Artà Mallorca: What to See, How to Get There and the Llevant Natural Park
Artà is a municipality in northeastern Mallorca with an inland old town and an unspoilt coastline. It is not a beach town but a gateway to the Llevant Natural Park and the wildest coves of the east coast.
Artà is a municipality in northeastern Mallorca with an inland old town and an extensive coastline that preserves some of the most unspoilt shores on the island. Although the town centre lies about 7 kilometres from the sea, much of its identity is tied to that wild coastline. It is not a beach town but an inland town that serves as the gateway to the Llevant Natural Park and to one of the best-preserved coastal strips in Mallorca.
The municipality of Artà administers the Llevant Natural Park and many of the coves featured on our Coves and Caves boat trip. The town is the area's main centre and a practical base for exploring the northeast.
Where it is
Artà is in northeastern Mallorca, with the town centre several kilometres from the coast.
Town centre coordinates: 39°42'41" N, 3°20'50" E
| Can Picafort | ~22 km |
| Colònia de Sant Pere | 12 km |
| Betlem | 20 km |
| Port of Alcúdia | ~28 km |
| Palma | 78 km (Ma-15) |
Quick facts
| Name | Artà |
| Municipality | Artà |
| Type of settlement | Historic inland town with municipal coastline |
| Beach | No town beach. Unspoilt coves along the municipal coast |
| Facilities available | Supermarkets, boutique hotels, restaurants, car hire, pharmacy |
| Main access | Ma-12 from Alcúdia / Ma-15 from Palma and Manacor |
| Public transport | Buses to Palma, Alcúdia and Capdepera |
| Distance from Alcúdia | ~28 km |
| Best way to visit | By car, as a base for the Llevant Natural Park or the northeast in general |
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you are looking for a Mallorcan town with a personality of its own, far removed from the atmosphere of the big resorts. The Santuari de Sant Salvador, the stone streets of the old town and the Tuesday market justify the visit on their own.
It is also a good base for the Llevant Natural Park. The s'Alqueria Vella Interpretation Centre is 3 km from the town centre, and the park's trails start from there.
It is less suitable if you want a beach with facilities next to your accommodation. Artà has no town beach. Reaching the unspoilt coves along its coast requires a drive followed by a walk.
What the place is like
Artà keeps the feel of an inland Mallorcan town where daily life still takes precedence over tourism. The narrow stone streets, the stately houses and the silhouette of the Santuari de Sant Salvador crowning the hill give it a very recognisable character. The old town can be explored comfortably on foot in about an hour.
The atmosphere is calm and everyday. This is not a town that lives off beach tourism.
What to see and do
Santuari de Sant Salvador: castle and sanctuary on the hill. Reached on foot or by car along a narrow road. Views over the Bay of Alcúdia and the Tramuntana Mountains.
Parish church of the Transfiguració del Senyor: on the main square, in Mallorcan Gothic style.
Tuesday market: the best known in the area. Local produce, palm-leaf crafts (baskets, woven hats).
Museu Regional d'Artà: local archaeological collections and natural history exhibits.
Coves of the Artà coastline: Cala Torta, Cala Estreta, S'Arenalet des Verger, Cala Matzoc. Reached by forest tracks and on foot. No facilities. The same coves that appear on our boat trip, seen from the sea.
Access to the Llevant Natural Park
The s'Alqueria Vella Interpretation Centre is 3 km from the centre of Artà. It is the official entry point to the park, where you pick up maps and check the state of the trails.
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00 (Nov-Mar) / 9:00-18:00 (Apr-Oct). Phone: 606 09 68 30.
Guided visits: Saturdays, with prior booking.
From s'Alqueria Vella, routes lead to the Talaia Freda (564 m, 2h30min-6h20min depending on the variant), S'Arenalet d'Aubarca (1h30min one way) and Cap Farrutx.
How it fits into an itinerary around the area
Artà as a two-day base in the northeast.
Day 1: old town and market (Tuesday), visit to the Santuari de Sant Salvador.
Day 2: outing to the Llevant Natural Park from s'Alqueria Vella, or a drive to the coves of the Artà coastline.
As a stop on a longer route: Artà → Colònia de Sant Pere (12 km) → Betlem (20 km).
The Artà coast from land and from the sea
The municipality of Artà has no port, but its coastline is one of the most striking in northeastern Mallorca. From land, the park's coves are reached on foot along inland trails, with pine woodland and garrigue as the backdrop. From the sea, the same coast appears completely different: cliffs dropping straight into the water, sea caves accessible only by boat and stretches of coastline where not a single building is visible for kilometres.
Our Coves and Caves covers this coastline from the Port of Alcúdia to Cap Farrutx. From the water you can appreciate the unbroken line of cliffs, the sea caves and the small hidden coves that from land can barely be glimpsed among the pines. Our Private Boat Trips let you discover this coast with a more flexible route and more time at each stop.
When to go
The old town works all year round. The market is on Tuesdays. For the Llevant Natural Park, spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking. The Santuari has good views at any time of year, although in summer haze can reduce long-distance visibility.
Practical tips
For the Tuesday market, arrive before 11:00. Park on the outskirts of town and walk.
For the Llevant Natural Park: stop first at s'Alqueria Vella and never set out without a map.
No town beach: the coves along the coast are a 15-25 min drive from the centre plus a walk. This is not a spur-of-the-moment beach visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Artà?
The old town (Santuari, church, stone streets), the Tuesday market, palm-leaf crafts, and access to the Llevant Natural Park and the coves along the coast.
Does it have a good beach?
There is no town beach. The coves of the Artà coastline (Cala Torta, S'Arenalet des Verger) are unspoilt and require a drive and a walk.
Is it a good starting point for visiting the Llevant Natural Park?
Yes. The s'Alqueria Vella Interpretation Centre is 3 km from the town centre and is the gateway to the park: this is where you pick up maps, check the state of the trails, and where the routes to the coast and the Talaia Freda begin. Without stopping there, the inland tracks are hard to navigate.
Are there restaurants or services?
Yes. The centre of Artà has restaurants, supermarkets, boutique hotels, a pharmacy and car hire.
How do you get there?
Via the Ma-12 from Alcúdia or Can Picafort, or the Ma-15 from Palma. There is a bus service from Palma and Alcúdia.
Is it worth a dedicated visit?
For anyone after an authentic Mallorcan town and access to the Llevant Natural Park, yes. As a base for a sandy beach with facilities, Can Picafort or Colònia de Sant Pere are better.
Betlem is a quiet coastal settlement in the municipality of Artà, in northern Mallorca. No town beach, but a rocky coastline and access to the Llevant Natural Park just a few kilometres away.
The Necropolis of Son Real is one of Mallorca’s most important archaeological sites, with 143 Talayotic tombs on the coast of the Bay of Alcúdia. It sits just metres from the sea and can be seen from our boat trips.
The Llevant Natural Park protects the most unspoilt stretch of Mallorca’s northeastern coast, with cliffs over 200 metres high, sea caves and coves with no road access. It is the destination of our Coves and Caves boat trip.
150 metres from Alcanada beach lies a 4-hectare islet covered in pines and crowned by the Aucanada Lighthouse, in service since 1861. The water around it is among the clearest in the Bay of Alcúdia, thanks to the posidonia meadows.
The Port of Alcúdia is the departure point for all our boat trips and also a destination in its own right: seafront promenade, restaurants and direct access to the beach. In July and August the parking fills up before 10:00.
The Bay of Pollença is the most nautical bay in northern Mallorca. Sheltered by Cap Pinar and the Formentor Peninsula, it has calm waters almost all year round and unspoilt coves reachable only from the sea or on foot.