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Spain : Palma de Mallorca - March 2009

Country Code: Dial for Spain

March sees Palma de Mallorca really come alive after the cooler months. There are concerts, opera and regional gastronomy festivals like the Mallorcan food fair, Alimento (18-22 March), to enjoy in between discovering the museums, history and nightlife of this beautiful Mediterranean city. Scott Adams reports

Getting around

Son Sant Joan Airport is about 8km east of the city.

Bus: The line 1 bus links the airport to Palma. It runs every 15 minutes from 6am to 2am, and costs €1,85. For island-wide bus connections, alight at Plaza España.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre will take about 15 minutes and cost around €20.
Tourist information: The main office is at 2 Plaça de la Reina (tel. , illesbalears.es).

AROUND PASSEIG DES BORN

Palma’s most lovely avenue is lined with towering trees, high-end boutiques and flower stalls.

Sleep soundly – Much more than just a hotel, Puro (12 Calle Montenegro, tel. , purohotel.com, rooms from €165) offers chic rooms and contemporary design, along with a pool, restaurant and one of the best bars in town.

Culture vultures – Palma is dominated by its golden sandstone gothic cathedral (Plaza Almoina). The treasury holds many beautiful relics and works of art.

Must eat – Discover regional specialities at La Bodeguilla (1-3 Calle Sant Jaume, tel. ), a great place to go with friends. Try the Castilian soup with bread, garlic and Iberian ham, followed by the suckling pig with boulangere potatoes and green salad,

Must drink – Live it up in the totally decadent bar Abaco (1 Calle Sant Joan) which is housed in a medieval mansion, complete with antiques and art. The cocktail list here is fabulous.

Shop til you drop – Sinatra (12 Avenida Jaume III) stocks beautiful linen shirts, trousers and accessories.

PASEO MARITIMA

Wander along the water’s edge under the palms, as you watch the boats and cruisers sail past. As evening falls, the bars and clubs begin to fill up.

Sleep soundly – The modern Tryp Bellver (11 Paseo Maritima, tel. , solmelia.com, rooms from €97) has stunning interiors, sea views and a swimming pool.

Culture vultures – Tune in to one of the many live classical concerts at the Palma Auditorium (18 Paseo Maritima, auditoriumpalma.es).

Must eat – Enjoy gourmet tapas in the lower lounge and terrace or more formal dining upstairs at Koldo Royo (3 Paseo Maritimo, tel. ).

Must drink – King Kamehameha Club (29 Paseo Maritimo) has an extensive cocktails list and pulls in a polished crowd.

Dance the night away – Still one of the hottest clubs in Palma, Abraxas (22 Paseo Maritimo) hosts a roster of international DJs, and has two dance floors and a café so you can refuel throughout the night.

PLAZA MAYOR AND AROUND

Sit in this colonnaded square during the day with a coffee or a cold drink. Then explore the streets around it, which teem with shops, bars and restaurants.

Must eat – This charming area is full of historic bakeries serving up typical sugar-dusted ensaimadas (pinwheel pastries filled with anything from sweetened pumpkin to chocolate) and other mouth-watering Mallorcan treats. Two of the best of these are Forn de la Gloria (7 Calle Forn de la Gloria) and Forn des Teatre (9 Plaça Weyler).

Must drink – With a silk-hung-ceiling and lots of cosy corners, Twins Chill Out (5 Calle Rodriguez Arias) is perfect for a romantic tipple. The drinks list has a 1001 Nights theme.

Shop til you drop – Pick up alpaca wool garments, leather and sheepskin coats, and handmade jewellery at Pasiones Argentinas (16 Calle San Nicolas).

CALLE APUNTADORES AND AROUND

There is always something happening in this lively street which runs through the centre of the old town.

Sleep soundly – The atmospheric Hostal Ritzi (6 Calle Apuntadores, tel. , hostalritzi.com, doubles from €50) has clean, bright rooms with breakfast and internet access thrown in.

Must eat – Always full of hungry locals, La Paloma (16 Calle Apuntadores, tel. ), located in a 500-year-old building, does delicious Mallorcan dishes and has an extensive wine list.

Must drink – One of the many hot bars along Calle Apuntadores, Bar Barcelona (5 Calle Apuntadores) might be a small place, but it has a large selection of imported beers as live rock and jazz music at weekends.

Shop til you drop – Stock up on beautiful homeware and handmade items at Deco (10 Calle Santo Domingo).

Compiled by Scott Adams