Derived from the Arabic word jertan ('garden'), Arta has been occupied for at least 3,000 years, as evidenced by the remains of a Bronze Age site at Ses Paisses just outside the town. Nowadays, Arta is a prosperous little town near the coast that gets particularly lively each Tuesday, which is market day.

From the parish church of Transfiguracio del Senyor, an avenue of cypress trees leads to Arta's crowning glory, its hilltop fortress and Santuari de Sant Salvador. The view down over the rooftops, a jamble of tiles in every shade of brown, is one of the sights of Mallorca. On the site of a Moorish fortress, the original sanctuary walls and chapel were rebuilt in the 19th centrury. Walk around the battlements, rest in a peaceful courtyard, then look into the sanctuary church with its vivid paintings of two Mallorcan heroes; Jaume the Conqueror receiving the surrender of the Walls, and Ramon Llull being stoned to death in Tunisia. There is also a painting of Sant Antoni, patron saint of Arta and of animals, seen here (as always) with a small pig. Each January the saint is commemorated with a masked procession and a blessing of pets. Arta's big festival, Sant Antoni de Juny, dates back to 1581 and features dancers with cardboard horses strapped to their hips

Arta's small museum, housed inside Sa Nostra bank, has archaeological discoveries from Greek and Roman periods.