Shopping In Palma:
The main shopping areas in Palma are Avinguda Jaume III and the Passeig des Born for up-market boutiques and the pedestrian streets around Placa Major for small specialist shops. There is also a modern shopping mall and hypermarket complex, the Centro Comercial Porto Pi, 2km from the centre. For the shopper, the relatively small size of Palma is of great advantage. Avinguda Jaume III, as well as being the best-known street in the city, is also the newest. Although it is hard to believe. only 30 years ago the street didn’t exist. Today it is one of Palma’s most elegant avenues, lined with sophisticated shops offering men’s and women’s fashions as well as jewellery and gifts. Galerias Preciados, one of Spain’s most popular department store chains, is also present. For a thorough shopping spree you shouldn’t forget the side streets of Bonaire, Sta. Maria del Sepulcro, Sant Marty etc.
Beaches in Palma:
With almost 80 beautiful beaches, the sunny island of Mallorca has many excellent beach facilities, with fine, golden sand. Some of the best beaches in Mallorca can be found to the north and north-east of the island and also around the Badia de Palma. Many of the larger beaches include restaurants, beachside bars and a variety of watersports. There are also many other more private, secluded beaches and coves in Mallorca, although these can prove more difficult to reach. During the summer, most beaches in Mallorca have lifeguards. Many beaches have swimming areas marked by buoys, although this does not mean that swimming outside these areas is prohibited. There are usually notice boards at the entrances to the beaches in Mallorca, listing the facilities available, such as showers and wheelchair access. Smaller beaches in Mallorca do not have lifeguards, but swimming is usually safe and the beaches are generally sited in small coves with calm waters.
Soller Vintage Railway:
No trip to Palma would be complete without a trip on the Vintage train to Soller. The journey by electric train from Palma to Soller is more than just a ride through the Tramuntana mountains – it’s a trip back in time. Gliding gently through olive groves on leather-bound seats, in wooden panelled carriages with brass fittings and old fashioned luggage racks, you could be forgiven for thinking you were part of an Agatha Christie thriller. Although these days it seems “grand”, the Soller to Palma railway was built for a much more down-to-earth purpose – to transport Soller’s famous oranges to the port at Palma and then to the rest of the world. A truly memorable experince you will remember long after your holiday has ended.
