EDITOR'S CHOICE  

HOTELS
• The best: Hotel Formentor
  Emblematic 5 star hotel, located at the peninsula with the same name, right on a small but nice sandy beach and surrounded with a green gown of pine and oak trees. DR from 220.- €.
  
  
• Recommended: Hotel Born
  A sixteenth century palace in the historical centre of Palma; very quiet; a lovely inner courtyard. DR from 93.- €, Suite from 114.- €.
  C/ San Jaume, 3, 07012 Palma.
  
  
• The best: Finca Es Castell
  A discreetly luxurious estate, situated in the minivillage Binibona; good food and a personal touchs. DR from 125.- €.
  Finca "Es Castell"; Caimari, 07314 Binibona.
  
  
• Recommended: Finca s'Olivar
  Peaceful old farm house, which dates from the twelfth century, with all of the amenities that one would expect and spectacular mountain and ocean views. DR: 72.- €.
  S'Olivar; 07192 - Estellencs

RESTAURANTS
• The best: Tristan
  Super-luxury restaurant on the waterfront of the Portals Nous Yacht Club, a branch of "Tantris", in Munich. A haven of beautiful people. Menu, drinks included: approx. 75.- € / person.
  Puerto Portals, Edificio Capitanía, 07015 Portals Nous, Tel.: (+34) 971.17.11.00.
  
  
• The best: La Lubina
  Palma's most traditional fish restaurant, located right on the harbour, serves a "sea bass in salt" worthy of the most demanding of gourmets. Menu, drinks included: approx. 50.- € / person.
  Muelle Viejo, s/n, 07012 Palma, Tel.: 971.72.33.50.
  
  
• Recommended: Ciro's
  A large terrace overlooking the bay of Palma Nova, reasonable prices, popular with the Majorcans in summer. Menu, drinks included: approx: 40.- € / person.
  Paseo del Mar, 3, 07181 Palmanova, Tel.: (+34) 971.68.10.52 - 68.14.15.
  
  
• Recommended: Bona Taula
  Small and elegant; serves Majorcan specialties; closed Tuesdays, open other days from 19.00. Menu, drinks included: approx. 40.- € / person
  C/Rafael Adrover, 32, 07669 Calonge/Cala D'Or. Tel.: (+34) 971.16.71.47.

TAPA BARS
• The best: La Bóveda
  The best tapas bar in Palma (scrambled eggs with prawns and "pimientos de Padrón" are scrumptious). It's always packed, but especially popular with Majorcan's at noon; closed Sundays.
  C/Botería, 3, 07012 Palma, Tel.: 971.71.48.63.
  
  
• The best: Casa Manolo
  This "bodega" is very popular among German residents of the southeastern part of the island. Manolo, the boss, has a gallery of celebrities hanging on the walls. His daughters are responsible for the super-fast service. Closed Mondays.
  Plaza San Bartolomeu, 1, 07748 Ses SAlines, Tel.: (+34) 971.64.91.30.
  
  
• Recommended: Celler Ca'n Amer
  Typical Majorcan food and atmosphere; the "frito mallorquín" must be eaten with one of the excellent local wines from the Ferrer or Oliver wine cellars.
  C/La Pau, 139, 07300 Inca, Tel.: (+34) 971.50.12.61.
  
  
• Recommended: Sa Cova
  Tapas and snacks in a cozy atmosphere, near the train station to Palma and trolley to the Port of Soller.
  Plaça Constitució, 7, 07100 Sóller, Tel.: (971) 63.32.22.

DISCOS
• The best: BCM
  Mallorca's largest disco (holds up to 4.000 people), tecno, rave & discomix, gogo-girls & boys, the best lights and sound show, for young people and teenagers.
  Avda. S'Olivera, 07182 Magaluf, Tel.: 971.13.15.46.
  
  
• The best: Tito's
  Located on the Paseo Maritimo, this is the most respectable disco in Palma; three floors of cocktails, champagne and beautiful people and a fantastic view of the bay from a glass lift. Popular with Majorcans on Fridays and Saturdays.
  Paseo Maritimo, s/n, Palma, Tel.: (+34) 971.73.00.17.
  
  
• Recommended: Menta
  The north part of the Island's super-attraction: a nighttime theme park, live shows and discomix.
  07400 Alcúdia.
  
  
• Recommended: Palladium Palace
  A small tourist disco in Paguera, packed on weekends.
  C/Gaviotas, 1, 07160 Paguera, Tel.: 971.68.65.57.

BARS AND OTHER SPECIAL SPOTS
• The best: Na Burguesa
  A rustic atmosphere for hikers; a terrace that overlooks the residential neighbourhood of Genova and a panoramic view of Palma and the south coast that makes up for the rather mediocre food.
  Génova, Tel.: (+34) 971.70.12.63.
  
  
• The best: Café Parisienne
  Coffee, drinks and cuisine based on fresh ingredients in an art deco atmosphere. The tiny gravel courtyard with old garden furniture was a favourite of love doves Babs and Boris Becker.
  c/ Ciutat 18, 07570 Artà, Tel.: 971.83.54.40.
  
  
• Recommended: Bar Barcelona
  You walk up a narrow spiral staircase to this jazz club with subdued lighting and daily live shows (free entrance). It's located in Palma's most lively nightlife neighbourhood, La Lonja. In spite of this, there are more Majorcan's than tourists.
  C/Apuntadores, 07012 Palma Tel.: (+34) 971.71.35.57.
  
  
• Recommended: Bodeguida del Medio
  Caribbean cocktails (an excellent "mojito), salsa and son. The owner, Pasqual, is a fabulous dancer. The atmosphere inside is rustic; outside, a lovely garden with Chinese lanterns, intimate corners and a view of the sea.
  Paseo el Mar, 07590 Cala Ratjada.

BEACHES
• The best: Es Trenc
  11 km of virgin sandy beach with only three bars offering music and drinks, but on Sundays it's packed.
  To get there: Take the Palma-Santanyí road, and when you get to Campos follow signs to Ses Covetes (parking lot), then it's to the left of the pine forest.
  
  
• The best: Cala Mesquida
  It had been famous as a smuggling centre, and nowadays it's the open secret of the northeast coast: 500m of sand dunes with a backdrop of softly undulating mountains; drinks are available from the urbanization nearby.
  To get there: Via Manacor and Artà in direction of Cala Ratjada, take a left in Capdepera and follow the road until you come to the parking area in the pine forest.
  
  
• Recommended: Portals Vells
  A small sandy beach with a little bar and a restaurant (which serves a good Majorcan style "cap roig"). Lots of yachts and some excursion boats.
  To get there: Leave Palma towards Paguera and when the highway comes to an end turn left, go past Magalluf, about 3kms of the Golf Course Poniente and a pine forest. When you see the sign, turn left.
  
  
• Recommended: Sa Canova
  The north coast's version of Es Trenc: 1,5 km of sand beach, no bars or other services, it is completely untouched. The quietest part of the lively bay of Alcúdia.
  To get there: Through Manacor and Artà in the direction of Can Picafort, after 10km turn right towards Son Serra Marina. The last bit is on foot.

SPORTS
• The best: Golf
  The twelve golf courses open year-round make the island a paradise for golf players. The most renowned continues to be Son Vida, designed by the legendary F.W. Wawtree and officially opened in 1961 by Prince Rainier of Monaco, with a shot that ended up in the bushes. Alternatives: The Real Golf of Bendinat and, since 1994, Son Antem in Llucmajor.
  
  
• The best: Cycling
  Mallorca is ideal for cycling, whether it's mountain bikes or regular cycling. The curving road up to the Monastery of San Salvador in Felanitx is a real challenge to any serious cyclist. The old Arenal road -- with very little traffic -- requires lots of physical endurance, it's twice 50km running parallel to the coast. Even Telekom, the German team, trains here.
  
  
• Recommended: Climbing
  The Torrent de Pareis is only for experts: five falls a year as a rule, not an exception. There are, however, easier climbs such as the Creveta de Pollença, or the last hundred metres before the Monastery of Alaró, with expectation and admiration from Sunday excursionists included.
  
  
• Recommended: Parachuting
  Paragliding is a sport for a privileged few, although it has more and more followers in Mallorca. You can jump from the Sierra de Tramuntana to the interior of the island, or with a motor n!boat, out onto the high sea, from places such as Cala Millor, Cala Ratjada, Cala Mesquida and Cala Guya.

EXCURSIONS
• The best: Palma-Sóller
  Although as since February '97 we have the Soller tunnel (round trip 3.75 €), the train that leaves from Plaza España is much prettier.
  
  
• The best: La Granja
  An old estate in Esporlas converted into a private museum. A visit to the torture chamber, with background sounds included (on tape) is an unforgettable experience.
  Crta. esporles, Esporles Tel.: (+34) 971.61.00.32.
  
  
• Recommended: Deià-Soller
  This ancient path along the west coast is extremely beautiful, and it's even suitable for those who aren't in top physical shape.
  Take a right shortly before Lluch Alcari.
  
  
• Recommended: Sa Calobra
  A drive for the brave and courageous: anyone who has passed the legendary 270^o curve half-way down to the beach of Sa Calobra knows what it takes to drive a utility car. The pay off is the beautiful view and knowing that -- unusually enough -- the way back up is easier than the way down.
  To get there: From Sóller in the direction of Pollença, turn left when you come to the Gorg Blau... and get ready to have a hairy time!

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