Posted by Where is the Ballermann?
The approximately 5 km long continuous beach, a few kilometers east of Palma, is the most famous and largest connected holiday area in Europe. The area, which extends over several towns, has many names: In the local language it is simply called Platja de Palma (Palma Beach). In Spanish the area is called Playa de Palma. In German the long beach is unofficially called Ballermann. The Ballermann stretches from the Ca’n Pastilla to the Arenal marina.
Image: © Jürgen Fälchle – Fotolia.com
What is the Ballermann?
The Ballermann is a famous party hotspot on Mallorca, more precisely on the Playa de Palma. The term originally refers to a series of beach bars (Balnearios) that are numbered along the Playa de Palma. Balneario 6 is particularly well known and is considered the center of German party tourism.
Characteristics of the Ballermann:
- German party tourism: Young Germans in particular travel here to party.
- Pop & party music: Typical music from artists such as Mickie Krause, Jürgen Drews or Peter Wackel.
- Bierkönig & Megapark: The most famous party locations with live performances.
- Bucket drinking & sangria: Drinking from large buckets with straws used to be popular, but today there are stricter rules.
- Seasonal stronghold: The main season is from May to October.
The Ballermann has a legendary reputation as a party mile, but is viewed critically by many locals and the Mallorcan government, as it is often associated with excessive alcohol consumption and excesses.
What does Ballermann mean?
The term refers primarily to the stretch of beach at Playa de Palma in Mallorca, which is known for its wild parties with lots of alcohol, pop and party music.
The “Ballermann 6” (officially now “Beach Club Six”) is particularly famous, where many German tourists party.
The term “Ballermann” is often used in general for excessive party tourism.
Orientation Ballermann
The Ballermann area runs the full five kilometers along the Platja de Palma. It is often only a few streets wide. The entire Playa des Palma consists of bars, hotels, restaurants, small supermarkets, tourist shops and other typical tourist infrastructure. Since everything looks very similar, you quickly lose track of where you are. For this reason, the area was divided into 15 parts, the so-called 15 Balnearios – in colloquial German the 15 Ballermänner. These 15 Balnearios are almost identical-looking beach bars that are clearly marked with a number. At the beginning of the beach in Ca’n Pastilla the Ballermann is number 15, at the end in S’Arenal it is number 1.
Right on the beach: A neat and clean beach promenade with a footpath runs alongside the beach. Next to it is a road, but it is closed to car traffic. On it you can see many cyclists and in the summer season a little train that serves as the official public transport. Alongside the road there are several kilometers of bars, tourist shops, fast food restaurants, cafes and restaurants.
2nd street: It has different names in different sections and runs parallel to the shore about 50-100 meters from the beach. Car traffic is allowed on it. Traffic jams and traffic chaos are common every day. Bus line 15 runs here in both directions every few minutes and has about 20 stops on the 5 km long route. However, the buses along Ballermann are also often stuck in traffic jams. The restaurants, bars, hotels and shops are on both sides.
Further away from the shore are the large hotels, supermarkets and discos as well as other large and small bars, restaurants, etc.
Bars and nightlife Ballermann
There are hundreds of bars, almost all aimed at a predominantly German audience. The largest concentration is around Balneario 6 with the famous streets Schinkenstraße and Bierstraße. The area is also home to the island’s famous nightclubs. The best known and probably largest bar is the Bierkönig (open all year round), which is located on Schinkenstraße. The area is also home to other famous clubs such as the “Oberbayern” and the “Mega-Park”. German pop music dominates in most bars. Alcohol is the main attraction on Platja de Palma. There is probably nowhere else where you see as many drunks and drunkards as here. It’s more like a beer tent atmosphere. The largest disco could be the Riu, which is located about 300 meters from Schinkenstraße towards Palma. The many smaller beer bars, almost all of which are owned by Germans and have German names, are also popular. The price level is comparable to that in German cities, slightly lower in winter. In summer, Ballermann is considered the biggest party place in Europe.
The Bierkönig
A great idea for getting to know Ballermann and its pubs, clubs and discos is guided tours through the notorious bars at night. The provider of these tours picks up the participants by bus from the hotel, where they are taken back even after 2 a.m. In one of the clubs, the Mega-Park, you get a free drink as part of the pub crawl. It’s not necessarily a drinking tour, but a real information event. Afterwards you feel like you know your way around Ballermann. More information and booking here.
Restaurants and fast food
German cuisine dominates. Almost all menus are in German, sometimes there is also a menu in Spanish or English. The price war between the cheaper restaurants is enormous. Special offers are often heavily advertised. Fast food is available in the same variations as in Germany. Nobody has to go without currywurst, kebab, bratwurst in a bun with mustard, Bavarian white sausages or McDonald’s. Fast food and simple restaurants with rather low quality predominate. But there are also better places. If you want to eat out in style, you are better off in the nearby capital Palma than in Ballermann.
Price tag with German fast food at Ballermann
Accommodation in Ballermann
It is estimated that well over 90% of tourists have booked a package through Neckermann and similar large German holiday providers. Despite the approximately 300 hotels on Playa de Palma, it can therefore be difficult to find a room on site. The best chances are in S’Arenal at the end of Ballermann. In the somewhat run-down town there are a few simple guesthouses (Spanish hostals). In winter you can find a double room here for as little as 20 euros. In summer (July, August), however, you should expect to pay at least twice as much. You should look at the rooms beforehand and make sure that you are provided with a safe. Crime in Ballermann is high, rooms are not uncommonly broken into.
Buses to Ballermann
The city bus line 15 from Palma runs from the center of Palma along the entire Ballermann (fare 1.10 €). If you want to go directly from Palma to S’Arenal, the express line 23 is faster. The buses on both lines are often overcrowded and stuck in traffic jams. The journey to Palma can take up to an hour at certain times. Often you only have standing room.
Map and city plan of Ballermann