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Palma Nova

Overview
Together with its neighbour, Magalluf, the island resort of Palma Nova on the south west coast of Mallorca makes up the most popular holiday area on the island, situated a few miles west of the capital, Palma, and the Palma Mallorca Airport (Airport Son Sant Joan). Most visitors to Palma Nova come on package tours from Britain, intent on enjoying an entertaining, fun-in-the-sun vacation in a 'home-from-home' setting. Few are disappointed because the purpose-built resort offers all they need and more, from beautiful beaches to wild nightlife. The three sandy beaches of the holiday strip, Es Carregador, Playa de Palma Nova and Son Maties, are backed by a long promenade and have European Blue Flag status. Palma Nova is divided from Europe's famed party capital, Magalluf, by a rocky headland, but the resorts are basically merged into one conglomerate of hotels and apartments offering a range of accommodation from budget self-catering to luxury-serviced suites. Palma Nova is known as the quieter section of this hedonistic seaside development, and therefore more suited to families. It is also one of the Spanish beach resorts that is popular with British tourists wishing to escape the icy UK winters. Many Palma Nova hotels offer discounted rates during off-peak but a fair amount of the bars and nightclubs in the resort are closed during winter.

Shopping
Holidaymakers who prefer not to stray too far from their accommodation and the beach will be able to find all they need in the commercial centre of Palma Nova, which is liberally sprinkled with convenience stores, souvenir shops, gift shops, camera and electrical goods stores, a chemist and clothing outlets. For variety it is easy to take a stroll across to neighbouring Magalluf, which has even more tourist-oriented retail outlets. Serious shoppers can catch a bus or taxi into Palma, Mallorca's capital, which is famed for its excellent shopping, or visit one of the lively markets in the nearby towns and villages. For anything from gifts and souvenirs to delicious cheeses, olive oil and lively bargaining banter there is a weekly market held in nearby Andratx every Wednesday.

• All the best shopping can be found along the main street. I loved just window shopping in the sunshine : Rosalie S....See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Restaurants
Palma Nova has some of the best restaurants on Mallorca. Great eateries in this Spanish resort town include Maritimo, Natalies, Real Dion, Modigliani and the aptly named Palmanova. The long promenade that stretches along the three beaches of Palma Nova is lined with dozens of good restaurants offering British, Chinese, French, Italian and Mexican cuisine. The resort also bristles with fast food outlets of all descriptions. Several Spanish bars serve up tapas snacks during the day, and of course as with all Mallorca restaurants there are plenty of seafood eateries to choose from in Palma Nova.

• Tons of restaurants along the seafront. Take your pick! : Roger Peterson...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Nightlife
Some of Palma Nova's bars have discos, live acts or TV (football and UK soaps) for holidaymakers to enjoy. Palma Nova and Magaluf have virtually joined one another, making the choice and range of nightclubs and bars even greater. In Palma Nova itself, tourists wanting a pub-type bar should go to Willows, while those after music bars and clubs can choose from Banana Joes, Papis and Ruby Tuesdays. Many of these bars have Facebook pages allowing Patrons to access all their clubbing holiday photos from Palma Nova - a handy helper when trying to piece together the inevitable blank spots after a night of hard partying.

• Nightlife leaves a lot to be desired but I guess this is a resort that is aimed more towards an older and quieter crowd so I guess they'll enjoy it. Go next door to Magalluf for a rip roaring party. : Jezza...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Activities
Palma Nova offers numerous pursuits to suit young and old, making it an ideal family holiday resort. All manner of watersports and boat trips are available on the clean, safe beaches and there are plenty of sports facilities, particularly golf courses, in the vicinity. The resort's most popular attraction is an intriguing mini-golf course, called 'Golf Fantasia', with 50 holes in a tropical setting. There is also a giant water-park adjacent to Magaluf, a Wild West theme park, a go-kart track and a short distance away is a marine park featuring dolphins and sea lions. Most holidaymakers opt to hire a car or moped to make excursions around the island taking in all the things to do and see on Mallorca. Palma Nova resort is also connected by a frequent, cheap bus service to the historic island capital of Palma.

• Golf golf and more golf! Nothing better in Palma. : Jezza...See More Tips  |  Add Tip

 

Negatives
Palma Nova, although not as busy as Magaluf, is a close second. Beaches and streets can be crowded and congested in peak season, and this is not the place to seek out for a quiet getaway. Clubs often have touts or reps encouraging patrons to choose their establishment, these PRs are sometimes seen as a nuisance. Bar patrons should also be wary of leaving their drinks unattended as drinks have been spiked on a couple of occasions.

Activities

Wind and Water Sports in Mallorca
The island of Mallorca is famous for its wind and water sports, with many resorts actually featuring windsurfing and kitesurfing schools, where tourists can learn to master these tricky skills while still enjoying the holiday of a lifetime. There are also ample places to simply rent equipment, for tourists who don't require tutelage. Good beaches in Mallorca for windsurfing and kitesurfing include Cala Millor, Cala d'Or, Can Picafort, Formentor, Magaluf, Palma Nova, Peguera, Platja de Palma, Port d'Alcudia, Port de Pollensa, Port de Soller, Portalss and Santa Ponsa - although the pick of the bunch must be the little-known Son Serra de Marina, located on the northeast coast of Mallorca, about five miles (8km) east of Can Picafort. This unspoilt stretch of sand has favourable conditions all year round, and features a spectacular mountain backdrop as well as a few hip and happening beach bars and restaurants. Pedal boats (pedalos) are also very popular - especially for families with young children - and can be hired at any of the major resorts on the island. Finally, waterskiing is also an option: resorts that offer equipment for hire (sometimes including boats) include Cala Millor, Can Picafort, Formentor, Magaluf, Palma Nova, Peguera, Platja de Palma, Port d'Alcudia and Santa Ponsa.

Snorkelling and Diving in Mallorca
The Mediterranean's calm, clear waters are ideally suited for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts on holiday in Mallorca. The best season for diving in Mallorca is between June and October, when the weather is balmy and visibility can be as much as 130 feet (40m). Although not blessed with spectacular coral reefs, there is much to admire in the depths surrounding Mallorca's coastline. The warm water is home to a huge array of fish and other sea life, including European barracuda, eels, rainbow wrasse, ornate wrasse, goatfish, cardinal fish, damsel fish, octopus, sea slugs, squid, crabs and lobsters - to name but a few of the myriad species that tourists can expect to spot. Many of Mallorca's resorts offer snorkelling and diving equipment for hire, and a few of them have on-site dive schools where tourists can have training and obtain diving licenses. Some of the best resorts for snorkelling and diving in Mallorca include Cala Millor, the isolated beaches of Cala Morlanda and Cala Varques (both brilliant for snorkelling), Puerto Pollensa and Santa Ponsa, which is the best resort for scuba divers in Mallorca, allowing access to many dive sites, including very popular wreck diving opportunities.