Quick menu<\/strong><\/p>\r\n The Faro de Capdepera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n Formentor Peninsula.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n 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<\/a> applies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n N.B. Several times in this guide you’ll find links to <\/em>https:\/\/www.alltrails.com\/<\/em><\/a>. 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 \u201cGoogle Earth KML\u201d format and then loading them into <\/em>Organic Maps<\/em><\/a>, which is hands down one of my <\/em>favorite travel apps<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n 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\u20ac a night, which, added to the two days of rental (35\u20ac a day), cost us a total of 100\u20ac, when we could simply have returned it two days earlier and taken the bus, which costs 8\u20ac round trip. The bus to take is the EMT No.1, which runs every 15 minutes and ends at Pla\u00e7a d’Espanya, right in the center; more information on this page<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Palma de Mallorca, the island’s capital, is a really nice city, well worth exploring.<\/p>\r\n 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<\/a>; booking is technically mandatory.<\/p>\r\n Palma Cathedral.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n The Catedral-Bas\u00edlica de Santa Mar\u00eda de Mallorca (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span> is considered the number one attraction in the city. To get into the beautiful Gothic cathedral you pay an 8\u20ac ticket, but all things considered I really think it’s worth it.<\/p>\r\n Opening hours seem to vary, so I recommend checking the official website<\/a>. 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<\/a>). 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n The play of light.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n The Palacio real de la Almudaina (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, 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\u20ac; here you’ll find the official website<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Built on the ruins of a Muslim site, the Castell de Bellver (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span> 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\u20ac. On this page you’ll find the official website<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n The port of Palma.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n 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<\/a> and location on Google Maps<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n Where to sleep in Palma de Mallorca?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n To sleep right in the center without spending a fortune, my sister and I opted for a hostel, more precisely the <\/em>El Josemari Youth Hostel<\/em><\/a>. Great location and, all in all, a good hostel that I recommend.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n This was the first stop of our trip to Majorca (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>. 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.<\/p>\r\n Another interesting destination around Es Camp de Mar before continuing north is <\/span>Cala Llamp<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n The beach at Es Camp de Mar.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Where to sleep in Es Camp de Mar?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n We stayed at <\/em>Apartamentos Villa Real<\/em><\/a>, a stone’s throw from the beach. Cheap rooms (at least in October) and really spacious, complete with a living room and kitchenette.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n Continuing north, before reaching beautiful Valldemossa, there are at least a couple of spots worth stopping at. The Mirador de Ricardo Roca (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span> 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.<\/p>\r\n Next comes the Torre del Verger (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, an old watchtower in a spectacular location which, not surprisingly, offers an excellent view.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n Mirador de Ricardo Roca.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n The village of Banyalbufar.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n The town’s main attraction is the former Carthusian monastery, the Cartuja de Jes\u00fas Nazareno (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, which became particularly famous because Chopin stayed there with his lover. Admission costs 9.5\u20ac 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<\/a> 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\u20ac 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.<\/p>\r\n Inside the monastery.<\/em><\/p>\r\n 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<\/a>. The old town in general is an absolutely pleasant place to walk around.<\/p>\r\n Although people sometimes recommend driving down to Port de Valldemossa before continuing toward Dei\u00e0, 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?<\/p>\r\n Mirador Valldemossa.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Port de Valldemossa.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n This beach, tucked inside a cove halfway between Valldemossa and S\u00f3ller, is particularly popular, and looking at the photos online you quickly understand why (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>. 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.<\/p>\r\n 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.<\/p>\r\n Cala Dei\u00e0 in less than inviting conditions.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n 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<\/a>, designed by one of Gaud\u00ed’s students, or maybe taking a ride on the tram that connects the town to Port de S\u00f3ller.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Lastly, inside the train station of the line that connects S\u00f3ller to Palma, there’s one of the best art galleries on the island (Sala Picasso y Sala Mir\u00f3<\/a>), which, however, as happened several times during this trip, was closed. Admission is free.<\/p>\r\n The main square of S\u00f3ller.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n 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 (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>.<\/p>\r\n Where to sleep in Port de S\u00f3ller?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n We stayed at <\/em>Hotel Eden Nord Soller<\/em><\/a>. 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.<\/em><\/p>\r\n The beach at Port de S\u00f3ller.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n Along the road from S\u00f3ller to Sa Calobra, I recommend stopping briefly at the Mirador de Ses Barques<\/a>: this viewpoint is literally right on the road and offers beautiful views of Port de S\u00f3ller in the distance.<\/p>\r\n 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<\/a>, where there’s a large parking lot with a nice view: you can see the road winding down to the sea, very scenic.<\/p>\r\n Mirador de Ses Barques.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Once you get to Sa Calobra (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, 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.<\/p>\r\n The less popular but still pretty Cala Tuent (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>, 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.<\/p>\r\n The road down to Sa Calobra.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Sa Calobra.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Cala Tuent.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n Even before reaching Pollen\u00e7a, a popular stop is without doubt the Lluc Monastery (<\/span>Google Maps<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>. 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\u20ac no matter how long you stay.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Destinations<\/summary>\r\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07705-Edit.jpg\")
<\/h2>\r\nWhen to visit Majorca<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07410.jpg\")
\r\nDocuments and vaccinations to visit Majorca<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
What to do and see in Majorca<\/b><\/h2>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Cosa_fare_vedere_Maiorca.png\")
\r\nPalma de Mallorca<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC08075.jpg\")
\r\nPalma Cathedral<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC08261.jpg\")
\r\nThe Royal Palace of La Almudaina<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
Bellver Castle<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC08047.jpg\")
\r\nMuseo de Arte Espa\u00f1ol Contempor\u00e1neo<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
Camp de Mar<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07190-Recovered.jpg\")
\r\nTorre del Verger and Mirador de Ricardo Roca<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07206.jpg\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07214.jpg\")
<\/h3>\r\nValldemossa<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07219.jpg\")
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\r\nCala de Dei\u00e0<\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07224.jpg\")
\r\nS\u00f3ller<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07249.jpg\")
\r\nPort de S\u00f3ller<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07230.jpg\")
\r\nSa Calobra<\/b><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07257.jpg\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07263.jpg\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07261.jpg\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07262.jpg\")
\r\nPollen\u00e7a<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ilbackpacker.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/DSC07275-1.jpg\")
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