Majorca Travel Guide

Majorca, the largest island in the Balearic archipelago, thanks to its beautiful beaches, history, culture and loads of possible activities, is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations not only in Spain but in the entire Mediterranean.

I visited the island with my sister during an eight-day multi-stop trip (you can find the video of the trip here, in Italian, but you can turn on the subtitles), during which we more or less covered the entire island. Whether it’s a backpacking adventure, a road trip or an all-inclusive vacation, in this guide you’ll find loads of useful tips and ideas to plan your trip as best you can.

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The Faro de Capdepera

When to visit Majorca

Obviously the island can be visited all year round but, if we’re talking about tourism, broadly speaking you can identify two seasons: the swimming season, which runs roughly from April to October, and the non-swimming season, from November to March.

High season runs roughly from June to September. In particular, July and August are considered the very peak of the season, with clear days and high temperatures, and prices go through the roof. During this period you risk paying a fortune for any kind of accommodation: either you book well in advance or you can hope for some last-minute deal. One thing is certain: in these two months prices are high and the island is crowded.

In my opinion, the best time to visit the island is the so-called “shoulder season”, which corresponds to the months of April, May and October. Prices are much lower than in high season, the beaches are less crowded and the temperatures aren’t bad at all, especially in October, when the sea is still warm from the summer, unlike in April and May. This period is also particularly popular with the many cyclists who literally invade the island, especially along the roads of the mountainous north coast.

November to March, on the other hand, is the low season. Most hotels close their doors, but if you’re the kind of person who enjoys having the beach to yourself or the hiking trails the island has to offer, with daytime temperatures between 12 and 17 degrees, it’s still a mild destination compared to much of the rest of Europe.

Formentor Peninsula.

Documents and vaccinations to visit Majorca

Majorca and the Balearic Islands in general are, for all intents and purposes, part of Spain, so, as for any other country in the European Union, if you’re an EU citizen you don’t need a visa or a passport: a valid national ID card is all you need to visit the island. If you’re not an EU citizen, on the other hand, the Schengen Area visa policy applies.

What to do and see in Majorca

N.B. Several times in this guide you’ll find links to https://www.alltrails.com/. If you want to use offline navigation directly in the AllTrails app, you have to upgrade to the Pro version. You can get around the problem, though, by downloading the coordinates from the desktop version of the site in “Google Earth KML” format and then loading them into Organic Maps, which is hands down one of my favorite travel apps.

For convenience, the destinations are listed clockwise starting from the capital, Palma, where the island’s airport and main port are. If you decide to rent a car, though, I don’t think this is the best order to explore the island in.

If you want to save quite a bit of money, and the hassle of driving and finding parking in the city, my advice is to return the car at the airport on the day you plan to head to Palma and from there take the buses that shuttle back and forth frequently. That way, whether you stay one day or more, you save not only the rental money but also the parking fees, which you’d almost inevitably end up paying if you choose accommodation in the center.

We, for example, spent the last two nights in Palma, where we always got around on foot, leaving the car in the hostel’s partner parking lot for 15€ a night, which, added to the two days of rental (35€ a day), cost us a total of 100€, when we could simply have returned it two days earlier and taken the bus, which costs 8€ round trip. The bus to take is the EMT No.1, which runs every 15 minutes and ends at Plaça d’Espanya, right in the center; more information on this page.

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca, the island’s capital, is a really nice city, well worth exploring.

The historic center, full of buildings, can easily be explored on foot, and getting lost in its streets is definitely a nice way to spend a day. What I particularly recommend is the free walking tour offered every day in English and Spanish. I found it really interesting and full of information about the history of the city, small as it is. Our guide was well prepared and I suggest leaving a tip, even though the tour can be completely free if you want. It lasts two hours and covers all the main points of interest. On this page you’ll find the official website; booking is technically mandatory.

Palma Cathedral.

Palma Cathedral

The Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca (Google Maps) is considered the number one attraction in the city. To get into the beautiful Gothic cathedral you pay an 8€ ticket, but all things considered I really think it’s worth it.

Opening hours seem to vary, so I recommend checking the official website. Technically you can buy tickets online and skip the line at the entrance. In any case, I recommend visiting in the morning to have the chance to see the play of light created by the sun’s rays passing through the colored rose window facing east and projecting it onto the wall on the opposite side of the cathedral (video). The phenomenon peaks on two dates, 2 February and 11 November, but even during my visit, on 21 October, it was a feast for the eyes that lasted several minutes.

Unfortunately, I doubt that in the middle of summer the cathedral opens early enough to see this phenomenon, which might not happen at all because the angle of the sun doesn’t allow it, but I recommend the visit regardless: the inside of the cathedral is really beautiful.

The play of light.

The Royal Palace of La Almudaina

The Palacio real de la Almudaina (Google Maps), next to the cathedral, is probably the second most important building in the city. Built in the fourteenth century, it’s the official residence of the Spanish royal family when they visit Palma. I didn’t visit the building myself, but apparently many people find it even more interesting than the cathedral, so it’s definitely worth considering a visit. Admission costs 7€; here you’ll find the official website.

Bellver Castle

Built on the ruins of a Muslim site, the Castell de Bellver (Google Maps) is definitely another iconic building in the capital. Inside there’s a museum with some archaeological finds and classical sculptures, and it offers a fantastic view over the Bay of Palma. Admission costs 4€. On this page you’ll find the official website.

The port of Palma.

Museo de Arte Español Contemporáneo

Lastly, if you’re into contemporary art, or even just out of curiosity, I recommend visiting the museum of contemporary art. Among the many artists, there are also some sketches by Picasso. Personally, I’m not drawn to this kind of art; if my sister hadn’t dragged me there, I doubt I’d have gone! In any case, admission is completely free, so you have nothing to lose. Official website and location on Google Maps.

Where to sleep in Palma de Mallorca?

To sleep right in the center without spending a fortune, my sister and I opted for a hostel, more precisely the El Josemari Youth Hostel. Great location and, all in all, a good hostel that I recommend.

Camp de Mar

This was the first stop of our trip to Majorca (Google Maps). It’s a beautiful bay with a wide beach with all the usual facilities and a spectacular islet with a bar/restaurant on it. There isn’t much to do except sunbathe and swim, but I think it’s the ideal stop, especially if, like us, you land at the airport in the afternoon and don’t feel like driving too far before you start exploring the island.

Another interesting destination around Es Camp de Mar before continuing north is Cala Llamp.

The beach at Es Camp de Mar.

Where to sleep in Es Camp de Mar?

We stayed at Apartamentos Villa Real, a stone’s throw from the beach. Cheap rooms (at least in October) and really spacious, complete with a living room and kitchenette.

Torre del Verger and Mirador de Ricardo Roca

Continuing north, before reaching beautiful Valldemossa, there are at least a couple of spots worth stopping at. The Mirador de Ricardo Roca (Google Maps) is the first on the list: it’s simply a roadside viewpoint with nice views of the coast. Nothing exceptional, but considering that you don’t have to make any detour, I absolutely recommend stopping.

Next comes the Torre del Verger (Google Maps), an old watchtower in a spectacular location which, not surprisingly, offers an excellent view.

Finally, before continuing toward Valldemossa, you pass through the village of Banyalbufar. We decided not to stop and just took a few photos from the road, but if you manage to find parking, it seems to be a nice place for a stroll through the streets of the small old town.

Mirador de Ricardo Roca.

The village of Banyalbufar.

Valldemossa

The town’s main attraction is the former Carthusian monastery, the Cartuja de Jesús Nazareno (Google Maps), which became particularly famous because Chopin stayed there with his lover. Admission costs 9.5€ per person, but there’s a small discount if you leave your car in the town’s paid parking lot (just show a photo of the receipt), or you can book online and get a 10% discount. The ticket gives you access to the monastery, the church and some rooms/museum, and you can also attend a concert that takes place roughly every hour. To get into Chopin’s rooms and the museum of the same name, on the other hand, you have to pay 4€ extra. We stuck to general admission because, honestly, we were a bit disappointed by what we’d seen, and paying extra to see a few more rooms seemed like way too much to us, but I’m sure more than a few people would disagree; the choice is yours.

Inside the monastery.

What I absolutely recommend doing, on the other hand, is getting lost in the streets of the town: there are loads of beautiful views, like the Mirador Valldemossa. The old town in general is an absolutely pleasant place to walk around.

Although people sometimes recommend driving down to Port de Valldemossa before continuing toward Deià, I’d advise against it. The road down, about 5 km long, is really narrow in places, and once you get there, there’s just a restaurant and a few houses, nothing special. In my opinion, the views you get on the way down are the best part, but is it worth it?

Mirador Valldemossa.

Port de Valldemossa.

Cala de Deià

This beach, tucked inside a cove halfway between Valldemossa and Sóller, is particularly popular, and looking at the photos online you quickly understand why (Google Maps). Unfortunately, the day we went, even though the sun was shining, the sea was rough, it was high tide and the water was full of seaweed. We left pretty disappointed after spending half an hour reading on the rocks, but in ideal conditions it’s definitely very pretty.

The road down is pretty narrow in places, and once you get to the bottom, the only paid parking lot was almost full even in mid-October, so, as you’ll often hear me say, I imagine it can be a problem in high season.

Cala Deià in less than inviting conditions.

Sóller

Set in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, with the mountains as a backdrop to many views of the town, it’s another example of a well-preserved old town. Walking through the narrow streets of the center is without doubt a nice way to spend a couple of hours, maybe sipping a coffee in the main square, where you’ll find the Church of Sant Bartomeu, designed by one of Gaudí’s students, or maybe taking a ride on the tram that connects the town to Port de Sóller.

Lastly, inside the train station of the line that connects Sóller to Palma, there’s one of the best art galleries on the island (Sala Picasso y Sala Miró), which, however, as happened several times during this trip, was closed. Admission is free.

The main square of Sóller.

Port de Sóller

Over the years, the old port has turned into a sort of giant resort, in my opinion much less charming than other destinations on the island, but depending on what you’re looking for it can still be an interesting stop. We spent the night there and, all in all, the waterfront, full of bars and restaurants, had a lively and pleasant atmosphere even in October, so I imagine there’s no shortage of nightlife in high season. The town beach, although right next to the port, isn’t that bad after all and undoubtedly has the advantage of extremely calm water, as well as all the usual facilities (Google Maps).

Where to sleep in Port de Sóller?

We stayed at Hotel Eden Nord Soller. Not exactly cheap, even in October, but definitely the best option we could find in the area, and between the pool and the EXCELLENT buffet breakfast, you really can’t complain.

The beach at Port de Sóller.

Sa Calobra

Along the road from Sóller to Sa Calobra, I recommend stopping briefly at the Mirador de Ses Barques: this viewpoint is literally right on the road and offers beautiful views of Port de Sóller in the distance.

Back to Sa Calobra: you reach the bay at the end of a 12 km stretch of road full of tight bends and loads of hairpins, but, with a few rare exceptions, there are no narrow sections and the traffic flows fairly smoothly. I recommend stopping at this spot, where there’s a large parking lot with a nice view: you can see the road winding down to the sea, very scenic.

Mirador de Ses Barques.

Once you get to Sa Calobra (Google Maps), there are quite a few bars and restaurants and a single paid parking lot which, although large, gives me the impression it could fill up easily in high season, so I recommend arriving as early as possible, also because the popular Cala de Sa Calobra, which you reach after a short walk, lies in the middle of a gorge where the afternoon sun quickly disappears behind the rock walls.

The less popular but still pretty Cala Tuent (Google Maps), on the other hand, is a couple of kilometers away: the beach isn’t as striking, but it’s also much less crowded and gets more hours of light in the afternoon. The paid parking lot has very few spaces, so finding a spot in high season could be a problem.

The road down to Sa Calobra.

Sa Calobra.

Cala Tuent.

Pollença

Even before reaching Pollença, a popular stop is without doubt the Lluc Monastery (Google Maps). We weren’t particularly impressed, but at least you can visit much of the complex and the botanical garden for free. You do have to pay for parking, though, which costs a whopping 6€ no matter how long you stay.

The Lluc Monastery.

Once you reach Pollença, enjoy the town. The small old town is gorgeous and literally straight out of a postcard. Strolling through its streets is a real pleasure. There aren’t any real attractions as such, apart from walking around the main square (Plaza Major) and climbing the iconic stairs up to El Calvari, along which you get beautiful views of the town.

Puig de Maria (Google Maps), on the other hand, is a sanctuary on top of a hill just outside Pollença. From our research, it seemed possible to drive at least part of the way up, but at the bottom of the road leading to the sanctuary there’s a no-entry sign for unauthorized vehicles. So the alternative was to walk up, but the weather wasn’t great and my sister didn’t really feel like walking, so we preferred to carry on. If you’re willing to put in a bit of effort, though, the view from the top looks great, and even starting from the center of Pollença you should reach the top in an hour at most (All Trails).

Lastly, if you’re looking for a restaurant with fair prices just outside the touristy center, I recommend Bar Ristorante Romanì.

Pollença.

Where to sleep in Pollença?

We stayed at L’Hostal Pollença – Turisme Interior. Again, not exactly a cheap option, but given its location a stone’s throw from the main square and the lack of alternatives if you want to spend the night in town, I can only recommend it.

The stairs leading up to El Calvari.

Cala Sant Vicenç

Cala Sant Vicenç is actually a group of coves, four to be precise, and all very beautiful: Cala Carbò, Cala Molins, Cala Clara and Cala Barques. The beaches are literally right next to each other: walking from Carbò to Cala Barques takes no more than 15 minutes, so you can check them all out and pick the one you like best. There’s a large public parking lot where you can leave your car for free.

Cala Sant Vicenç.

Formentor Peninsula

In my opinion, this peninsula offers the best views the island has to offer. The road to the iconic Faro de Formentor (Google Maps) is a pleasure to drive and, not surprisingly, it’s an extremely popular destination, so much so that for a few years now access has been banned from 15 June to 15 September, from 10:00 to 19:00, for any kind of unauthorized motor vehicle. All this to avoid the endless lines of cars and the chaotic parking that had built up over the years.

Basically, during this period, in the hours when the road is closed, the only way to reach the lighthouse is by bike, on foot or by taking the shuttle bus that runs every 30 minutes from Port de Pollença (official website with all the relevant information and public transport website).

Since we visited the island in October, technically nobody was stopping us from driving to the lighthouse for sunset, but having read some not-so-encouraging reports about the traffic even at that time of year, we opted to go and watch the sunrise. It was really quiet, with no more than about ten cars. Basically, whether it’s high or low season, my advice is to get up early and visit the peninsula in the morning.

The Faro de Formentor.

Besides the famous lighthouse, there are at least two viewpoints worth mentioning: the Mirador d’es Colomer, which is right on the main road, and the Talaied d’Albercutx, which overlooks the entire peninsula from above and which you reach at the end of a side road that turns off right next to the Mirador d’es Colomer. Highly recommended.

Lastly, Platja de Formentor, halfway between the port of Pollença and the Faro de Formentor. It’s a beach as beautiful as it is popular. Obviously, the road access restrictions still apply, so if you want to spend the day at the beach, you don’t have many options other than taking the bus, a taxi or one of the boats that shuttle between the port of Pollença and the beach.

Mirador d’es Colomer.

Talaied d’Albercutx.

Planning your trip? If you still need travel insurance, you can find my guide to the best travel insurance here. Purchasing through the links in the guide supports this site at no additional cost to you.

Alcúdia

Alcúdia is yet another town on the island with a beautiful old town just waiting to be explored. Here too, there are no must-see attractions apart from walking and getting lost in the little streets and squares of the center, with its stone buildings. The only thing I recommend doing is climbing to the top of the imposing medieval walls that surround the town and letting your mind travel back in time (Google Maps).

Where to sleep in Alcúdia?

We spent the night at Apartamentos Carlos V. The apartments are a bit dated, but they’re really spacious, clean and above all cheap (at least in October). A stone’s throw from the walls that enclose the old town, I think they’re an excellent option.

In the streets of Alcúdia.

Artà

Perched on top of a hill, this medieval village definitely has its charm and I think it’s worth a visit. In particular, I recommend going up to the Santuari de Sant Salvador, the fortress that overlooks the town from above. From its walls you get fantastic views of Artà and beyond. The town’s main church, Transfiguració del Senyor, is also worth seeing, if only from the outside. In my opinion, the small old town is less charming than other destinations like Alcúdia and Pollença, but a short stroll through its narrow streets certainly won’t hurt. Lastly, there’s a large public parking lot a stone’s throw from the center where you can leave your car.

Artà seen from the Santuari de Sant Salvador.

Capdepera

The Castell de Capdepera (Google Maps) and the small village of the same name below it are reminiscent of nearby Artà, in a much more compact format. The castle is one of the best preserved on the island; inside there’s also a small museum and a church, and here too the views are fantastic. Admission to the castle costs 3€. You can see the small village in no more than 10 minutes. I recommend parking here and walking up.

Capdepera seen from its castle.

Cala Agulla and Cala Moltó

Both beaches are really nice, and if you plan to spend a few hours or days at the beach in the northeast of the island, they’re definitely excellent options. Cala Agulla (Google Maps) is a wide sandy beach with all the usual facilities, while Cala Moltó (Google Maps) is mostly rocky and basic, but also much less crowded. In any case, it’s no more than a 10-minute walk from one beach to the other, so I recommend checking out both. There’s only one large paid parking lot, which costs 5€ no matter how long you stay.

Cala Agulla.

Cala Moltó.

Cala Ratjada

The town isn’t particularly beautiful, even though it’s much more compact. In terms of atmosphere, I think it has a lot in common with Port de Sóller, meaning the classic, not very interesting “resort destination”, with bars, hotels and restaurants on every corner; in short, the classic seaside destination that gets invaded by hordes of tourists and where there’s certainly no shortage of nightlife.

Just like with Port de Sóller, we chose to spend the night there because of its convenient location, really close to Cala Agulla and Cala Moltó, and because the accommodation was very cheap compared to other options in the area.

In my opinion, the best thing about the town is the Far de Capdepera (Google Maps). The lighthouse is on the easternmost tip of the island and is particularly striking at sunrise, when you literally see the sun pop up over the horizon, and in the distance you can also clearly see Menorca. You can easily reach it on foot from the center of Cala Ratjada, or by car without any kind of restriction.

Far de Capdepera.

Where to sleep in Cala Ratjada?

We stayed at Hostal Port Corona. The rooms aren’t exactly spacious but still more than enough; in October, cheap prices and a great location.

The port of Cala Ratjada.

Coves del Drac

The Dragon Caves (Google Maps) are a complex of limestone caves considered the most beautiful on the island. The Coves del Drac can only be visited on a guided tour lasting about an hour, at a cost of 15€. At the end of the tour, when you reach a sort of natural amphitheater, there’s a short classical music concert. We were a bit tired but, above all, eager to spend the afternoon at the beach, so we carried on, but I think it can be an attraction worth considering.

Castell de Santueri

Santueri Castle (Google Maps) was also part of the plan for that afternoon, which we preferred to spend at the beach, also because we’d already seen quite a few castles in the previous days! In any case, it can definitely be a stop worth considering. Admission costs 4€.

Santanyí and surroundings

The small old town of Santanyí (Google Maps) is definitely worth a visit: the stone streets and historic buildings give it an evocative atmosphere typical of Majorca’s old villages.

Around Santanyí there are loads of other points of interest. Cala Figuera (Google Maps) is a really pretty little fishing village. A deep inlet in the coast has created this beautiful natural harbor, where most of the fishermen’s houses overlooking the harbor can only be reached by sea.

Cala Figuera.

Platja Santanyí and Cala Llombards are two beautiful coves a short distance from each other and, from what I understand, there’s also a coastal path that connects them. Unfortunately, though, both beaches are extremely popular and not exactly spacious: even in mid-October, parking wasn’t exactly easy, so plan accordingly.

Lastly, I recommend stopping by the Mirador des Pontàs, a viewpoint where you can admire the fascinating natural bridge, especially recommended at sunrise.

If you want, you can walk there from Platja Santanyí, but if you’re feeling lazy, there’s the option of parking where the road ends, at this spot, or, if the small parking lot is full, on one of the side streets.

Where to sleep in and around Santanyí?

We stayed at Apartaments Marina Sol i Pins. Spacious apartments, friendly owners and a nice pool, all at a great price.

Platja Santanyí.

Mirador des Pontàs.

Cap de Ses Salines

This is the southernmost point of the entire island: from here you can clearly see Illa de Cabrera in the distance, and there’s a lighthouse, but nothing more (Google Maps). It’s certainly not a bad place, but in my opinion it’s not a must-see either. Then again, given the number of cars and people there at the end of October, maybe I’m missing something, but I still think you can easily spend your time elsewhere. That said, if you feel like walking, you can reach Platja Es Caragol (Google Maps), which isn’t bad at all (All Trails).

Cap de Ses Salines with Illa de Cabrera in the distance.

Illa de Cabrera

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the pleasure of visiting the island which, together with a few smaller islands, 10 in total, makes up the only national park in the Balearic Islands. As it happens, Illa de Cabrera is the largest and also the only one that can be visited, since the other islands are the subject of research.

Since access to the island is limited to a set number of visitors, the visit has to be booked in advance, and several companies offer excursions. Here’s one. If it’s something you’re interested in, I’m sure a few simple Google searches will give you some options to compare. Obviously, I can’t speak from direct experience, but if you’re looking for unspoiled nature, there’s probably nothing better to do in Majorca.

Platja de Cala Pi

This was the last stop of our road trip before reaching Palma, where our trip would end. It’s a really pretty cove about a 40-minute drive from the capital (Google Maps). Calm, crystal-clear water but, above all, less crowded than most of the other popular beaches mentioned so far, or at least that was our experience.

What I’ve covered so far is basically all the places I visited personally, but obviously the island has much more to offer, especially inland, and, for anyone interested, it also offers plenty of opportunities for hikes of various lengths. Below you’ll find some information I’ve gathered on the subject.

Platja de Cala Pi.

Other activities to do on the island

As I mentioned, the roads along the north coast, in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana, the mountainous part of the island, are a real paradise for cyclists and at the same time a nightmare for drivers. The roads are scenic but often narrow, a big problem for traffic. In any case, if you’re a cycling enthusiast, I doubt you’ll be disappointed by what the island has to offer.

Hiking in the same region also offers lots of opportunities, from half-day hikes to multi-day treks. For lack of time, I didn’t get to try out the island’s trails myself, but on this page you’ll find an excellent selection. The most motivated can even take on the GR221 (info on this page). It’s a trek that can be completed in 4-7 days and basically crosses the entire Serra de Tramuntana. There are also some mountain huts along the route. On the island there are opportunities for canyoning, in particular along the Torrent de Pareis and the Gorg Blau Sa Fosca (some info on this page).

The great thing is that, considering Majorca’s mild temperatures even in the middle of winter, the activities discussed so far can also be done in low season, with the advantage of lower prices and a much less crowded island. If you’re planning to go cycling or hiking, March-April and October-November are actually ideal.

Lastly, if you’re into diving, it’s best to focus on the south and southwest of the island. In particular, Illa de Cabrera and Illa de Sa Dragonera seem to have some excellent sites.

Cala Sa Calobra.

Suggested itineraries in Majorca

What follows is exactly the itinerary we followed, and I think it’s, all in all, a good starting point for planning your trip if you have about a week.

If, on the other hand, you’re lucky enough to have more time, say ten days or maybe two weeks, my advice is to move more slowly, with a few pure beach days, add some special activities or maybe head inland toward towns like Sineu, Petra and Els Calderers.

Roughly one-week itinerary in Majorca

If you have exactly one week, depending on what time you arrive on the island, you could start your itinerary directly from day 2.

Es Camp de Mar (1 night)

Day 1:

Arrival at the airport and rest of the day at the beach in Es Camp de Mar.

Port de Sóller (1 night)

Day 2:

Start driving along the north coast, stopping at the Mirador de Ricardo Roca and the Torre del Verger before reaching Valldemossa and visiting the town. Rest of the day at the beach in Cala Deia or Port de Sóller.

Pollença (1 night)

Day 3:

Visit Sóller briefly in the morning and then stop at the Mirador de Ses Barques before continuing to Cala Sa Calobra, where you can spend a couple of hours at the beach. Reach Pollença in the late afternoon, with an optional stop at the Monasterio de Lluc.

Alcúdia (1 night)

Day 4:

If you feel like walking, in the morning you could hike up to Puig de Maria before continuing to Cala Sant Vicenç for a relaxing day at the beach. In the late afternoon, head to and explore beautiful Alcúdia.

Cala Ratjada (1 night)

Day 5:

Sunrise at the Cap de Formentor lighthouse. On the way back, you can stop at the viewpoints along the road: Talaied d’Albercutx and Mirador d’es Colomer. Rest of the day at the beach in Cala Agulla. Reach Cala Ratjada in the evening.

Cala Figuera (1 night)

Day 6:

Sunrise at the Faro de Capdepera. In the morning, visit the Castell de Capdepera and Artà, then continue to Cala Figuera with an optional stop at the Coves del Drac. Spend the rest of the day at the beach at either Cala Santanyi or Cala Llombards. In the evening, enjoy beautiful, atmospheric Cala Figuera.

Palma (2 nights)

Day 7:

Sunrise at the Mirador des Pontàs. Visit Santanyi and then spend the rest of the day at Playa de Cala Pi, with an optional stop at Cap de Ses Salines. Reach Palma in the evening.

Day 8:

Visit the cathedral in the morning and then join the free walking tour. In the afternoon, you could go up to Bellver Castle or simply enjoy the city before watching the sunset from the waterfront, with a view of the cathedral.

Day 9:

Return home.

Port de Sóller lighthouse.

How to get around Majorca

As I’ve mentioned several times in this guide, unless you’re planning a beach vacation without moving around much, I think having a car during your trip to Majorca, or at least renting one for part of your stay, is extremely advisable.

Renting a car in Majorca

From my research before leaving, Vanrell turned out to be by far the cheapest car rental company on the island. We rented a Fiat Panda for 35€ a day, compared to 50€ or more with all the other companies. The car was practically new, and the communication and the experience in general were excellent.

That was our experience, but things often change, and while you’re doing your research, it’s definitely worth considering other rental companies too by checking sites like Discover Cars. In any case, I strongly recommend renting a small car, not so much for the price but because, trust me, parking and, more generally, driving on the island’s narrow roads is a far less stressful experience behind the wheel of a small car.

On the island’s roads.

Buses in Majorca

Getting around by bus certainly doesn’t give you the same flexibility as renting a car, but it can definitely be much cheaper, especially if you’re traveling solo. In some cases it can even be more practical, since finding parking isn’t always easy (even at the end of October, so I don’t dare imagine what it’s like in high season!), not to mention that more often than not the parking lots are paid only, in some cases with rates bordering on extortion.

On this page you’ll find all the information for Palma and the surrounding area, while on this other page you’ll find the intercity lines. With a bit of planning, you can reach practically all the main tourist destinations on the island.

Port de Pollença.

Travel to Majorca: costs

How much does a trip to Majorca cost? Obviously, it depends a lot on the time of year you decide to visit the island but, in general, Majorca is certainly not a cheap destination. Prices, especially for accommodation in high season, can quickly wreck the budget of anyone who wants to travel on the cheap, but all things considered you can’t say the island is an extremely expensive destination either, since even right in the center of Palma you can have the menu of the day at a restaurant for 10€, and as soon as you leave the main tourist destinations you can spend even less: in Cala Figuera, for example, I had an excellent menú del día for just 5.50€!

For eight days on the island, we spent about 1,200€, that is 600€ each, everything included except the flight. The car, which in my opinion is necessary if you want to do a multi-stop trip, definitely has a significant impact on costs, and we also ate out very often. In short, not exactly a backpacking trip like the ones I usually write about on this blog, but as far as possible we still tried to keep costs down. In any case, if you’re looking for some ideas on how to save money, check out this article.

One thing is certain: if, instead of a multi-stop trip, you decide to spend most of your time in a single place without renting a car or, especially if you’re traveling solo, you rely on public transportation, you can definitely save more than a few bucks.

The rose window of Palma Cathedral.

To reduce exchange and withdrawal fees, see my guide to the best travel cards.

Travel to Majorca: safety

Majorca is absolutely a safe destination and therefore also suitable for a vacation with kids in tow. The various beaches, often inside coves, are usually sheltered from currents, and in high season there are lifeguards. That said, as with any other destination, you should use common sense, and following the classic safety tips never hurts.

The only remark I’d make is for those planning to rent a car. The situation is probably different in the middle of summer, but if, like us, you decide to visit the island in the low season, when temperatures are lower, especially along the roads that cross the Serra de Tramuntana, you’ll find hordes of cyclists who turn the narrow, winding roads, often with no visibility, into a real nightmare for traffic, so be careful and drive cautiously for your own safety and that of others.

Planning a trip to Majorca? Check out these posts:

Which travel backpack to choose

What to bring on your trip

Do you have any questions? Updated information? Feel free to leave a comment or message me on Instagram!

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