Majorca's premier resort
Holidays to Palma Bay put some of Majorca’s best bits at your fingertips. For starters, this stretch of coast along the island’s south-west is peppered with beautiful beaches. It's home to a glittering harbourfront. And it’s overlooked by Palma City, Majorca’s cosmopolitan capital.
There are numerous ways to explore the area. Stroll along the palm-lined waterfront to soak up views of the yachts and the never-ending body of water beyond. Hire a bike to speed along the cycle path to S’Arenal – around six miles away. Or explore the cobbled streets of Palma city on foot.
The area is packed with places to eat, drink and sleep. The hotels range from bijou and budget friendly to colossal five-star retreats, and cutesy wine and tapas bars are only every footsteps away. This is also the place to explore some of the best architecture in Majorca, starting with the Gothic cathedral that dominates the skyline.
Your Palma Bay questions, answered
From the sandy beaches to the numerous waterparks in the area, there's lots on for little ones. Expect children’s menus in most restaurants, too.
Palma Bay lines up chilled-out wine bars, thumping superclubs and everything in between.
The whole island is open all year round with just a handful of the restaurants and bars closing in the winter season. This means all the resorts around Palma Bay will welcome you whether you come in January or July. You’ll find lower prices in the former and more sunshine in the latter. Palma Bay is a great base whenever you come, whether you’re looking to visit uncrowded historical sites in the winter or be part of the glitz and glamour of summer nights.
All sorts, including an incredible food market - Mercado Gastronómico San Juan.
The coastline around Palma Bay has some of the island’s most beautiful beaches. They are smaller than their vast counterparts on the east coast of Majorca but this means they invite a more exclusive crowd. Here you’ll find beaches to suit all tastes whether you want a family holiday or to be part of the glitterati who flock here. Think golden sands, swaying palm trees and a sea that looks as though it's been imported straight from the Caribbean.
In addition to the island’s beautiful capital, Palma City, you’ll find some of the real Majorca hidden away near Palma Bay. Head into the hills for traditional mountain villages such as Galilea, a tiny unspoilt hamlet, or to the historic town of Calvia in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains. Exclusive Port d’Andratx has some excellent restaurants and bars. Nearby Puerto Portals is one of Europe’s most upmarket marinas complete with chic cocktail lounges and boutiques. Near Palma Bay, you can explore the coast on boat trips, go deep underground in the caves or discover the crumbling ruins of ancient fortresses.
Whatever you’re after in a couples’ holiday, you’re sure to find it in Palma Bay. Whether you want to lounge on beaches with cocktails or find remote mountain villages, they’re here. The mountains and countryside, with their varied plants and wildlife, could be explored for weeks on end, stopping at local tapas bars for an authentic taste of Majorca. You can take a romantic horseback ride along a beach at sunset, charter a yacht for a private snorkelling trip or sit back and watch the world go by from a tiny shack on a beach.
Palma City itself has many independent stores selling local handicrafts, tucked alongside the usual chain stores and clothes shops. There are many regular markets in the area, too, where you’ll find the locals selling unique lace cloth, leather goods and delicately painted ceramics. If you want something even more exclusive, you can head to the chic boutiques of Puerto Portals or Port d’Andratx for upscale designer shops. From buckets and spades to one-off pieces of exquisite jewellery, Palma Bay will certainly have everything you want.
Palma Bay sweeps out in front of Palma City and it’s really a matter of minutes to walk between the two. The bay has countless beaches – some preferred by families, others by young partygoers – but none are that far from the capital. The party town of Magaluf is at the furthest reaches of Palma Bay and it’s just a 20-minutes drive from Palma City. Wherever you stay in Palma Bay, you’re never going to be far from Palma’s charming cobbled streets and grand squares peppered with cafes that spill out into the sunshine.
Best things to do in Palma Bay
Shop until you drop
The city of Palma has lots of tree-lined avenues with high street names you’ll recognise, plus independent boutiques and art shops tucked away in the backstreets.
Tuck into tapas
Palma’s alleyways are stuffed with authentic tapas bars, where you can feast on the likes of gooey croquettes and spicy sausages, washed down with bubbly cava.
Relax on Playa de Palma
This six-kilometre sweep of sand has all the amenities you could wish for – glam bars, watersports shacks, and umbrellas and loungers.
Beaches