Things To Do in Camp de Mar

The calm, crystal clear waters of Camp de Mar are packed with marine life. Over at the island restaurant, you can feed the fish with breadcrumbs from your table. If you want to see more, you can join an organised trip to spot sea urchins, moray eels and octopuses. You might even see the rare ‘fried egg’ jellyfish.

This contemporary beach bar has a big outdoor terrace that’s just the spot for watching the sun set over the ocean. At night it’s all lit up, and you can pad down the wooden paths to take a table on the sands. Drinks-wise, there’s a very decent cocktail list, and if you’re hungry they do snacks and bigger dishes like paella.

You’ll find lots of lively beach fun here in the form of jet-skiing, surfing and pedalos. There’s also top-notch snorkelling along the coast, thanks to the calm, clear waters that are packed with marine life. Join one of the organised trips and look out for octopus, moray eels and sea urchins.

You have to negotiate a lot of stairs to reach this restaurant, but the reward is some knockout coastal views. The food, too, is among the best in town. The fancy tapas dishes include salmon patties and asparagus chips, and this is the sort of place that serves amuse-bouches – fancy nibbles – between courses. For something more casual – and cheaper – try the set lunch.

Most of Camp de Mar’s nightlife takes place in its upmarket hotels, where you’ll find dinner and cabaret, or live acts. There are a handful of bars in town that are ideal for a quiet drink. Or you can head to Santa Ponsa, just 15 minutes' drive away. Here, you’ve got a lively night-time scene that lays on cocktail lounges, disco bars and live acts.

Camp de Mar’s seafront is home to some of Majorca’s best fish restaurants, where you can try dishes like chargrilled fresh grouper and red mullet. And it’s worth looking out for local favourites like greixonera de peix, a hearty fish stew, and fideua – it’s a kind of paella, but with noodles instead of rice. The restaurants here get busy, so you’re best off booking ahead.

This family-run bar and restaurant has got everything covered. They’ve got a wide-screen TV for sports lovers, and in the evenings they deal in chillout music to keep things mellow. You’ve got tapas and pizza if you want a nibble with your cocktails or rioja, and the place stays open late so you can always pop in just for a nightcap.

The seafood restaurants along the front are pretty popular, so you might want to book ahead to get a table. Here, you’ll get Majorcan specialities like salt cod and greixonera de peix – a hearty fish stew. Something else to try is the fideua – it’s a noodly take on paella. Some of the resort’s eateries close up in the late afternoon, while others are evening-only affairs.

This place is popular with the locals, who take unhurried dinners on the outside terrace. The friendly staff here serve up generous portions of Spanish-style seafood, including enormous salt-crusted seabass and turbot with almond butter. You’ll also get shoulder of lamb, steaks and sharing platters, plus irresistible homemade desserts like hot chocolate tart and lemon sorbet.

Palma’s Night of Fire kicks off around 8.30pm with folk dancing in Parc de la Mar by the cathedral. After that, the party really gets going – expect bonfires, fireworks and fire-breathing masked devils running through the streets. Later, the action moves to the beach for live bands and dancing ’til the early hours.

Low-key is the order of the night in Camp de Mar. You can sit back and watch the hotel cabaret or wander into one of the resort’s bars for a quiet drink and a few chillout tunes. If you want something a bit livelier, you’ve got Santa Ponsa 15 minutes' drive down the coast. And, for mega-clubs, there’s always Magaluf, which is the same distance.

There’s a jetty outside the Gran Hotel, and from here you can take a boat to the uninhabited islet of Sa Dragonera. Just 20 minutes away, this one-time pirate hangout is now a national park. There are Roman ruins to explore, and hiking trails you can follow to its 3 lighthouses. Birdwatchers should take binoculars to catch a better view of the falcons.

A former pirate hangout, the small, uninhabited island of Sa Dragonera is just 20 minutes away – you can hop on a boat from the jetty outside the Gran Hotel. Birdwatchers should pack their binoculars, and you’ve got Roman ruins and walking tracks to get round, too. To make a day of it, book a catamaran cruise that includes food, drink and snorkel stops along the way.

Camp de Mar’s main street, Avenida de la Playa, may be short but it packs in designer clothes shops, jewellery places and boutiques. If you like haggling, though, head over to Andratx – it’s about 15 minutes on the bus – for the Wednesday market. You’ll find local arts and crafts, and cheeses and salady bits for beach picnics.