Beaches
Palma Nova has 3 large, white sandy beaches and all of them are pretty much the same. If I had to give my preference, it would be the Son Matias beach as there is no road next to it. These beaches have soft waves and are very family-friendly, with restaurants, supermarkets, and snacks nearby. If you want to explore a bit, you have the more party-style Magaluf beach within walking distance, and with bus, scooter or car, you can visit nearby Cala Vinyes, one of the smaller beaches in Mallorca.
Hotels
Palma Nova is one of the largest resorts on the island of Mallorca, with many hotels. From my own experience:
- If you are looking for an adults only holiday I can definitely advise the Innside by Melia Cala Blanca right next to the beach
- For luxury try the Zafiro Palace Palmanova.
- For family holidays with lots of fun stuff for the kids, the Zafiro Palmanova is a great choice with easy walking distance to the beach.
Nightlife
Palma Nova has quite an active nightlife with many pubs and sports bars but still much quieter than Magaluf next door, where you will find many all-night clubs and more active and loud nightlife and clubbing scenes. Many people stay in Palma Nova for a more relaxed and clean setting but still want to be close to Magaluf for the nightlife. If you are one of those, make sure to check exactly where you are staying in Palma Nova as some of the hotels might be quite far from the main party area of Magaluf.
If you are not sure if Palma Nova is the right place for you, look at my where to stay in Mallorca guide.
Restaurants and bars
In Palma
Shopping
There are a few shops for shopping in Palma Nova, mostly selling touristy clothing. However, if you want to do some serious shopping, take the bus to Palma. There you will find most of the stores if you get off in the Placa Major or if you want an indoor airconditioned shopping centre at Porto Pi is one of the more prominent shopping centres in Palma.
How to get to Palma Nova
Palma Nova is pretty easy to get to from the Mallorca Aiport. You do not have to go to Palma and transfer there onto another bus as direct buses are going from the airport. However, I always like to advise the shuttle buses instead because they drop you off at the actual hotel and not some random bus stop.
For more about the shuttles and taxis going to Palma Nova, have a look here. You can also find there the companies I would advise booking with.
Things to do near Palma Nova
Palma Nova is one of the best locations if you want to visit lots of fun parks during your holiday. Within walking distance, you will find the Western Water Park, the best water park on the island, and the House of Katmandu that is fun every day and offers a great rainy day solution. If you want to visit any of these attractions, try to go on Saturdays as they are often much less busy on those days and there will be fewer lines. A bus can also take you to many lovely beaches nearby like the Cala Vinyes or have you in Palma centre within about 15 minutes.
Please have a look here for all the things I would advise doing and seeing in Mallorca.
