Magaluf
Magaluf is the flagship of Majorcan tourism, and renowned as one of the hardest partying tourist resorts in the world. In 40 years it has been transformed from a quiet fishing village into a 24-hour party and entertainment capital, catering mainly to tourists on package holidays from the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries.
Magaluf is the flagship of Majorcan tourism, and renowned as one of the hardest partying tourist resorts in the world. In 40 years it has been transformed from a quiet fishing village into a 24-hour party and entertainment capital, catering mainly to tourists on package holidays from the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries. The resort is situated on the Palma Bay coast of the Calvin district, about 20 kilometres south-west of the capital Palma, and so can take less than an hour for package tourists to get off their planes at the airport and move into their hotel rooms along the famous waterfront. Just to mile to the north of Magaluf is the somewhat newer beachside resort of Palmanova - but apart from the rocky headland of Punta Ballena ("Whale Point") that separates the two beaches it is often impossible to tell just where one resort ends and the other begins. Although both Magaluf and Palmanova are a major a destination for young party-seeking visitors on 18-30 club holidays, the area is also popular with families, who favour the Palmanova side of town.
The rows of sun umbrellas on Magaluf's beach, with the palm trees and hotel towers in the background, are one of the most famous postcard scenes of Majorca. It is an attractive stretch of fine what sand at the head of small bay, sheltered by rocky headlands on both sides and a small off-shore island. A stylish palm-fringed promenade runs behind the length of the beach, lined with bars, restaurants, hotel gardens and tourist shops. A variety of facilities for water sports are available from operators based on the beach, including water-skiing, jet-ski hire, and pedal boats or pedellos. Tour boats offering sightseeing cruises of the area - including catamaran yachts, and glass-bottomed boats that tour the local coral reefs - depart from jetties at the two ends of the beach. The first of three beaches on the Palmanova side of the headland is just a few minutes walk or cycle ride over the hill. All the beaches of the resorts are gently sloped, safe for children and monitored by life patrols, but families tend to prefer the Palmanova beaches while the younger crowd hang out on Magaluf.
The focus of night-life in Magaluf is "The Strip" along Calle de Punta Ballena. There are more than 50 bars and four major nightclubs along The Strip and in the streets that lead over the hill to Palmanova. Magaluf's nightclubs attract many of the world's leading dance DJs and performers, and the music and entertainments of the local bars covers a wide spectrum of sounds and entertainments, from karaoke, to the blues, to bingo. Majorca's largest and most extravagant mega-club is BCM, home of the "world largest foam machine" that is used to flood the dance floor with towers of bubbles. BCM Square near the club is the site of the largest public HD television screen and the most popular place in Magaluf for watching football - especially during England games, when crowds of thousands of England supporters gather to a create a stadium-like atmosphere.