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Alcudia |
Overview The holiday resort of Port d'Alcudia is situated in the north of
Mallorca at the top of a long curving bay with an endless white
sandy beach. It is two miles (3km) south of the historical old town
of Alcudia, from which it takes its name. The sprawling,
purpose-built resort, together with its neighbour Playa de Muro,
stretches for five miles (8km) either side of the coast road and is
particularly popular with British, German and Scandinavian
holidaymakers. It has a fairly relaxed atmosphere; its spectacular
beach is the major attraction, though it is also well placed for
exploring the attractions around the north of the island.
Shopping Alcudia doesn't have a distinct shopping centre: shops selling
buckets and spades and tourist trinkets line the beach road and the
other small shopping areas dotted around the resort also cater for
holidaymakers. The satellite resort of Playa de Muro has an
upmarket mall with some nice boutiques and the port area has a
selection of designer shops. The supermarkets are good, stocking
all the well-known brands along with cheap alcohol and cigarettes.
The local market opens on Tuesday and Sunday mornings and the
market in Inca, 15 miles (24km) inland, opens on Thursdays. Good
buys include the porcelain and leather goods, but bargain hard.
Restaurants Most restaurants in Alcudia cater to holidaymakers and the
unadventurous British palate with plenty of fast-food joints and
cafés offering something with chips. There are also a few
Italian, Indian and Chinese restaurants. The better restaurants are
mostly in the port area, where diners can find some decent Spanish,
French and seafood restaurants within a lovely harbour setting.
Alcudia's recommended restaurants include Garlanda, Rancho Chico,
Bistro Mar and Nova Marina.
Nightlife Alcudia has lots of bars, pubs and discos catering for most
tastes but this is not the resort for holidaymakers after some
serious clubbing; for a bit of dancing, try the Mentra Disco. Many
of the hotels offer in-house entertainment ranging from flamenco
dancers to comedians.
Activities The activities in Alcudia are mainly focused along the
spectacular five-mile (8km) beach that fronts the holiday resort.
All sorts of watersports can be arranged from scuba diving to
banana rides. There are tennis and squash courts in the resort and
nearby attractions include a water park, a go-kart track and horse
riding stables. Boat trips can be arranged to the stunning
Formentor promontory where passengers can snorkel or simply take in
the views. The nearby towns of Pollenca and Alcudia (old town) and
the mountain village of Lluc are worth exploring in search of a
little culture, while those looking to get away from it all can
take a trip to the mountainous western side of the island.
Negatives The resort of Alcudia is not known for its architectural merit;
its skyline is dominated by 1960s style apartment blocks. To the
relief of many, Alcudia is not the resort for party animals; those
looking for some serious clubbing should head for the south of the
island.
Nearby Attractions
Alcudia (Old Town)
The ancient town of Alcudia, not to be confused with the modern
resort two miles (3km) to its south, has a fascinating and
turbulent history. The Phoenicians and Greeks settled here and the
Romans made it their capital in the 2nd century BC....
see full detailsArta
The ancient hilltop town of Arta close to the east coast of
Mallorca has been occupied for about 3,000 years, and today
welcomes visitors to the remains of its Bronze Age settlement
at Ses Paisses, just outside the town in a grove of olive,
carob and...
see full detailsPollensa (Old Town)
Situated in the hills, towards the north-east of Mallorca,
Pollensa is a peaceful old town that has been largely unaffected by
tourism. The town was established a few miles inland to protect
against any sudden pirate attacks; its harbour, Puerto Pollensa,
was left as...
see full detailsActivities
Castell d’Alaro
Mallorca’s most popular hiking trail is the climb from the
town of Alaro up to a ruined castle and hilltop chapel, which
offers panoramic views of the sea and plains as far as Palma. From
Alaro the walk takes about two hours to complete. The castle ruins
on the hilltop date from the 15th century and dominate the
landscape. At the summit there is a restaurant and bar to refresh
weary climbers. On Sundays the trail becomes rather busy.