Mallorca is one of those places that had been on my bucket list for so long – Calo del Moro was continuously on my Pinterest, waiting for me to visit. This past July I had about 5 days before I was to meet up with my friend to visit Switzerland and eventually go to the Paris Olympics, and I knew I wanted to go somewhere warm beforehand. I had rented a car abroad by myself before, and decided this would be the perfect amount of time to visit Mallorca for the first time.
Despite the overwhelming heat in early July, this was a truly incredible solo trip. It would be fun as a couple or with friends, but felt incredibly safe and at ease travelling by myself. If I had to describe Mallorca, it would be an utterly relaxing paradise. From the mountains to the beaches to everything in between, it was perfect. Popular with cyclists, hikers, families, couples…. It has something for everyone! Check out my 5 day itinerary below for your next adventure to Mallorca, including a map with all my favourite spots!
When to Visit
I’ll be honest, July was excruciatingly hot. Not only was it over 35 degrees celsius everyday, it was also incredibly busy. I’d recommend going in the ‘shoulder seasons’ of May – June or September – October. I found myself having to go to the beaches at 8 am in order to 1) get a parking spot and 2) not get heat stroke. I think going in mid-20s temperatures and less crowds would make the experience that much more enjoyable.
How to Get There
I flew into Palma de Mallorca from Barcelona with Vueling following my Air Canada flight. This worked out really well, as I was able to go through customs in transit and skip the big customs line exiting at Barcelona Airport. There are several flights a day across Europe to Palma, all which are pretty affordable.
Transportation
Although you can get around with public transportation, I highly recommend renting a vehicle to get around instead, especially if you want to pull over at beaches or other places of interest. The infrastructure was excellent and I never had an issue driving. Parking can be a bit more difficult in the summer when trying to find a spot near a beach or town.
I rented an electric Fiat from Wiber which is located just outside the Palma de Mallorca Airport. They have a shuttle that will pick you up from the airport, and it is pretty seamless as long as you follow the signs to the shuttles. They were quick and helpful at the check-in desk.
Mallorca seems to be having a big push with electric vehicles on the island, so I figured I would try it out. Many hotels and accommodation have free or cheap charging stations, so I would check those before committing. As there isn’t too much driving to be done on Mallorca, I enjoyed the experience. Sometimes, I would have difficulty with it not connecting, and would require a bit of problem solving. Overall, it was easy and cheap compared to a gas vehicle.\
Accommodation
As I did a road trip around the island, I stayed at three different hotels during my time on Mallorca, all which I highly recommend. I did a ton of research ahead of time to find the perfect stays – unique, not too expensive, but still luxe and relaxing experiences. They all had pools, were peaceful and had great hospitality.
Valldemossa – Hotel Mirabo De Valldemossa
My first hotel was by far the most luxe and boutique experience. It is incredibly small and intimate, with about six total rooms. Originally an olive oil agricultural farm, it has maintained and enhanced its unique farmhouse details. Mixed with outstanding hospitality, a beautiful pool and one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had with fresh omelettes and orange juice, I knew I had to stay even for just one night. Situated across the valley from the town of Valldemossa, it has stunning views from the property.
Although the road to get up there is a bit precarious, it was well worth the trip. Being the most ‘off-grid’, this hotel did not have a charging station, but as I just drove from Palma, I didn’t need to charge my car at all.
I would love to stay here again and think this makes for a great honeymoon or solo retreat.
North Island – Hotel Monnàber Vell
My second hotel, situated in the northwest of Mallorca, was truly the agritourism countryside hotel of my dreams. This hotel was slightly larger than Hotel Mirabo and was a mix of solo travellers, couples and a few families as well. Just off the highway and adjacent to the mountains, it was still remote and peaceful, and also offered cheap charging for my electric vehicle. Both my breakfasts and dinner here were spectacular. The breakfast was a buffet, but they also made fresh eggs and pancakes on request. The dinner was also one of the best meals I had. You make your reservation earlier in the day with all the courses you would like to order ahead of time.
I stayed here when I wanted to visit Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. Although it was further away, I loved the remote countryside experience and was content to drive.
Southeast – Hotel C’an Bonico
My final hotel was the perfect base to explore the southeast region. Despite being situated right in the heart of the town of Ses Selines, this hotel was remarkably peaceful. This hotel also had great hospitality, and they even upgraded me to a suite with a large balcony for my stay. They had free electric charging in a secure and shaded parking lot, as well as a large pool and outdoor area to relax and be in or out of the sun. I was up early every day so missed out on their breakfast, so I can’t comment on their food. They also had a gorgeous courtyard and large room full of local art.
How to Visit and Itinerary Options
My primary recommendation when it comes to visiting Mallorca is to do a roadtrip. Either staying the night in Palma and going from there, or jumping straight in, I highly suggest breaking up your stays so you can maximize all the places to visit. The mountain towns on the western side are a must visit, but so are the coastal towns on the north and the beaches to the south east.
Personally, I did the roadtrip clockwise, so I could begin with the most amount of small towns / mountain activities and finish relaxing at the famous beaches to the south east. If you are able, I would suggest 7 days for the road trip, as 5 was a bit rushed. Three days (minimum) was perfect in the southeast!
Itineraries
| 1 Week Itinerary | 5 Day Itinerary |
| Day 1: Palma | Day 1: Palma / Valldemossa |
| Day 2: Valldemossa / Deià | Day 2: Valldemossa / Deià |
| Day 3: Valldemossa / Deià | Day 3: Northwest -> Southeast |
| Day 4: Northwest | Day 4: Southeast |
| Day 5: Southeast | Day 5: Southeast |
| Day 6: Southeast | |
| Day 7: Southeast |
In Depth 5 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Palma and driving the west coast
Flying into the airport and picking up my car, I had about half a day to explore Palma and the drive to my hotel in Valldemossa.
- I recommend finding a parking spot by the Port de Palma (I’ll link my exact spot on the map below), or else there is underground parking between the Port and the Catedral-Basílica de Santa María.
- From here, pick up some gelato near the Cathedral, walk around the massive structure before roaming the streets.
- Don’t forget to peruse the shops (I think overall there were better ones in the markets and smaller towns I visited, but I did some damage at Oysho with their linen and leisure selection) before picking up some late lunch and heading to my car in the port.
From here, I drove approximately 30 min to Hotel Mirabo De Valldemossa, where I enjoyed the rest of the afternoon by the pool and relaxing from my incredibly long travel day.
Day 2: Western Mountain Villages
Picking up in the morning after being well rested and enjoying a delicious meal at the Hotel, I checked out and began exploring the western side of Mallorca.
There are quite a few small mountain towns to check out; I began by exploring Valldemossa, before heading to Deià. I will admit, parking was quite difficult in these small towns and it pays to be there early. By the time I made it to Deià, I had to walk about 15-20 min from where I parked to get to the town.
- Valldemossa: gorgeous small town, full of lots of places to eat, shop and explore. Great views of the valley with the church in the forefront.
- Deià: an even smaller town, still gorgeous and nestled in the valley. Really one main street, but some beautiful little viewpoints and luxe shops hidden.
- Cala de Deià is very small and very difficult to get to in the summer due to the small parking lot and windy road. I got to Deià around 11:00 and there was no chance of me being able to get down!
- Soller: I was pretty hot by the time I got to Soller so I skipped it this time – would love to go back. It is a much larger city and has a port cove with a large marina just down the road.
After exploring the towns, I drove to Hotel Monnàber Vell, where I checked in for one night. I enjoyed the afternoon at the pool, and had an absolutely 3 course local dinner. I recommend staying here longer!
Day 3: Alcudia and Cap de Formentor
Time to explore the northwest coast! Cap de Formentor had been on my bucket list for a long time, but there are actually quite a few restrictions when visiting here in the summer to be aware of! The road actually closes after 10am in the summer season, which makes it difficult to visit unless you want to bike or hike. You can still drive up to the Platja de Formentor, which I recommend.
- Cap de Formentor: check out the Platja de Formentor and Mirador de Es Colomer observation deck. If you are a really good driver, I would suggest the Albercutx Watchtower, but that was a very very difficult road to drive (windy, steep, and only wide enough for one vehicle)
- After, drive to the walled city of Alcudia for the market. From clothes to food this market really has it all. I enjoyed visiting, but actually preferred the market in Santanyí. Parking may be difficult so you will have to do a few loops, but I will add the parking lot I found below.
- For the afternoon, find a parking spot and go visit one of the beaches! I found Playa del Muro incredibly accessible and family friendly. You can walk right onto the beach and they have chairs, umbrellas, showers, bathroom facilities, and walkways for wheelchairs. There were a ton of water activities being done here as well.
- Finished the day with my longest drive (just over 1 hour) to the south east to check in at my hotel Hotel C’an Bonico. There are a few nice restaurants along the street to enjoy dinner and drinks at.
Day 4: Exploring the southeast beaches
If there’s one day I recommend you to wake up early, it’s for your beach days. Not only do they get incredibly busy by 10am in the summer, the weather is very very hot and it is quite the walk from the parking lots to the beaches. If you are here longer, I would suggest breaking up the beaches for different days.
- Pick up some pastries from the bakery for breakfast
- Choose your beaches from listed below
- Visit the Santanyi market for lunch and shopping. I preferred this one over the Alcudia market in the north if you have to pick. It was less chaotic and had better selected
- Relax back at the hotel pool in the afternoon.
Beaches I recommend to visit:
- Calo del Moro: the famous one. Beautiful small cove, even smaller beach. Absolute nuts getting up/down (there are hoards of people waiting to get up/down). Worth the visit but wouldn’t stay here that long and get here early. I got here at 8:30 and it was almost completely full. I suggest walking the scenic route on the way there: https://gretastravels.com/cala-del-moro-mallorca/
- S’Almonia: visit after going to Calo del Moro. Very gorgeous and unique spot to swim and enjoy the water. Things are much more spread out, lots of cliff jumping, but no sandy beach. Requires a lot of stars to reach though!
- Cala Llombards: stunning little cove with accessible parking right in front. I got there around 7:30 am to park right at the beach. It has a sandy beach and amenities, as well as cliffs to jump/swim off of. Would have to walk from afar if visiting later in the day.
Cala Pi: I never got the chance to visit but was recommended by one of the people working at my hotel!
Day 5: Cala Figuera and Boat Excursion
I did the 3 hour Explorer Tour through Redstar Tours and highly recommend it. Based in Cala Figuera (which quickly became my favourite town I visited) they do excellent tours along the coastline, culminating in a swim stop at the land inaccessible Cala Marmol. They also stop at all the famous beaches and some beautiful arches. It was such a relaxing and fun experience. The boat had less than 20 people on it so it wasn’t overwhelming in the slightest.
- Get to Cala Figuera for the morning boat tour
- Come back and enjoy lunch in Cala Figuera. There are quite a few restaurants along the water. It was also the least busy town I visited!
- Enjoy final evening relaxing by the pool / tapas in town
