You might know Artà for its Tuesday market, one of the best on the island for palm baskets, pottery and local fruit. Or for the walled church of Sant Salvador, sitting on the hill above town at the top of 180 steps. Or maybe the Llevant Natural Park, a protected stretch of hills and sandy coves with no big hotels in sight.
Artà sits in a valley in Mallorca's north-east, at the foot of the Serres de Llevant. It's a working town, not a resort. People live here all year, so the bars and bakeries stay open when the coast shuts down. The name comes from the Arabic Yartân, and the town's story goes back much further, to a Bronze Age village just outside the centre.
Today Artà is still known for llatra, baskets and hats woven by hand from the local garballó palm. Add a long pedestrian street, a handful of very good restaurants and a coastline that hasn't been built on, and you have one of the best bases on the island for a slow week. Read on for our local's guide to Artà.
Where to eat in and around Artà
Beni Axir – The restaurant at Es Racó d'Artà, a 200-hectare farm estate in the hills on the road to Cala Mitjana. Most of what's on the plate comes from the estate's own organic gardens, olive and fruit trees, or small farms nearby. The cooking is simple Mediterranean done well: grilled fish, slow-cooked beans, good vegetables. Eat in the courtyard or under the stars. Adults only (14+), and open to non-guests if you book.
Can Simoneta Gastronòmic – Ten minutes from town on the road to Canyamel, set on a cliff above the sea. Chef David Moreno mixes the food of his native Mexico with Mallorcan produce, served as a tasting menu that changes often. Book a table on the terrace and time it for the light going over the water.
Sa Pleta by Marc Fosh – Worth the 20-minute drive to Canyamel for a special night out. It sits inside the Pleta de Mar hotel, with sea views and an open kitchen where meat, fish and vegetables are cooked over fire. The kitchen is run day to day by Joan Sevillano, a young chef from Artà. Adults only (16+), and open to non-guests if you book.
VORO – The only two-Michelin-star restaurant on the island, inside the Cap Vermell Grand Hotel in Canyamel. Chef Álvaro Salazar cooks two long tasting menus built on Mallorcan produce. It's dinner only and adults only. Save it for the big night of the trip and book well ahead.
What to do in Artà
Tuesday market – Every Tuesday morning, all year, stalls fill Plaça del Conqueridor and the pedestrian street. Locals come for fruit, veg and olives. Visitors come for palm baskets, sun hats, pottery, linens and leather. Get there early, before the heat and the tour buses, and park on the edge of town.
Sant Salvador – Climb the 180 steps of the cypress-lined stairway from the old town to this walled church on the hill. The walls date back to the town's old fortress, and from the top you can see across the plain to the coast. Go early or late in summer, when the steps are in shade.
Ses Païsses – A Bronze Age village just outside town, and one of the best kept in the Balearics. Its outer wall is built from huge stone blocks, some weighing up to eight tonnes, with a big stone gateway still standing. It's a short walk through the trees and a good hour for kids.
Llevant Natural Park and the coves – North of town is a protected peninsula of hills, heath and sandy coves, a park since 2001. Start at Cala Torta: drive the rough track, park, and walk a few minutes to the beach. From there, the coast path heads past Cala Mitjana, Cala Estreta and Cala es Matzoc to the old Torre d'Albarca watchtower. Bring water and shoes you can walk in, as there's almost nothing out here, which is the point.
Coves d'Artà – Huge sea caves in the cliffs near Canyamel, full of stalactites and stalagmites. Visits are guided and take about 40 minutes, and they're open all year except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. A good plan for a grey or very hot day.
Festivals – Artà's biggest party is Sant Antoni on 16 and 17 January, a tradition going back to 1581, with dancers wearing cardboard horses. The town's patron saint, Sant Salvador, gets his own fiesta in the first week of August.
Where to stay in and around Artà
Homes to rent
Hotels to book
Es Racó d'Artà – A 200-hectare estate in a green valley next to the Llevant Natural Park, built around a restored 13th-century farmhouse. Architect Antoni Esteva kept it simple: white walls, stone and wood, with art by Miquel Barceló on the walls. The owners didn't cut down a single tree in the build. There's an organic farm, vineyards, a spa and morning yoga. Adults only (14+).
Can Simoneta – An adults-only hotel on the cliffs between Artà and Canyamel, with sea views from almost everywhere and a path down to the water. Stay for dinner at the Gastronòmic and you won't need the car all night.
Pleta de Mar – A low-slung, adults-only hotel on a cliff near Canyamel, surrounded by pine woods and olive trees. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor showers and lots of stone and wood. Two saltwater pools, and Sa Pleta is a short buggy ride away.
Getting there
Artà is about an hour's drive from Palma airport. Buses run, but you'll want a car for the coves and the restaurants out of town.
