joan has been converted into a popular bar, Abaco. The western side of the old town is a former Arab moat, now a promenade, which is packed with bars and cafés. Join the locals for an evening stroll before visiting the Paseo Marítimo area for a great night out.
|
There’s a wealth of choice of accommodation in Palma, but it’s vital to book ahead if you’ll be here in summer or Easter week when the city’s packed for festivals and processions. There are also plenty of good and inexpensive self-catering apartments in nearby resorts. www.flybehotels.com has a huge range of possibilities. If you’re after opulence, book the five-star Grupotel Valparaiso Palace, a temple of luxury. At the budget end, the two-star Horizonte offers bright, spacious rooms, a large pool and easy access to the beach and town from £45 per room per night. Palma has a wide choice of three- and four-star hotels, including the Augusta, Isla Mallorca, Saratoga and Melia Victoria. Just 1km from the centre of Palma, Hotel Armadams is a modern four-star hotel with just 73 rooms and suites. Facilities include an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. Book on +44 (0)871 900 8297. www.flybehotels.com By car: Explore the city and the countryside in comfort and style at great prices! Get the best deal by checking Flybe's partner Avis for the best available car hire rates at www.flybe.com/avis By road: The airport lies 8km (5 miles) east of Palma along the autovia. Contact Flybe’s car rental partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. www.flybe.com/avis By bus or coach: Bus no.1 runs to the Paseo Mallorca from Door D on the arrivals floor, taking around 30 minutes. By taxi: Taxis leave from Door D on the arrivals floor and take 15 minutes to the city centre. The bus system is extremely efficient, main terminus is at Plaça d’Espanya, pay on entering the bus. Palma buses are operated by EMT, tel: +34 971 21 44 44. They run a special service for the disabled. Alternatively, horse-drawn carriages make a traditional way of visiting the sights. Hire one outside La Seu or from the Passeig de Sagrera, but check prices first, they tend to be expensive.
Water Parks: Aquacity is the biggest water park in Mallorca and has something for everyone. The rides are spectacular and guarantee fun for all the family. There are smaller rides and activities for young children with others for older children who know no fear. The park also has areas for parents to relax with large green lawns and Jacuzzis. The park is open from 10.00 – 20.00 and is on the motorway between Palma and Arenal. There is also another affiliated park down the road in Magaluf. www.aqualand.es Mini Golf: Palma Nova Golf Fantasia is located down the coast from central Palma and offers an exciting and visually spectacular game of mini golf. There is not one but three courses to choose from or, if you’re feeling daring, you can take on all 54 holes. There is a 19th hole restaurant where you can choose from a large selection of food and cocktails. Diving: There are many great places to dive in Mallorca and none too far from Palma. Balearic Diving and Big Blue diving both offer great services. Balearic diving is a smaller and more intimate group run by four core divers and is about 9km from Palma. Big Blue diving is a slightly larger outfit and is about 14km down the coast in Palma Nova. Both offer a good range of courses and there are a variety of diving sites for people of all ability. Hiking: Mallorca has a history of hiking with those old tired country roads still intact and available to follow. If you want to get away from the busy beaches and crowded towns then this is for you. There are a number of tours you can explore with such as World Expeditions and Walking Europe. Both of these companies offer tours than can run for a few days or even up to a week as you cover the trickiest terrain on the island. With rewarding views and a breath of fresh air it is a great way to spend time with friends and family. First-time visitors are always surprised by the island’s glamour appeal, the Spanish royals, King Carlos and Queen Sophia, have holidayed here for years, but permanent and temporary residents also include Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Claudia Schiffer, Jack Nicholas and Michael Schumacher. Aside from its perfect weather, many Brits come for the sport. For a small island it offers an amazing choice. Fifteen of its golf courses are 18-hole; club hire and tuition are available at all of them, most within easy reach of Palma. Equally, the waters around Mallorca are perfect for watersports, from scuba diving to sailing and it’s easy to hire a boat to explore some of the sandy coves. There is plenty to choose from in the property market in Palma. From renovated townhouses to villas and penthouse apartments, Palma is a popular island for holiday properties. Prices are fairly high due to demand but there are opportunities for new builds and older properties on the outskirts of town. Two-bedroom apartments in the old town are around the 250,000 euro mark with the new properties on the coastline on the outside of town at around 270, 000 euros (three bedrooms). SonVida, Palma’s most exclusive and luxurious area, with fantastic views of the bay will set you back around two million euros. La Seu Cathedral: Open 10-18.15pm June-September, 10-17.15pm October-May, 10-14.15pm Saturday, closed Sunday and holidays. An enormously impressive Gothic structure, built in 1230 after the Christian reconquest to be a religious statement to the Moors - to say “we’re here and we’re staying”. The interior is awe-inspiring with a 147-foot nave, suspended by 14 slender pillars; the east rose window is thought to be one of the world’s largest church windows and is encircled by a series of beautiful, small stained glass windows. In 1902 the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí was asked to restore the canopy over the high altar; make up your own mind about his controversial work, the Crown of Thorns. Parc de la Mar: Just south of the cathedral, Parc de la Mar offers a relaxing introduction to Palma’s waterfront with arty pieces dotted around, including a tiled mural by the famous artist Joan Miró. It offers some of the best views of the cathedral from its artificial lake. Sa Llotja: Open 11.00-13.45 and 17.00-21.00(only when exhibitions are held) is a wonderfully-overblown Gothic building built between 1426 and 1450 as Palma’s stock exchange. Take a look at the weird gargoyles and vast crenellated towers. Christopher Columbus is believed to have planned his voyage to the New World when he traded here. Today the building is used as an arts gallery. Next door, the 17th century Consolat del Mar is worth a look.
Palau de Almudaina: Open 10.00-13.15 and 16.00-17.15 October-March, 10.00-17.45 April-September, Saturday and holidays 10.00-13.15, closed Sunday. Previously a Roman citadel, a Moorish palace and then a king’s palace, it now houses the Museum of National Heritage. An interesting tour includes the 13th century throne room and royal chapel of Santa Ana. King Juan Carlos of Spain stays here when he’s in town. Banys Arabs: Open 09.30-19.30 April-November, 09.00-18.00 December-March. These remains of the old Arab Baths in Carrer Serra are more than 1,000 years old and one of the only examples of Moorish architecture left in Palma. Barri Gótic: Palma’s Gothic quarter is a tangle of narrow streets around the cathedral, lined with some 500-year-old baronial houses. If you peek through the iron gates, you can glimpse the odd central courtyard with splashing fountain and ornate gardens, an indication of the homes’ lavish interiors. Bellver Castle: Open 10.00-17.00 October-March, 10.00-19.00 April-September, 10.00-17.00 Sunday and holidays. Set high on a hill west of Palma, this castle is unmissable, peering down over the city. It dates back to 1309 and was originally used by Mallorcan kings, but was then, in stark contrast, demoted to a political prison. Have a look at the graffiti in the Tower of Homage while they awaited execution. This is the only circular castle in Spain, climb up to the roof for superb panoramas. Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum: The new museum displays an impressive line-up of works by Picasso, Miró, Masson and Mathieu, amongst others. The Mallorcan Museum, open Monday-Friday and 10.00-18.30 Saturday, closed Monday and holidays. Housed in a 17th century mansion on Carrer de Portella, Muslim artefacts, carvings from Mallorcan churches and Gothic paintings are on display as well as recent work by local artists.
North: Head north out of Palma on the C-710 for excellent panoramic views between Valldemossa and Deià, a small town perched atop a mountain and the favoured residence of many artists. The island’s coastline is dotted with secluded sandy beaches, rocky coves and limestone caverns, five of which are open to visitors: the Drach, Hams, Arta, Campanet and Genova caves. Cala Major: Over 5,000 of the world-renowned artist Joan Miró’s artworks are on show at Cala Major in purpose-built galleries. It’s just two and a half miles from Palma; take the number 21 bus from the Plaça d’Espanya. Miró loved his own land and, clearly inspired, produced outstanding painting giving real insights into Spanish and Mallorcan life. Golden Mile: Slightly further west is the Golden Mile, a smart stretch of coastline boasting the upmarket resort of Bendinat which merges with the swanky Port Punta Portals marina, where the rich and famous moor their floating palaces. Come here to people-watch and enjoy a long, lazy lunch before an afternoon on the beach. Costa d’en Blanes: If you’ve got kids, you’ll want to head two miles further west to Costa d’en Blanes which offers an award-winning dolphinarium. As well as splashy dolphin shows, Marineland runs a conservation project for Patagonian and Californian sea lions and breeds endangered species, including turtles and macaws. It’s open daily 09.30-19.30 and is closed mid-November to Christmas. Head to the Paseo Marítimo where locals and tourists alike go to eat, drink and be merry late into the night. Indeed, during the summer, some establishments remain open until dawn. Two of the island’s top nightclubs – Tito’s and Pachá – are found here. Or visit the area around Sa Llonja where late-night bars and discos pull in a lively young crowd. Disco Riu Centre Palace, tel: +34 971 743 474 is reckoned to be one of the best on the island. Café I, Carrer Caputxines 2, tel: +34 971 729 014 is ultra-modern with a great atmosphere, if you’re after jazz, blues, latin and flamenco, try Café Barcelona Jazz Club, Apuntadores Llonja, tel: +34 655 673 834. If you want to celebrity spot, go to Wellies’ and Tristán’s at Puerto Portals, the disco at Club de Mar or Bertorelli’s in Palma Nova. About two-thirds of Mallorca’s population works in tourism-related to industry. Aside from the more obvious service-related tourism businesses, many are also employed in the manufacture of shoes, clothes and crafts and souvenirs such as the hand-blown glass or Manacor pearls. However, agriculture still plays a vital role, almonds, salad crops and vegetables are widely exported, while olives, citrus fruits and figs are grown for local consumption.
|
According to local legend, Mallorcan parents used to place food for their children high up in a tree. The children then had to retrieve their meals using a sling-shot, if they could aim well they ate, if not, they went hungry. Knowing the friendliness and hospitality of Mallorcans, the story hardly seems probable. However, the art of using a sling-shot is still taken seriously with frequent con Honda competitions held in Palma today. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Editorial contacts: editorial@bmipublications.com Advertising contact: jackie.luff@bmipublications.com Copyright© BMI Publications 2007 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
