Understand
[edit]The name "Magaluf" sounds Arabic, but no-one knows. The little island of Porassa gives shelter to its bay, a great help to the storm-tossed James I of Aragon in 1229, but the shore was just marshland until 1960. Then it was made-over into a sandy beach, and big boxy hotels sprang up along it. Cheap aviation and a short transfer time from the airport drove a surge in budget package tourism, mostly British with a sprinkling of German, Dutch and Scandinavian. Low-price alcohol and drunken cavorting was a major part of the appeal, and shock stories in the newspapers and TV documentaries only boosted its allure.
This deters other tourists, and the local authorities talk the talk about curbing alcohol-fueled excess and broadening Magaluf's appeal. Families can enjoy the beaches and waterparks but need to pick hotels insulated from the thump-thump-thump of 2 am discos. In winter there are still stag- and hen-parties on wild weekends but most visitors are pensioners escaping their cold northern homes.
Get in
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Map of Magaluf
Palma Airport (PMI IATA) brings an inexhaustible supply of tourists to the fleshpots of Magaluf. It's a short way east of Palma city, about 30 km from Magaluf via the ring road, and a taxi in 2024 might cost €25.
Frequent TIB buses run from Palma de Mallorca, taking about 45 minutes:
- Bus 104 to Portals Nous, Palmanova and Magaluf, daily every 15 min.
- Bus 105 to Costa d'en Blanes, Portals Nous, Palmanova, Magaluf and Sol de Mallorca, daily hourly.
- Bus 106 to Costa d'en Blanes, Portals Nous, Palmanova, Sa Porassa and Santa Ponça, M-Sa hourly and every two hours on Sunday.
- Buses 107 and 108 also run via Portals Nous on their way to the west coast.
Buses make multiple stops along the main boulevards and there isn't a town bus station. All buses are low-step, as TIB know their passengers are agile young things temporarily hobbled by attempting funky moves on the dance floor.
Get around
[edit]The buses serve the entire hotel strip. A single ticket is €3, see Palma de Mallorca#Get around for other fare options.
See
[edit]- A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20:31 and lasting 90 seconds. The chances of a clear sky are 65%, but you need to move 20 km west to the coast around Port d'Andratx to get a clear view to the horizon, as the sun will be setting over the sea. A few minutes later, sunset ends the show.
- 1 Isla de Sa Torre off Portals Nous is named for its 16th century defence tower. No public access, but you see enough from the headland of Cabo Tocinillo.
- Fortín Military Prison is an overgrown area on the slopes above Cabo Tocinillo. This is where General Franco sent POWs of the forces against him, unless it amused him more to kill them. It's an important facet of history but is set to remain overgrown while Spain is conflicted about this era.
- 2 Altar del Puig d'es Capità is a shrine and pilgrimage destination in the hills above Bendinat. It was established by the owners of Castell de Bendinat 500 m northeast, a late 19th century cod-castle which is now an events venue.
- 3 Platja de Palmanova or Es Carregador is the first good sandy beach coming west from Palma. It's interrupted by the outcrop of Punta Marroig then continues south for a km.
- Platja de Son Maties is the final stretch of this beach, beyond another little outcrop.
- 4 Platja de Magaluf is 500 m long.
- 5 Isla de Sa Porressa or Black Lizard Island is the scrubby islet in the bay. It's 400 m offshore so it's within swimming or SUP distance, but all you'll see here is a rear view of all the black lizards scuttling for cover, then you might as well head back.
- 6 Cala Figuera is a cove with a small rocky beach on an undeveloped headland. The access lane is closed to visitor vehicles, so it's a 2 km hike from the public road. 200 m south of the cove is a crumbling ancient lighthouse and a modern one.
Do
[edit]- Marineland, C Garcilaso de la Vega 9, Costa d'en Blanes (by Portals Nous Marina), ☏ +34 680 519 863. May-Oct daily 10:00-17:30. Large marine zoo with aquarium, reptiles, penguins and so on. Adult €30, child €21.
- Pirates Adventure, C Porrassa 12, Magaluf, ☏ +34 971 130 659. Sounds like a theme park, but it's cabaret-cum-circus over dinner. Adult €35.
- Katmandu Park is a theme park at Av Pedro Vaquer Ramis 9, next to Sol Katmandu Hotel, aimed at younger children.
- Karting Magaluf is on C Porrassa 100 m west of Pirates Adventure.
- Western Water Park, C de Cala Figuera, ☏ +34 971 131 203. May-Oct daily 10:00-18:00. Water park with flumes, slides and the like. Adult €33, child €27.
- Boat trips: a dozen operators, but these are not the sort of excursions where you snorkel in secluded coves and watch the dolphins disport by some islet castillo. They're booze cruises where you get wasted then chunder the lot back into the Med.
- Scuba diving: Big Blue Diving offer courses and run trips. The Med is well-suited to beginners and low-experience divers.
- Golf: T-Golf Calvià is a parkland course on C Cala Figuera towards the southern headland. White tees 6450 m, par 72.
- Santa Ponça GC is closer, but see Calvià for this course west of the headland.
- Real Golf de Bendinat is in the hills above Cas Català just west of Palma city.
- Mallorca Live is a music festival over a weekend in mid-June, at Sa Porassa 1 km inland from Magaluf.
- Fiestas de Verano are summer music festivals in several towns. The Magaluf fiesta is mid-August.
Buy
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- Lots of convenience stores. Aldi have big supermarkets at Av de l'Olivera in town centre, and in La Vila Centre Comercial near Katmandu Park, both open daily 09:00-22:00.
- Lidl and Mercadona are the main stores in Palma Nova.
Eat
[edit]- Tom Brown's, Contralmirall Pou 2, ☏ +34 971 131 989. Daily 08:30-22:30. Popular long-established British bar and grill on Magaluf beachfront.
- Others you might look out nearby are Mesón Rincón Español, Puerto Rico and Zhero Boathouse.
- Bunsik is a Korean restaurant at Pere Vaquer Ramís 12, open Tu-Su.
Drink
[edit]- BCM, Av de l'Olivera (opposite Sol Katmandu Hotel), ☏ +34 687 570 130. Daily 22:00-06:00. Huge nightclub, the main floor attracts famous DJs whilst the lower floor immerses its dancers in foam, water or even popcorn. Admission includes two drinks before midnight and a third before 1 am. Adult €40.
- BCM Square outside the nightclub has Morgan's, Zeppelin, Peaky Blinders, Sinky's Scottish Pub and Moon Bar. Th block south has Coco Bongos, Jokers Club, Britannia, Windsor Bar, Mano's, Dreams and The Local Pub.
- Banana Joe's Disco Bar, C dels Pinzons 65 (50 m east of Globales Panama), ☏ +34 677 181 986. Daily 08:30-04:00. Long established place on the strip, a pub bistro by day then a dance club into the small hours.
Sleep
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- Everything here can be considered mid-range.
- Portals Nous has lots of accommodation - this area is more like a western district of Palma than the east end of the Magaluf strip.
- 1 Globales Panama, C de Paris 4, Palmanova, ☏ +34 971 680122. Smart clean hotel in a good spot, near beach and bars but quiet within. B&B double €150.
- tent Palmanova, C de Paris 1, Palmanova (opposite Globales Panama), ☏ +34 971 680122. Clean with good brunch buffet but nowhere to hang your clothes. B&B double €100.
- Fergus Bermudas, C del Pinzons 20, Palmanova (by Globales Panama), ☏ +34 971 680050. Good scores all round for comfort, service and catering. B&B double €120.
- Zafiro Palace has swim-up suites. It's at Av de Cas Saboners 24, 200 m southwest of Globales Panama.
- Reverence Mare, C Germans Moncada 17 (200 m east of Globales Panama), ☏ +34 971 680100. Mostly good, but catering sometimes disappointing especially for veggies. Geared for hen parties. B&B double €120.
- 2 Son Matias Beach, C Duc de L'Extremera 2, Palmanova, ☏ +34 971 681550. Grand little hotel right on the beach. B&B double €150.
- 3 Fergus Style Tobago, C Martin Ros Garcia 1, Palmanova, ☏ +34 971 680500. Slick modern hotel on the headland between the main beaches. B&B double €190.
- Hotel Flamboyant is on the headland at C Martín Ros García 16.
- Hotel Florida is further along the headland at C Torrenova 33.
- Cook's Club is an inexpensive place at C Pineda near the headland.
- 4 Sol Katmandu Park, C Galió, ☏ +34 971 130950. Agreeable hotel by the theme park. B&B double €250.
- 5 Hotel Samos, Av de l'Olivera 12, ☏ +34 971 131700. Value-for-money hotel near main beach. B&B double €100.
- Sol y Vera, Av de l'Olivera 5 (100 m south of Hotel Samos). Budget self-catered accommodation near BCM square; large rooms and kept clean.
- 6 Sol House The Studio, C Blanc 2, ☏ +34 971 131400. Very mixed reviews for comfort and service. B&B double €120.
- 7 Sol Guadalupe, C de Sa Porrassa, ☏ +34 971 131958. Too many rowdy drunken adolescents. B&B double €80.
- 8 HSM Atlantic Park, C de la Barca 2, ☏ +34 971 130600. Mostly good reviews though some rooms tired and catering variable. Double (room only) €120.
- HSM Don Juan[dead link] is next to HSM Atlantic at C Calderón 4.
- HM Martinique Apartments are next to HSM Atlantic Park at C Tirso de Molina 1.
- 9 Dreams Calvia, Av Notari Alemany 34, ☏ +34 911 229855. Good reviews all round for this Hyatt chain hotel south end of Calvia beach. B&B double €150.
Stay safe
[edit]First and foremost, don't get blind drunk.
The sheer number of revellers makes the streets safe at night. Opportunistic crime includes pickpocketing and drink-spiking.
Connect
[edit]As of July 2024, Magaluf and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Palma de Mallorca the island capital needs a couple of days to explore.
- Andratx is an upmarket resort village on the island's west tip.