Explore Mallorca’s Island with Chiara
Mallorca is basically the island I know the most out of all, even more than my home town! I have been going to this Island over and over. First as a tourist: I drove thousands of kilometers just to see it all... and later as a local, when I rather relaxed and enjoyed more the life and authentic places there. The island is quite large, you can never get bored there. This guide is enough extensive to cover your short one-week trip, but also a longer stay!
Hola mallorquines!
Read my brain:
✿ Really worth doing!
✎ Not worth, unless you have time to spare!
Your perfect plan for a 1-week trip (or even longer stay!) in Mallorca:
Who to go with:
This is a discovery Island! You want to go there with your adventurer mates who are keen to move a bit to discover the hidden gems!
Fly to Palma de Mallorca Airport
The airport is very connected to the city, you can easily get there via transport (bus) or taxi. You will have a taxi station right outside of the airport arrivals and it will cost you around 15-20€ if you are headed to the center. I am usually in Peguera, a small town close to Palma, and to here it costs 50€ (just fyi, in case you wish to stay on the western part of the island!).
Rent a car in Mallorca:
You will anyway need a car, so I suggest you to directly rent one at the airport, and drive home! It’s so much cheaper, but also indispensable! I suggest you to have a look at this website, Autos Bonsai, as it’s local and trustworthy!
How long:
I always refer to Mallorca as the 360°-place. You can find savage and untouched nature, old villages to visit, crystalline sea and long beaches, but also big cities (Palma is the main) with a very active nightlife, many restaurants and things to do. If you plan stay on the island for longer, you will not get bored! I think you should stay there a week to be able to see most of the island, and perhaps stay longer to also enjoy some relax!
Where to stay:
We stay in Peguera because it’s well connected to the city and airport (30 minutes driving to the airport, 20 minutes to the city of Palma), it has all comforts (supermarkets, restaurants, bars, pharmacies and more...) and it’s closer to the western coast which is the most beautiful of the Island. If you want to take a break from the metropoli, rent an airbnb in Peguera and enjoy it!
Where to start & how to follow my article:
I usually build my blog around daily experiences, but for this specific article I will rather go by areas of the island! I will group for you the best experiences by areas of the island, just because it’s the easiest way for you to choose your favourite places and allocate them based on how long you wish to stay!
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
Palma de Mallorca
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Visit the city around the Santa Maria Catedral
✿ Enjoy homemade bread at Palma Bread Bakery
✿ Find your to-go restaurant in Carrer de Sant Magì
I love to go to Neo Tapas, Vagabundos or Nola! You can take a walk around the area, and you will find a lot of restaurants and bars!
✿ Looking for a ethnic and chill dinner? Try Arume Sake Bar
This is a small little restaurant in the heart of Palma you would never think it has amazing food! The quality of their recipes is very great, the location is not amazing but it’s in the center so it’s definitely a good choice if you are planning a walk in the city!
✿ Have dinner in the nature (a bit outside Palma!) in Lume & Co Restaurant
Andratx
If you are staying in Peguera like I suggested you, it’ Andratx super close (around 15 minutes drive); if you are in Palma de mallorca is a bit farer, so up to you if you wish to drive to enjoy a sunset & dinner here!
It’s definitely one of my favourite “close-to-home” places to go to enjoy my evening. And these are my usual to-go ones:
✿ Eat Fish in Rocamar Restaurant
This petite and local restaurant is situated at the port just by the sea, and gives you a beautiful view and atmosphere, a bit windy to refresh from your day and not too crowded, as it’s basically at the end of the coast. The fish is exquisite, you cannot miss the Lubina which is the local and most common seafood, but also the rest is good!
✿ Eat Fish in Bismar Restaurant
On the same direction as Rocamar, this restaurant gives a more romantic vibe to the seafood-and-terrace-on-the-sea kind of restaurant, like Rocamar can be. If you are going there with your partner, this place has a more romantic vibe, but I personally liked the food more in Rocamar. If you have time, go to Andratx, enjoy the sunset (see my suggestion for this below), have a walk along the coast of the port and see all the restaurants I am suggesting you, you can then choose yourself!
✎ Eat meat and local dishes in La Universal Restaurant
This more urban and industrial restaurant was a great discovery for me. The quality of the food, and meat is very satisfying, the vibe is totally “local”, indoor and city-like!
✿ Enjoy the sunset like a local!
I am going to suggest you the most random, surprising, stunning location you can ever think of to find here. I found this location one day when i was wandering around this area of Mallorca with my partner by car, and I coasted all the roads that I thought could have a beautiful view to the sea and sunset (this are is not on a high level, so it’s hard to find views on the sunset as it’s usually covered by villas). During my exploration I stepped into this abandoned balcony which had the perfect view and location. You can just park in front of it (there is no traffic there so don’t be afraid of just leaving the car by the spot, enjoy the sunset, and then go have dinner!). Click here to see the exact spot.
Explore the South-Western coast:
✿ Trek and watch the sunset from Torre En Basset
Do a small and nice excursion (If I remember well, it takes around 30 minutes if you walk decisively!) and watch the sunset from Torre En Basset
You probably understood I am THE person you want to talk to to find the best sunset spots. This is probably the second or third favourite sunset spot on the island for me, and the western side of the island plays the perfect role for me, this is why I am basically suggesting you mostly places on this side!
Torre En Basset is an old abandoned tower situated on the cliff of the western coast which and is probably one of the closes point to the sunset you can ever find in the island. You have to park and walk from this spot here, and follow my designed route to get to the tower. You have labels along the way to follow the perfect path, but sometimes they are not too visible, so a map can help you!
Not only the sunset is great here, but also the view. Beside the view on the sea, and the Sa Dragonera Island in front of you, you also have the view on the Cala Basset (read my next point to know more about this!), which has beautiful sea colours to take your next favourite picture on.
You can also climb inside the tower and view the sunset from a small window inside!
The sunset is great here, yes, , but you want to be sure to leave right after, because you don’t want to do the way back when it’s totally dark! I did it once and got scared... (but I am the easiest person to get scared, so don’t know how much it counts!).
✿ Rent a boat and enjoy the coast by the sea!
Mallorca is a very convenient island because most of the beautiful places are easily reachable by car or foot, and do not need a boat! BUT one of my favourite spots is no way (at least as far as I am aware) reachable by foot, and same goes for the Sa Dragonera Island. So if you want to live Mallorca by sea too, I suggest you to do this one-day experience!
✿ Cala En Basset
This “Cala” is situated on the western coast of Mallorca, and is reachable even with the small boats (those you can rent from Andratx Port even if you don’t have a boat-driving-license, they go slow but at least you don’t need a skipper and you can have your own freedom).
Anyway, this sea spot, surprised me by far the most out of all my experiences in the island. YOU CAN DO NATURAL BODY MUDS HERE ! At first, I just liked the spot for its crystalline water... but then I started noticing other people on the shore taking pieces of rocks from the walls of the cliff, wetting it and massaging it on their body! I went there and did it too! I couldn’t bring my phone so I have no picture of it, but I can tell you it’s an amazing experience. You have two types of clay on the walls, red or green, depending on their natural elements quantity.
✿ Sa Dragonera Island
This is only reachable if you take larger boats,r have a license, because the cheapest boats you can rent don’t allow you to get too far from the coast, and therefore track you with GPS if you go to Sa Dragonera.
The year before this law was enforced, I managed to go anyway, you can find the Dragonera Port there to leave your boat, and trek on the island, we liked going to the walk up north until the lighthouse!
Peguera & around
Read this part if you are living in Peguera (following my suggestion) and are looking for things near by!
✿ Have dinner at La Gritta
This is a beautiful terrace & pool restaurant you wouldn’t expect to find here in Peguera, and it’s totally worth it if you are by this area. It’s probably the most beautiful location you can find, with the view on the coast and sunset. The seafood is of a great quality, the atmosphere is very romantic, but if you go there with friends, they also have a large space to make big tables.
If you are just two or few people, you can ask a table by the terrace, so you are the closest to the view!
✎ Relax at Platja Palmira
There are two beaches one next to the other, Platja Palmira, or Platja Gran De Torà right after. I usually go to the former one, it’s large, it has all you need and there is never many people.
Have a refreshing drink at Beewi Surf bar, and relax!
✿ Have dinner or a drink at Platja Gran de Torà
I usually prefer going to this second beach in the evening: there is a lot of bars and restaurants on the sand, and a good but very chill night life with lights! The best restaurants and bars are La Vida, and Mar Y Mar. They are basically one next to each other, so you can just go there and choose your favourite (or call, reserve both, and then choose... I know it’s not nice but I always do it oops)!
Live the luxury vibe in Portals Nous
✿ Have dinner at Baiben Restaurant
Totally accessible/premium prices here, but the vibe is more luxurious!
It’s very close to Palma as well, but it’s a place to escape to a more chill atmosphere. Baiben has a very delicate approach to dining by the port with its modern interior design and high quality sea food.
✿ Have a drink at Ritzi Lounge Bar
A bar with a view on the port and the Mediterranean sea, with a large range of cocktails. It represents definitely one of the key references for the high end nightlife in Mallorca.
Go North
To the northest point of the island!
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Watch your soon-to-be-favourite sunset from Cap de Formentor:
I believe it to be the most beautiful and intense sunset I have ever seen. Way more beautiful than the one in Sagres, Portugal, (the southern-westernmost point of entire Europe, and therefore the closest to the sunset.) But why? The drive there is something spectacular, snaky roads offer the view on the lighthouse laying at the top of the cliff; the sea is by your side and looks immense, the waves clash against the rocks below and create beautiful sounds. You DO NOT want to miss this! Most of the tourists would go right on top of the lighthouse to view the show, but I definitely would tell you to stop rather before, there are a lot of small parking spots to leave your car and get out. They feel more natural and not crowded. To this end, avoid going to the lighthouse on a weekend day, you will enjoy it way more during the week!
Here you can find one of the spots you can leave your car in and enjoy the sunset!
✎ Spend a day of relax in Alcudia Beach.
You want to go there before moving to the Lighthouse, I recommend to start the drive towards the sunset at maximum 7pm, or anyway one hour before the sunset time!
I did go to this beach, but I am not a fan of simple, long beaches, so I have to admit I did not love it. BUT, I appreciated the beautiful sea colour, and the natural and unspoiled feel given from the fact that there isn’t any attached resort!
Valldemossa, Deia, Sòller, Banyalbufar & Fornalutx
You can do these cities in a day, hopping on and off of your car to be able to see them all, or in separate days, to enjoy each one more. I would anyway give you an extensive list of things to do in any of these, so you can then choose yourself how to best allocate your time! My suggestion? If you have more time, do them in separate days, they have some of the most authentic beaches, restaurants and spots of the island, so you would want to value this!
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
BANYALBUFAR
✿ Walk in Cala Banyalbufar & its Waterfalls
Park in Cami Des Moli, there is a public parking lot there, and walk down towards the coast. You will find the entrance to the Cala at this spot precisely. From there, the walk is breath-taking, with a view on the Banyalbufar Cala and the water fall. You can walk all the way down to the fall, and continue up. You don’t have to come back to the same point you started from, if you continue and walk up again the stairs, you will come back to the city (it’s a ring walk! :) ).
✿ Have lunch or dinner at Hotel D’Interior Ca Mado Paula
When I first got there, I arrived too late and the outdoor terrace of this hotel which looked super local and cute, was already closed! I had dinner at Son Tomàs restaurant, which was considered the best here, and I DID NOT like it at all (touristic food, just a nice view...). I strongly suggest you to try have lunch at this hotel terrace (I don’t know how the food is but seemed nice!).
✎ Trek in Cami De Sa Volta des General
If you get to this exact spot here, the trekking tour begins and brings you all along the coast. It’s a 1.15h (only one way. So 2.30 h in total) and 4.65 km long route to enjoy the sea view and a nice body activity on the island! You can click at this link and find the exact route.
VALLDEMOSSA
✿ Visit the city of Valldemossa
If you are a market lover, and If you happen to be here on a Sunday, you could find their weekly market with local and seasonal foods and items! Whilst in Valldemossa, you want to definitely walk around the small town, it’s unique and beautiful in its own. The light brown shades of colours of their briks old houses give it an old twist which is worth exploring. Walk through the city center, where Cartoixa de Valldemossa is, all the way to the Jardins Rei Joan Carles and the Real Cartuja de Valldemossa.
If you stop here for a quick lunch, taste their Coca de Patata: it’s a sweet cake made with boiled potatoes and with a mug of hot chocolate. If you are rather suffering the heat (which in these towns is way more than on the coast! - Dress Light!) enjoy a “Gelati mossa” ice cream!
You might not know this, but the Polish composer Frédéric Chopin and his lover French writer Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin, better known by her pseudonym George Sand, lived here for a while! She wrote a notable account of A Winter in Majorca, describing their 1838–39 visit and praising the island's natural beauty, but criticizing what she perceived as the prejudice and vices of the natives. Chopin had his piano shipped over to the island to continue playing!
✿ Spend a night at Es Petit Hotel De Valldemossa
If you are planning to spend a night here in Valldemossa to then continue for the next stops of this road-trip, you should have a look at this tiny but cute hotel in the city. The hotel rooms are totally old style, but they have a beautiful view on the landscape. You might find more than this, I was suggested of this place by a local influencer I know.
✎ Watch the sunset from Sa Torre De Ca’n Costa:
If you are on the road from Valldemossa to Deia or up north, you can stop by this spot to watch the sunset!
DEIA
✿ See the landscape from Son Marroig temple:
This is where the little temple of Son Marroig is situated. You need to pay a small-fee ticket entry to access the private house and watch the view from the temple. It’s a nice escape, but also a super instagrammable place!
✿ Take a bath & eat seafood at Cala Deia
To refresh for the little towns heat, you want to head down to Cala Deia. It’s a very little rocky beach mostly attended by locals. The sea gets darker here, thanks to the rocks below, and creates a different sea-panorama! Did I already tell you that I love the island because in every corner you will never find the same view? Well now you know!
You want to stay here for the dinner too! There is a restaurant with a terrace on top of the sea level which offers local and fresh fish dishes and it’s very authentic!
✿ Have dinner at Bistro Rullan
I have to admit, this was probably one of the most suggestive experiences I had in Mallorca. I was there in springtime once, the orange trees were growing all over the island, and all the juicy oranges and white flowers were releasing immense smells and perfumes all over the island. Spring is probably the best time to visit the island just for the orange trees! Bistro Rullan has a beautiful terrace on top of orange trees and with a view on the mountains and hills of the area. You would see the golden hour reflected on the mountains in front of you, and enjoy the local cuisine with orange perfumes all over you!
✿ Spend the night at La Residencia, Belmond Hotel
This is probably the best place to spend nights in Deia, with beautiful rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a lovely garden and view on the nature. You will have the sunset view too from here!
✎ Shop handcrafted stone creations at Gres Gallery
On the main city street you will find Gres Gallery, a small shop with handcrafted creations made out of stone. If you love this type of decor and interior design, you will love this shop too!
✎ Watch the sunset from Mirador de Na Foradada Restaurant
Just before reaching Deia from south, you will find this restaurant and terrace on the street along the coast. You will have the view on a all-sea landscape and sunset from here!
SOLLER
If you are a fan of ports, there is a view-equipped promenade on the seashore you don’t want to miss. At sunset time, you can view the sun going down behind the hills wherein the port is hidden.
✿ Have seafood at Villa Luisa
If you are seeing each city on a separate day, you can enjoy dinner at Villa Luisa Restaurant, offering local dishes of any kind, and a beautiful terrace where the sun hits and yopu have the view on the Sòller port. Whilst here, you want to taste Lubina, it’s their most common local fish, and it tastes amazing! You will also see the vintage tram of Sòller crossing the promenade and riding from the city center to the port, it’s cute and authentic too!
✿ More restaurants in Sòller port? Try Nautilus
Located on top of the port, it offers a much better view on the sunset, and a beautiful location!
✿ Watch the sunset from Torre Picada
Located very close to Nautilus restaurant!
FORNALUTX
It is known as one of the prettiest cities in the island, and one of the oldest too!
Definitely a great place to take a walk and enjoy a dinner in!
✿ Have dinner at Restaurant Esturo, or alternatively at Ca N’Antuna
Located one next to each other, they offer a view on the landscape and are both completely immersed into nature!
Es Torrent de Pareis, in Sa Calobra
✿ Trek (or drive) to Es Torrent De Pareis
One of the largest gorge canyons in the Mediterranean, sandy cove surrounded by some serious limestone rocks. See blue waters and caves and more beautiful landscapes!
I know there is a super long trekking route to the to this beach, but I never manged to do it (yet!) because the torrent is constantly filled with water and therefore blocks the way in certain parts of the routes. If you are a trekking fan, you definitely need to get to the beach through this route! To do so, check their local website, it informs you on the current status of the torrent, and also plans guided trips to it!
You can also get to the torrent by car, the drive gets all the way to the beach, and it takes only few minutes walk to get there. The beach is a small and extended piece of sand which is totally unique in it’s system and shape, even hard for me to explain. You have a short sea view (hidden in between two high mountains, you have the piece of sand-land where people lay down and get tanned, and then the walk begins (the same walk you would get from if you trek to the beach!). You can therefore even just drive to the beach, and walk the opposite way. Here, this place becomes desert, hot and changes its colors to yellows, reds and brows with arid nature and plants, goats climbing the mountains... If you did not get it yet, just check out my pics...or go there, it’s worth it!
Eastern Coast
If you wish to find my map pins and easily follow them, follow me on mapstr!
✿ Lake Martel / Dragon Caves
One of the largest underground lake in the world, this magical caves are a filled with stalactite and stalagmite. You might want to check out their website to book a visit. The queue is quite long to get in, despite you having the ticket, so be prepared, but the caves are worth the wait! Online they also show their boat tour (well, yes it’s beautiful but ti lasts not even 3 minutes - there is a lot of people in high season and they just can’t make them last longer); same goes for the live classical concert they do in the caves. The scene they create is magical once again, but the many people don’t let you see much unless you get yourself a spot in the first rows! Overall, it’s a nice experience to try, they were indeed one of the largest caves I have ever visited and the sea colors are amazing!
✿ Get tanned in S’amarador beach at Mondrago National Park
If you want to get here from the Caves, you will have a 30 min driving, and if you have limited days you might want to merge these two into one day!
The beach of Mondrago, immersed in the natural National Park, is a remote, peaceful place famous for its fine white sandy beaches, brilliant turquoise sea, rugged cliffs and dark green pine trees.
✿ Cala Figuera in Santanyi
The beach of this small fishing community being home to the fishing harbour at the end of a Fjord-like inlet which houses some of the most pictoresque buildings in the isle. As it’s not too easy to access it, it remains untouched by mass tourism.
✿ Cala Santanyi & Diving in Es Pontas
This beach is in a secluded bay, very shallow and serviced with small bars. I know there is also a diving center there, a nice experience to do whilst you are there, to explore the marine life close to the dive site of Es pontas and the caves of the area.
You can find out more of the diving center at this link.
✿ Calò des Moro, Cala Romantica
When driving here, you can stop by Es Ponta, a rock climbing spot, the most famous being this giant natural arch formation.
Calò des Moro is definitely the most stunning beach of the island, you MUST go there!
Cala Romantica is also very beautiful and is rught next to it! You can do them both in the same day :).
Southern Coast
✎ Es Trenc Beach
You will find this beach on all touristic guides, I DID NOT like it at all. It’s one of those long beaches with a nice water and lots of tourists indeed. If you are looking for something like this, then Es Trenc it is!
✿ Cala Pi
Only 45cm long beach, but with a 150 depth length, this inlet beach has crystalline water and a natural suggestive landscape you don’t want to miss!
The South-Western coast, close to Peguera (where I suggested you to find a place to stay!):
South-western Coast
✎ Cala De Ses Penyes Rotges
If you are looking for a savage spot to do a picnic, and enjoy some alone-time, check out this place! It’s a rock space situated at the bottom of a staircase accessible from this spot here (where you can leave your care). You will find an untouched reddish rock and a nice view to spend a day far from the crowd.
✎ Mirador Las Malgrats
This is a small mirador viewpoint on the islands in front, Illes Malgrats, which at sunset time become very pretty as they shadow in front of the orange colours of the sunsets of this island.
Food & Drinks you want to try in Mallorca
✿ Lubina - the local fish
✿ Oranges - depending on the season, but this is the local fruit trees yu find anywhere on the island lands.
✿ Figues & Almonds - they are also local
to be continued…