Mallorca is far more than sun and sand. It blends a capital with one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals in Europe, a World Heritage mountain range and some of the most beautiful coves in the Mediterranean. The average visitor's mistake is staying in a hotel on Palma bay or in Magaluf and never seeing the real island. This guide arranges it by area so you make the most of two or three days, or a whole week.
The island is large and varied: Palma bay and the southern beaches, the Serra de Tramuntana to the north-west (mountains, stone villages and vertiginous roads), the east of caves and postcard coves, and the north of Alcúdia and Cape Formentor. With a car and a good plan you can see almost all of it without rushing.
How many days you need
Two or three days cover the essentials: one for Palma, one for the Tramuntana (Valldemossa, Sóller and the viewpoints) and a third for the caves and coves of the east. A week is the luxury: add the north (Alcúdia, Pollença, Formentor), more coves and unhurried beach time. Less than two days falls short: the island is best enjoyed slowly.
When to visit Mallorca
| Season | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| May and June | Ideal | Good weather, sea warming up, coves still calm |
| September and October | Ideal | Warm sea, fewer people, lower prices |
| July and August | Overcrowded | Heat, packed coves and high prices; book everything |
| January and February | Almond blossom | Beautiful landscape, but many coastal spots closed |
| March, April, November | Quiet | Good for hiking the Tramuntana; cold sea |
⭐ Tip: the most famous small coves (Caló des Moro, Cala Varques) have tiny car parks and get jammed in summer. Arrive before 9:00 or visit outside high season.
Getting there and getting around
By air, Palma airport is one of the busiest in Europe and is 8 km from the centre (bus or taxi). By ferry from Barcelona, Valencia or Dénia (3h 30min to 8h depending on the boat), ideal if you want to bring your own car.
Once on the island, rent a car: it's almost essential for the Tramuntana and the coves, which public transport reaches poorly. Palma has good city buses, and from the capital the century-old wooden train to Sóller (1912) is an experience in itself. Book the car ahead in summer: it sells out and prices climb.
Palma
Start with the Cathedral of Mallorca (La Seu), Gothic and overlooking the sea, with Gaudí's intervention and Miquel Barceló's ceramic chapel. Beside it, the Almudaina Palace. Get lost in the old town of grand courtyards and lanes, the Passeig del Born, the Arab Baths, and climb up to Castell de Bellver, a unique circular castle with views over the bay. For food and going out, the Santa Catalina district and its market.
The Serra de Tramuntana
The mountainous side of the island, a World Heritage Site for its cultural landscape of terraces and olive groves:
- Valldemossa, with the Charterhouse where Chopin and George Sand spent a winter.
- Deià, an artists' village perched above the sea.
- Sóller and its Port de Sóller, linked by a classic tram; reach it on the wooden train from Palma.
- Fornalutx, one of the prettiest villages in Spain.
- The Sa Calobra road, with its famous "tie-knot" hairpin, dropping to the Torrent de Pareis.
- Viewpoints like Sa Foradada and the terraces of Banyalbufar.
Caves and coves of the east
The east gathers the caves and the postcard coves. The Drach Caves (Porto Cristo) hold one of the largest underground lakes in Europe, with a classical music concert from boats. Nearby, coves like Cala Mondragó (a natural park), the iconic Caló des Moro, Cala Varques or, to the south, the long, wild Es Trenc beach.
The north: Alcúdia and Formentor
To the north, the walled town of Alcúdia (with Roman Pollentia beside it), the long family beaches of Muro and Alcúdia, the town of Pollença with its 365 Calvary steps, and the spectacular Cape Formentor, the lighthouse at the end of the range (in summer car access is restricted; there's a shuttle bus).
Where to stay
Palma is the most versatile base: city, culture and well connected. The Tramuntana (Sóller, Deià) is ideal for mountains and charming villages. The north (Alcúdia, Pollença) and the east (Porto Cristo, Cala d'Or) are perfect for family beaches. Avoid Magaluf or s'Arenal unless you've come for package sun and parties: you'll miss the island.
Eating in Mallorca
Mallorcan cooking is country and sea. The essentials: the ensaïmada (the spiral pastry, also savoury with sobrasada), the sobrasada (cured pork and paprika sausage), the pa amb oli, the tumbet (baked vegetables), the frit mallorquí and the arròs brut. To drink, Binissalem wines and Mallorcan herb liqueur as a digestif.
⚠️ Warning: the seafronts of the bay's tourist zones are full of international-menu restaurants. Look for cellers and village restaurants inland (Sineu, Algaida) to eat genuine Mallorcan food.
What we don't recommend
- Staying only on Palma bay or in Magaluf. You miss the best island: Tramuntana, coves and villages.
- Driving Sa Calobra if mountain roads make you queasy. It's spectacular but extreme; consider an excursion.
- Going to the small coves at midday in August. No parking and overflowing; go first thing.
- Doing the island without a car. Public transport doesn't reach the best of it.
Common visitor mistakes
⚠️ Warning: the slip-ups we see most.
- Booking the car late in summer. It sells out and prices soar.
- Trying to see everything in two days. The island is large; pick areas.
- Skipping the Tramuntana. It's what sets Mallorca apart from any old beach destination.
- Not booking the Drach Caves. Concert tickets sell out in season.
Events to plan around
- Almond blossom (January-February). The island turns white and pink; a beautiful off-season landscape.
- Sant Sebastià (January). Palma's festival, with bonfires and concerts across the city.
- Summer festivals. Classical music in Pollença and Deià, and a concert season all over the island.
In one sentence
Mallorca is Palma, World Heritage mountains and dream coves: in two or three days you see the essentials by area; in a week, the whole island at leisure.