Shopping
Long known for its indulgent ways, Mallorca took off as a major
tourist destination in the 1960s, when hundreds of high-rise
hotels, apartment blocks and shopping centres sprang up on its
glorious coastline. Palma de Mallorca is the centre of the island's
shopping scene, with sprawling malls, shop-lined streets and daily
markets where embroidered tablecloths or leather goods can be
scooped up for a song.
Although Palma offers the most choice and variety - and is the
best place to go if you're looking for high-end brand names or
speciality items - all of Mallorca's resort towns have their own
shopping areas, with their own particular charms. The main shopping
street in Cala d'Or, Avinguda Tagomago, is a bustling flurry of
chic boutiques, leather shops and galleries with picturesque
display windows. The area in Pageura known as El Bulevar features
supermarkets, clothing shops and souvenir stores, while the
pedestrian promenades on Cala Millor and Magaluf's seafronts are
jam-packed with stalls selling buckets and spades and tourist
trinkets. You will notice very little variety between the goods
offered by these vendors, so don't feel ashamed to haggle for the
best possible price.
Markets are a great place to shop on the island of Mallorca,
offering tourists a fun day excursion and the chance to explore the
coastline a little. The Monday market in Calvia is the place to go
for porcelain, jewellery and leather goods, while the Wednesday
market in Andratx and Palma's Thursday (Incan) market are also
worth checking out. Near Cala Millor, the Friday market in Son
Servera and the Monday market in Monacor are great for unique goods
and fresh produce, as well as souvenirs such as espadrilles (canvas
shoes), embroidery and basketwork. The weekly Sunday market in
Pollensa's old town is one of the liveliest on the island, and is
definitely worth a wander for everything from local crafts and
olive wood carvings to ceramics and lace. Brush up on your
bargaining skills - this is expected practice in markets in
Mallorca.