july-2011

PALMA ON THE GROUND
FLY TO PALMA MALLORCA FROM 26 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING BARCELONA (EL PRAT, GIRONA AND REUS) | EINDHOVEN | FRANKFURT (HAHN) | GLASGOW (PRESTWICK) |
to THE bar
CLUBS AND CASTLES
BALEARIC NIGHTS OUT ARE ALL ABOUT
pacing. There’s no last orders carnage in these
parts, and evenings should be stretched over
hours and hours. You can’t really stay up for
48 hours straight like in Ibiza Town – Palma
nightlife is a little more subdued and arguably
attracts a slightly older crowd than the clubs of
the White Isle. But this is still a party town, so
don’t forget it.
Start with a sundowner at Harry’s Palma
Bar 22 , a sweet little watering hole decked out
with leather seats and hidden away in the back
streets off Jaume III. The G&Ts are mixed as
they should be here.
Next, why not sample a glass of Mallorcan
wine? After all, you’re pretty unlikely to find
Binissalem on many wine lists outside the
island. Team a glass of this impressive red with
a little tapas of pa amb oli (bread with olive
oil) and Iberico ham. Amano Bar ( 23 www.
amano-bar.com) is the place to do this.
Now you’re ready to move up a notch. A
stroll around the harbour brings you to El
Garito Café ( 24 www.garitocafe.com). This
50 WWW.RYANAIRMAG.COM
trendy little late bar features jazzy DJs like Kruder & Dorfmeister and
Rainer Truby. Vodka and Red Bull seems to be the drink of choice down
here at the moment; if you drink that you’ll probably be awake for
several more hours of sampling the Palma nightlife.
Since you’re down in the Paseo end of town, why not check out
Abraxas ( 25 www.abraxasmallorca.com)? One of the most jawdropping
clubs on the island, dancing here feels like partying in a
castle. Mallorca’s branch of Pacha used to be based at Abraxas and
you can understand why – a thumping sound system, palm trees,
dance floors carved out of rock – it’s got the lot. To fit in here you need
to drink fizz. You could just knock back bottles of tasty Estrella, of
course, but it wouldn’t be the thing.
Indie kids needn’t feel left out amid the Latin rhythms, jazz-house
and thud-thud pounding of Euro-dance that make up the soundtrack
to a Saturday night out in Palma city centre. Exit Rock Bar ( 26 www.
exitrockbar.com) is a friendly little basement bar where they play
everything from The Strokes to Johnny Cash, the kids try to dress cooler
than one another, and the beer and nachos are cheap.
There’s one more Palma classic you can’t miss: Abaco ( 27
www.bar-abaco.com). This one-of-a-kind bar celebrates its 30th
anniversary later this year. But age has yet to mellow this gothic
madhouse, where rose petals fall from the ceiling and the extravagant
decor is the backdrop to a great party – a party involving €15 cocktails
and lots of boisterous chatter.
cocktail crush
Harry’s Palma Bar serves
up another great mix
Chilling in the courtyard
of opulent bar Abaco
Rock on
Fancy going to a
party while you’re
in Mallorca? Then
consider a trip down the
coast to Magaluf.
The people behind
the Ibiza Rocks venue
and parties have also
given the famous
clubbing destination a
new lease of life with
a spin-off festival,
Mallorca Rocks (www.
ibizarocks.com/
mallorca-rocks).
Each summer, a
lip-smacking line-up
of music is slowly
transforming Magaluf.
This year, the Mallorca
Rocks Hotel 28 – in
the former hotel
Trópico, in the town
centre – features gigs
by Biff y Clyro (19 July),
Tinie Tempah (26 July),
Dizzee Rascal (29
July), Chase & Status
(2 August), Example
(9 August), Magnetic
Man (30 August)
and Madness (13
September). Something
for everyone, then.
The idea is to give
things a cooler indie
spin in a resort that
lots of people still think
never plays anything but
Euro-house (you can still
fi nd this too!). Cosmetic
improvements to streets
and hotels, and stricter
licensing laws have also
made the place nice and
sparkly!