Places in Spain - Arta, Mallorca
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Arta is a quaint little village where the art of working raffia and straw still lives on. It boasts a beautiful 13th century church, San Salvador, that overlooks the "talayot de Ses Paises" ruins. These ruins have been dated to the Bronze Age, leading archaeologists to claim that this is the oldest inhabited part of the island. Evidence shows life has existed here for at least 3,000 years. The Museum of Arta houses five bronze statues (found in a "talayot"at Capdepera) depicting a warrior god similar to Mars, the protector of the Balearic merchants. |
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The advancing urbanization and construction of new villas and hotels has altered the original appearance of this area somewhat but it has not dimmed or sapped the beauty of the many inlets that dot the coast. |
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Cala Ratjada, an old fishing harbour, has turned into an urban center that revolves around two beautiful beaches: Playa de Son Moll and L'Agulla. Cala Bona and Cala Millor are also outstanding. There are so many German tourist here that German has actually become the official language of Arta. Despite the massive tourist industry here, the resorts have managed to retain some of their Mallorcan charm. |
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| Arta is particularly busy on Tuesdays when the weekly market is held, drawing visitors from every part of the island. |
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One of Arta's prime attractions is the Santuari of Sant Salvador. This wonderful sanctuary towers above the town and offers a difficult yet rewarding climb to the top. Admission is free and it is open every day. If the walk proves too much, you can drive up but the road is narrow and not one-way.
The sanctuary is built on the site of a Moorish Alcazar and was constructed around 1825. A previous hermitage was demolished in a bid to prevent the spread of the plague. |
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