Best nightlife on Mallorca

The island of Mallorca has many great locations to enjoy nights out, here is the abcMallorca guide to the best areas for nightlife.

Diverse and extremely popular, Mallorca’s capital, Palma has district areas renowned for its nightlife. Restaurants, bars and enjoying live music are all part of the city’s vibrant social scene. As you may or may not know, the Spanish nightlife differs greatly from that in other countries around Europe, events start later in the day, people take their time to enjoy their food and company. The social scene is a lot more important.

So even if you live on the island or are a visitor, take your time to enjoy the little things… ‘When in Rome’ and all that.

La Lonja

La Lonja is a popular area, filled with cafes, bars and restaurants. As enchanting in the day as it is at night, it is a maze of narrow streets and home to intimate little bars such as the Jazz Voyeur Club (free entry), here you will find live music and a great atmosphere, not to mention a ‘generous Spanish serving of Brandy’.

For a totally over the top experience you can head next door to the mesmerising Abaco cocktail bar. Built in a 16th century palace Abaco transports you to another world. Full of aged furniture, marble statues and fresh fruit and flower arrangements. The highlight is the flower petal rain on Fridays at midnight. All of this paired with classical music is a must see for visitors and residents alike.

Further along the La Lonja district, which takes its name from the 15th century Gothic Maritime Stock Exchange in the centre of the neighbourhood, you can find another Jazz club incorporated on the seventh floor of the Hotel Saratoga (Passeig de Mallorca, 6). The Blue Jazz club has live music from Thursday through to Sunday and offers cabaret dinners, great cocktails and beautiful views of the bay of Palma. Book in advance as it can get busy during the summer months.

Centre

With a more central location in Palma, Bimil Lounge in Plaça Mercat is a great place to start the evening with some unique cocktails and snacks. Relaxed yet smart and contemporary Bimil Lounge is a Mallorquin / Asian fusion bar that offers great evening drinks, beautiful surroundings and live entertainment on Thursday nights.

The very popular Nicolas bar is always a favourite with anyone seeking a variety of cocktails, relaxed service and delicious tapas – You can spend hours people watching from the terrace or taking in the clean, yet vintage feel of the interior décor.

Gibson Bar (Plaça del Mercat, 18) with its quirky details and super ‘after work’ cocktails can also be found in the heart of Palma. Open all year round it is a fail safe option for relaxed afternoons or predinner drinks.

The Spanish tradition of going for a ‘Vermut’ has long been instilled in most tapas bars here. Vermut (red or white wine flavoured with herbs and spices) is taken before eating to ‘help’ the appetite and the culture seems to be more and more popular with expats wanting to adopt the easy going Mediteranean lifestyle.

La Vermuteria Rosa (Carrer Rosa, 5) is a delightful bar that specialises in vermouth and serves tapas, snacks and not forgetting a bitter sweet glass of vermouth to accompany the traditional plates. Don’t miss the recently opened ‘sister bar “La Rosa Chica” (Carrer de Monsenyor Palmer, 5) close to Santa Catalina.

Sophisticated, elegant and secret, Tast Club is a hidden gem in Palma’s centre. The bodega like, bistro styled tapas bar serves high quality, delicious plates. Perfect for an evening snack or late cocktails. There are also ‘sister bars’ dotted around Palma – Rambar, El Nautico and Tast Avenidas. Be sure to call in advance to enjoy this one of a kind experience.

Santa Catalina

The old district of Santa Catalina has the atmosphere of a lively village and is packed with a cosmopolitan mix of places to eat and drink. Places range from American style diners to Irish pubs. Dark rock and roll bars to trendy house clubs. It is basically ‘dinner, drinks and dancing’ all in one area.

Brooklyn Club (Carrer de Dameto, 6) is an upstairs/ downstairs style club that has resident and invited DJ’s all year round that play a mix of anything and everything.

If it’s more classic hits you are looking for then head to Kaelum on Avenida Argentina, it’s a great place to dance the night away and caters to everyone’s tastes.

Just half a minute away is Hotel Hostal Cuba where many of Palmas locals will visit to sip cocktails and chatter. The large terrace is perfect for people watching too!

Now on top of all this, Santa Catalina has one specific allure that is a fairly recent addition. It is what residents call ‘Tardeo’. On the weekends the bars and clubs of Santa Catalina open up at 4.30pm, just after lunch time so that everyone can enjoy the weekend without having to cut short the day. What better way to enjoy time with friends than have a lunch that goes straight into drinks which then goes straight into dancing – but still be home before 12pm?! All in all Santa Catalina is a superb place to meet friends, enjoy a cocktail, eat tapas and dinner and dance the night away without travelling too far. Whatever you want, you will find it here.

Paseo Marítimo

Palma’s Paseo Maritimo has numerous places where you can get down and dance. The legendary Tito’s no longer attracts the Hollywood A listers of its heyday but there is always a red carpet to walk down upon entrance, a glass elevator to take you up to the main dance floor and themed nights where the entertainment never ceases to amaze.

Nearby Can Barbara marina is home to Garitos bar where they are constantly being applauded for their great DJ sets and cool vibes. Although it is a small area, there is always room to dance.

If your idea of a night out is going to see a staged performance, then check out the programme for the Palma Auditorium (Avinguda de Gabriel Roca, 18) – a venue for all types of music, theatre, dance and comedy.

Arenal & Playa de Palma

Just 10 minutes away from the centre of Palma one will find Arenal. A holiday resort that caters to everyone’s tastes Arenal combines a classic holiday haven with a touch of city break. Close enough to the city centre to get some shopping in but situated on the sea front with many bars and restaurants to choose.

Megapark (Ctra. Arenal, 52) is Arenal’s most known club. At the end of summer it hosts the classic Oktoberfest celebrations where visitors can get a taste of typical German food and drink while dancing away to all the classic tunes that Oktoberfest is famous for.

If you are looking for something more sophisticated then Purobeach club with its all white deco should be the place for you. Enjoy cocktails and sunset views for a perfect ending to the day.

Illetas

The Puro beach chain have opened another beach club at Illetas. Described as an ‘Oasis del mar’ you can enjoy the same relaxing terraces, fresh cuisine and uniterupted views of the bay of Palma. Highlights for the summer are the full moon parties and yoga workshop.

Puerto Portals

The glamorous harbour of Puerto Portals, with its gleaming motor cruisers and yachts, luxury boutiques, smart eateries and bars has long been a magnet for the glamorous set, so you are quite likely to spot a celeb or two enjoying a drink or dinner here.

Open all year round Ritzi ticks all the boxes – restaurant, lounge, bar and music all in one. You can start your evening with dinner in the Mediterranean styled restaurant downstairs and afterwards, move upstairs for cocktails and dancing. Again, this restaurant is situated right on the waterfront so the evening views are stunning. This place is a must visit, but be sure to book in advance to be sure of a table.

Magaluf

A real diamond in the rough, some of the best beach clubs in the world can be found in the Calvià resort of Magaluf. The internationally renowned Nikki Beach set the standard for luxury beach front clubs, offering ‘music, dining and entertainment’ all in one. Spend your day hanging out on immense sun loungers, sipping the best cocktails and dancing to Nikkis beach´s own music mix or live music shows. Not far away one can also find Oceans Beach Club (C/ GeneraL García Ruiz, nº1, loc. 1) and Pirates Beach Bar both offering cocktails, pool parties and great summer memories.

The relatively new ME hotel can be found in the same neighbourhood as Nikki Beach. During the summer months the hotel pool and bar stay open for evening drinks. Here you can meet friends for cocktails and dance the night away to a mix of music from great European dj’s. Within the hotel is the Pez Playa restaurant, a fun and cool area that serves mixed drinks and allows you to relax to the sound of the waves from the frontline of the beach. Its usually better to call in advance and book a table, especially in high season.

Palmanova

Further along the beach at Palmanova is Il Chiringo, a fun and laid back, wooden decked beach bar offering snacks and drinks. Again, it is advisavble to book ahead as tables fill up quickly and most groups will stay all day. With a pathway straight down to the water and beach volley ball on offer, it’s a great place to enjoy the weekend.

Port Adriano

The Philipe Starck designed marina, Port Adriano is clearly a pretender to the glamour throne, with its enormous boats and a host of smart restaurants, bars and boutiques. Not to mention a 240 space underground car park. A restaurant, nightclub and beach bar, Coast by East has it all and with views over the port, the elegant cocktail lounge makes the evenings really special.

Up on the first floor there are a variety of bars and eateries such as Sansibar, the airy and light décor matched with the stunning views of the port offer a Mediterranean version of the original lounge in Sylt. After dinner the party can carry on at Uppereast Mallorca, a diverse and modern disco and bar. It boasts international DJs, themed parties and live music event throughout the summer months.

An informal meeting point for after work drinks is at Sa Cantina which has a relaxed and cosy atmosphere.

Port d’Andratx

With its understated elegance, Port d’ Andratx is rapidly becoming a hotspot for all kinds of trendy visitors.

A must visit if you are in Port d’ Andratx is Romeo’s (Av. Almirante Riera Alemany, 11). The stylishly rustic tapas bar welcomes everyone to enjoy themselves, with freshly made tapas, super friendly staff and a roof terrace to enjoy the sunset.

Another bar for the ‘cool kids’ is the classic Tim’s bar (Avinguda de l’Almirant Riera Alemany, 7). Since its opening in 1978 Tim’s has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the top places to go in Port d’ Andratx. A relaxed and friendly bar it has seating inside and out, a diverse food and drink menu and an unmissable sunset view. Get there early to ensure a seat as this bar is ‘beyond popular’.

Deià

Although small in size, the beautiful coastal village of Deia is home to some marvellous restaurants and bars.

Recently opened is the Nama restaurant which presents an Asian fusion menu, an outdoor terrace as well as seating inside and stylish décor. Only open during the summer months you can enjoy both the ecological lunch menus or treat yourself to the Asian fine dining experience.

Cosy and private, Xelini (Carrer Arxiduc Luís Salvador, 19) is a family run bar that offers a wide variety of tapas to enjoy on their rustic terrace.

Opposite the Robert Graves foundation you can find the quaint little café Sa Font Fresca (Torrent des Racó) that serves drinks and tapas for an enjoyable evening with friends or family. Very laid back and very understated this restored family home offers classic yet cosy Mallorquin evenings for everyone. Another bar with unforgettable sunset views has to be Chiringito Son Marroig. Perfectly located to relish in the romantic lighting of the lowering sun, you will need to get there early to secure a seat. However once you are there you will never want to leave.

Belmond La Residencia could have come straight from a postcard, a picturesque building with a gorgeous terrace to wind down on offers a drinks menu that is served with an impeccable manner. Tucked away and private Belmond La Residencia never fails to impress with quality, style and rustic elegance.

Port d’Alcúdia

The very attractive Port Alcúdia is a little further away from the centre of Palma however if you want a change of scenery this is a super place to visit and enjoy a night out.

Recently renovated, Menta (Avenida Tucán, 5) is a dual floored disco that boasts terraces, a pool area and international DJ’s. There is also the possibility to cater for stag parties and hen do’s so a good time will be had by all.

South of the island

On the Southeast coast of the island you can find the traditional fishing village of Portocolom. In the summer evenings restaurants and bars stay open for the longer evenings. For a more upbeat vibe Farahs club (Av. dels Benvinguts, 44, Santanyí) is a nightclub that plays a mix of tastes with different DJ´s every week, so everyone can have a great night.

A little further west you will find Colonia Sant Jordi, with its relaxed atmosphere and beautiful surroundings you can find superb bars and beach clubs to have an evening meal and relaxed cocktails. The restaurant and chill out bar Laos (Avinguda Primavera, 26, Colonia de Sant Jordi) is a good all-rounder for dinner, drinks and music. With its modern and elegant design the building itself catches the eye, add to that the delicious menu and varied cocktails everyone will enjoy their evenings here. Also the CASSAI beach club that is amazing!!

Other interesting guides