Artà is one of the most beatiful towns in Mallorca. To arrive there from finca Vista Alegre, you need about twenty five minutes by car. We will recommend a visit to Artà and Betlem hermitage, near to Artà. The road between Artà and Betlem hermitage is so nice.
-Artà center. Artà is built in a large valley dominated by the hill of Sant Salvador, a popular emblematic place where we find a fortress and a small church. Its origins go back to forgotten ancient times. The village preserves a large number of prehistoric monuments that represent the different phases of Balearic prehistory: dolmens, funerary caves, talayots and talayotic villages, among others. Many of them are considered as reference points in the island for their importance and exclusivity. Undoubtedly, Roman domination also left its traces and, during the Muslim period, the peninsula of Artà was one of the thirteen districts resulting from the division of the island. This wide district was called Yartân, which has evolved to the present toponym.
Since the Catalan conquest, the town started to extend along the base of the small mountain, staying away from the sea due to the constant threat of Algerian and Turkish pirate attacks. The history of Mallorca has conditioned the urban and architectural layout of the village. We can observe this combination of tradition and history with modernity through the streets of Artà. A good example is the theatre.
Isolated from mass tourism, Artà has kept its traditional culture deeply-rooted.
One of the most interesting things in Artà is the old houses that were property of the most important families in Mallorca: Sureda, Truyols, Font dels Olors, etc. These houses maintain their traditional appearance and show the Majorcan noble architecture.
Enjoy a coffee or a drink at the Café Parisién is a good idea as it is a bar with chic and bohemian style with Mediterranean-style courtyard. More information in the next link: Café Parisién.
-Sant Salvador. At the highest point of the village you can visit Sant Salvador. Sant Salvador is an emblematic place in Artà. Located on a small hill that dominates the whole of the town, it has wonderful views of the whole town, mainly made up of singlestory houses, shingled roofs and inner patios. The walled enclosure, the sanctuary and the Donats chambers (the compound caretaker) stand out as points of interest. Its location has made it a strategic place in different historical periods. It was even used as a hospital during the 1820 plague. After the plague, the primitive church from the 13th Century was burned down. The sanctuary currently holds a Renaissancestyle church, inside which you can find a Romanesque carving of the Virgin of Saint Salvador, patron-saint of Artà since 1922, astatue much revered by the municipality’s inhabitants.
-Betlem hermitage. About 10 Km from the centre of Artà, the Ermita de Betlem is located within the old Binialgorfa estate, on the Artà mountain range. Established in 1805 by hermits from Randa and Valldemossa, the architectural compound grew with cells, a kitchen, a refectory and other rooms, among which the church is noteworthy, with a simple and sober construction, built by Joan Rosselló. Access to the compound is along a wide path lined with cypress trees. The surrounding area holds a threshing floor and outbuildings for storage and livestock buildings for the hermits to use. Water for the hermitage was provided by the Fuente de na Bernadeta. There is a marvellous view of the landscape dominating the whole bay of Alcudia. Address: Crta de l’Ermita (MA-3333) km 9.
You can find more information about Artà in the next link: Artà information