Travel Tales: Palma Nova- A Spanish Gem

Majorca has long been a popular destination for British holiday makers seeking sun, sand and a relaxing holiday, but just how accessible is this Mediterranean island?

WORDS: ELAINE RUSH

What a difference a decade makes! The first time we travelled to Majorca, in the early 1980s, it’s fair to say that it was a mixed experience. Any initial excitement about going abroad was marred by an unwelcoming airport, poor food and limited wheelchair access. However, when we returned 10 years later, it was like visiting a different island – one that’s now among our favourite holiday destinations!

We booked our most recent trip through Thomson because we have always found them to be reliable, the hotel is ‘exclusive to Thomson customers’ and the flight from Southampton to Palma was just two hours.

Palma Airport is now ultra modern and fully accessible, with automatic doors, lifts, ramps and an accessible toilet that was spotlessly clean – unlike many disabled facilities over here! The staff are also clearly used to disabled visitors, checking that we were OK to collect our own luggage.

GETTING THERE

We began to relax immediately as our pre-booked taxi was waiting for us when we arrived. Do note that you can arrange an accessible taxi if you prefer to stay in your wheelchair while in transit but, personally, I prefer to transfer onto a car seat – it feels safer, given Majorcan taxi drivers’ preference for fast and furious driving! Fortunately our destination – the Santa Lucia hotel, in the popular resort of Palma Nova – was just a 20 minute ride away.

The hotel has one of the best locations in Palma Nova, built at an angle on the seafront so that all its rooms have spectacular sea views. The entrance is flat, the reception area bright and spacious (as are all the public rooms) and it’s also step-free, making it a good choice for wheelchair users or anybody with reduced mobility. There are also several disabled rooms, although you have to request these – for some reason, unknown to us, they’re not mentioned in the brochure!

On this occasion we stayed at the Santa Lucia on a half board basis; both breakfast and evening meal are provided buffet style and there’s plenty of choice.

OUT AND ABOUT

That said, if – like us – you’re staying at the hotel for two weeks, you may well find the choice of food become rather predictable. Thankfully, Palma Nova has an abundance of cafes, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. One alfresco Italian restaurant that we particularly enjoyed was Viceroys; from fillet steak to a huge selection of pizzas and pastas we couldn’t fault it – the food was exceptional! Just one of many good restaurants in the area.

Early on we also discovered a lovely bar, called Castaways, across the road. This became hugely popular with the men in our hotel thanks to its Buy One, Get One Free offer on their beer. Needless to say we ending up spending a few ‘happy hours’ there!

The resort isn’t just beautiful, it’s also great for disabled holidaymakers. The promenade is wide, flat and stretches for miles, while you can hire special beach wheelchairs to enjoy the clean golden sands and the calm water in the bay that’s ideal for swimming. Of course, there are also numerous water activities for the more able visitor, from pedalos and banana boats to jet skies and water skiing!

NIGHT LIFE

The nearest town – Magaluf – is within easy ‘pushing’ distance of Palma Nova. It too boasts a beautiful unspoilt beach, but does have a livelier atmosphere and is popular with younger visitors. Although we enjoyed it during the day, we personally avoided the area at night – but if you’re looking for somewhere to dance away the hours until dawn then Magaluf is certainly the place to be! BCM is the biggest nightclub in town, featuring top international DJs, laser shows and nightly foam parties.

Although Banana Joe’s is only nightclub in Palma Nova, many of the bars have live music and we really enjoyed walking out each evening to see who was on. The Spanish people are very friendly and it was not uncommon to see families still wandering around at midnight because it feels so safe – not something we can do back home!

One of the most popular evenings out is the Pirates show, near Magaluf, with its mix of acrobatics and audience participation. Although pricey – adult entry is €51 (£44), children €29.50 (£25) – the evening includes a meal and a selection of free drinks. It was certainly an exciting evening for children of all ages! Meantime, one of the newest attractions in town is the House of Katmandu, an unusual upside-down building that leads you through different rooms while unfolding a suspense adventure. There is also a 4D extreme motion cinema here with six different rides that offer a unique cinema experience with a difference

EVERYTHING YOU NEED

Majorca has wonderful weather; when we visited in June we had wall-to-wall sunshine throughout our stay, and the temperatures were in the 90s even then – given that it’s hottest in July and August, you may prefer to visit in May or September.

On one day we visited Western Park which, with its large swimming areas and water rides, proved to be the perfect way to keep cool. There were also shows on throughout the day but as the area was only partially covered we felt it was too hot to sit in full sun – a shame, because we had heard the shows were really good. Perhaps next time?

And that’s the thing about Palma Nova; it has everything you need for a great holiday. Despite the poor exchange rate between the Pound and the Euro, we found our spending money lasted well because we could take advantage of so many special offers. No surprise, then, that people return time and time again to this beautiful Spanish island.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Taxi from Palma airport to Palma Nova €35-€40 (£30-£34)
• H/B, 2 week mid-June break staying at the Santa Lucia hotel from Gatwick £800pp (local airport supplement may apply)
• Pirates night out: adults €51 (£44), children €29.50 (£25)
• Western Park (day pass): adults €24 (£20), children €16 (£14)
• Katmandu house: adults €18 (£15), children €12 (£10)