How to plan a day trip to an ancient Mallorcan town that’s off the beaten track.
You’ll get the most out of a day trip to Artà if you plan in advance. By far the best day to go is Tuesday, market day, as the general, farmers and crafts markets are well worth the visit.
Getting there
Artà is one of the hidden gems of Mallorca. Sitting about 45 miles from Palma, and with no public transport to speak of, you’ll need to grab a taxi or hire a car.
The town itself is very small and it’s easily possible to see everything it has to offer on foot so a taxi is no problem but if you want to explore more of Mallorca on the way there and back then hiring a car is your best bet. The journey should take about an hour though the potential to get stuck behind a tractor is quite high!
On arrival
The first thing you’ll want to do on arrival in Artà is head to the markets as they only open in the mornings. The street market takes place in the Plaça del Conqueridor and the Craft market takes place at the Villa de Na Batlessa. Both are worth visiting and should be high on anyone’s wishlist.
From there you’ll want to head South towards the Almudaina d’Artà – the battlements of an Islamic fort which give stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
By now you’re probably after a spot of lunch so head up Carrer de Ciutat and Carrer d’Antoni Blanes Joan where you’ll find a wide range of cafés and restaurants ready to offer you a bite to eat.
Enjoy the regional museum
The next place on the list is the Plaça d’Espanya where you’ll find the town hall and the excellent Museu Regional d’Artà. Here you can see the history of the Artà region, whose settlements date back to 1300BC.
From there, the long stroll up to the Santuari de Sant Salvador is a great way to work off that lunch, though be warned – there are 180 steps on the way! The fortified 14th century church is worth it, however. It overlooks the town and contains some delightful artwork.
Alternative places to visit
Artà has plenty to offer to fill up your day, and this guide contains just a few of the many things to do.
If you only want to head that way once then you should make the time to check out the slightly larger town of Manacor on the way. Also worth exploring are the Coves del Drac (below), a series of interconnecting caves just a few miles to the west.
Coves d’Artà. Photo: Cristian Bortes (Flickr CC)
Evening entertainment
Artà has a delightful small theatre, the Teatre d’Artà. If you’re lucky enough to coincide with a show, and there are tickets left, then it’s definitely worth visiting.
Otherwise you’ll want to find a nice local restaurant and enjoy a great meal of local cuisine, prepared with love using fresh local ingredients.
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