The activities in Alcudia are mainly focused along the spectacular five-mile (8km) beach that fronts the holiday resort. All sorts of watersports can be arranged from scuba diving to banana rides. There are tennis and squash courts in the resort and nearby attractions include a water park, a go-kart track and horse riding stables. Boat trips can be arranged to the stunning Formentor promontory where passengers can snorkel or simply take in the views. The nearby towns of Pollenca and Alcudia (old town) and the mountain village of Lluc are worth exploring in search of a little culture, while those looking to get away from it all can take a trip to the mountainous western side of the island.

Spanish is the official language, but English is widely understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.

Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). One Euro is divided into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money.

The resort of Alcudia is not known for its architectural merit; its skyline is dominated by 1960s style apartment blocks. To the relief of many, Alcudia is not the resort for party animals; those looking for some serious clubbing should head for the south of the island.

Alcudia has lots of bars, pubs and discos catering for most tastes but this is not the resort for holidaymakers after some serious clubbing; for a bit of dancing, try the Mentra Disco. Many of the hotels offer in-house entertainment ranging from flamenco dancers to comedians.

Most restaurants in Alcudia cater to holidaymakers and the unadventurous British palate with plenty of fast-food joints and cafés offering something with chips. There are also a few Italian, Indian and Chinese restaurants. The better restaurants are mostly in the port area, where diners can find some decent Spanish, French and seafood restaurants within a lovely harbour setting. Alcudia's recommended restaurants include Garlanda, Rancho Chico, Bistro Mar and Nova Marina, as well as Cas Capella and Casa Galega

Alcudia doesn't have a distinct shopping centre: shops selling buckets and spades and tourist trinkets line the beach road and the other small shopping areas dotted around the resort also cater for holidaymakers. The satellite resort of Playa de Muro has an upmarket mall with some nice boutiques and the port area has a selection of designer shops. The supermarkets are good, stocking all the well-known brands along with cheap alcohol and cigarettes. The local market opens on Tuesday and Sunday mornings and the market in Inca, 15 miles (24km) inland, opens on Thursdays. Good buys include the porcelain and leather goods, but bargain hard.

Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT +1 in summer).