mallorca, spain
I first travelled to Spain many years ago and I recently decided that I wanted to explore the Spanish island of Mallorca. Mallorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands and it’s the seventh largest in the Mediterranean. Mallorca is a very large island and I do recommend visiting for at least a week to explore the different towns, nature and beaches. There is so much to discover all over the island, from hidden beaches and quaint fishing towns on the coast, to the stunning mountain ranges in the interior along with the local cuisine and wineries.
When to Visit
The island has beautiful sunny weather from June-September but that also means lots of crowds, tourists and high prices for accommodations. I visited Mallorca at the end of September and still found that the island was flooded with tourists! I would recommend visiting in the shoulder season from April-May or October-November. In April-May the weather ranges between 66 and 75 degrees (Fahrenheit), which means the weather is comfortable for going out. During this time beaches are open, and while the weather is not as hot as it is in the high season, it is warm enough to enjoy swimming or other water sports.
Getting Around the Island
We flew from Toronto to Barcelona and then took a flight with a European airline (I believe it was Vueling) to get to Mallorca. When we arrived at the airport in Mallorca I was very shocked to see how massive this airport was. I soon came to find out that Mallorca is very popular island for tourists and in 2018 it was recorded that 16.5 million tourists had visited the island!
I would highly recommend renting a car as you will want to explore different sides of the island and it will give you the freedom to go where you want. It’s the best way to explore the many beaches and coves and also it’s a great way to get around while visiting towns for a day trip. Book a car in advance and you can pick it up directly at the airport.
Where to Stay in Mallorca
Different areas of the island offer different experiences, and it depends what you want out of your trip. I would recommend to do further research on what each side of the island has to offer and what best suits your needs.
Palma is the capital of Mallorca and the Santa Maria Cathedral is an iconic landmark that overlooks the bay. I would recommend staying in Palma for at least one night. The city offers shopping and many restaurants. We stayed for two nights at the JS Palma Plaza which was located in Plaza Madrid in the heart of Palma. All of the major sights (Old Town, seafront promenade Paseo Marítimo) were within walking distance from the hotel.
South Coast of Mallorca
The south of Mallorca has most of the island’s biggest beach resorts. This area has less Mallorcan character but it’s the easiest place to stay if you want a hassle free Holiday.
East Coast of Mallorca
The east coast of Mallorca is calmer than the South, you can find there the best beaches, nice coves and lots of all inclusive resorts. There are many charming towns and villages here to explore.
Northern Mallorca
It is said that the north coast of Mallorca is a lot quieter than the east and south. We visited a beautiful sand beach on the North end of the island but found that it was flooded with tourists and it didn’t make for the most relaxing beach day. Personally I like to discover beaches and areas that are off the beaten path. We did drive around the North end of the island briefly (near Playa del Muro beach) and I noticed that there were so many hotels next to one another. It seemed like a very busy and touristy area.
The beach we visited was Playa De Muro. Overall the beach was stunning with warm crystal clear water and sand beaches but there were so many people walking around trying to sell you things (fake designer bags, fruit, t shirts, etc.) which didn’t make for the most relaxing time but hey, I guess that’s just how some beaches are in Europe. I remember getting up to go into the water and looking at both ends of the beach and seeing thousands of people in every direction. I’m sure if you speak with locals as we did later on, you will find that there are quieter and more secluded beaches to be discovered, if that’s what you prefer.
West Coast of Mallorca
Western Mallorca features beautiful mountain ranges and charming towns. You won’t find big beach resorts like many other areas of the island has. Here you will find smaller hotels and accommodations on this side of the island.
We based ourselves in Port de Sóller for five nights and then spent the last two nights in Palma. We stayed at Hotel es Porte which was a beautiful, medium sized hotel (148 rooms) with immaculate grounds. This luxury boutique hotel is set in Tramuntana mountain range and is a few steps away from the port and the Mediterranean sea. The hotel itself is a fortified mansion of the 17th century. The interior and the grounds of the hotel are absolutely spectacular. We would venture out each morning to explore the island and then would return to enjoy the pool in the afternoon as well as the indoor spa area which was included with our stay. I loved the location of the hotel and the hotel itself, it was quiet and had picturesque views of the mountains and amazing facilities (tennis courts, buffet breakfast, pool and spa).
I did find that the area Port de Sóller was very touristy during the day and the restaurant selection for dinner was extremely expensive. The year prior I travelled to a few of the lesser known islands in Greece and couldn’t believe how affordable and cheap things were priced. I quickly learned while in Mallorca that it’s an island for the wealthy and things are not cheap there. Dining out for example in Port de Sóller was very expensive compared to other areas in Europe I had visited. I also found that the menus in this area (along with some other areas on the island) were catered to British tourists and it was difficult to find authentic Mallorcan cuisine. I did find it difficult searching for dinner restaurants in this area and was quite frustrated.
We did however drive to Sóller a few nights for dinner and found an amazing local Spanish restaurant La Romaguera which was one of the best restaurants I’ve been to (I checked Google Maps recently and sadly it seems like it’s no longer open!). We loved it so much we went back for a second time. The menu was composed of tapas style with a some elements of fusion and larger sharing plates. Each dish was executed beautifully, well flavoured and inspirational. The second time we came back we ordered the dry aged steak and it was phenomenal.
Towns that I visited in Mallorca
I recommend at least a week to explore Mallorca as the island is quite spread out and it will take about 3 hours round trip to drive from one side of the island to the other.
We stayed on the West side of the island and explored towns that were closer to our hotel. I would suggest to wake up early in the morning to get your day started because parking can be difficult on the island and you will want to get a head start and beat the crowds.
Deià
Deià is a small town nestled between the sea and the dramatic Tramuntana mountain range. The picturesque cobbled streets are home to elegant restaurants as well as relaxed cafes and bars. We visited for a few hours in the morning and were lucky enough to find parking. We shopped and strolled the streets before the rain started. We didn’t stay for lunch as a few of the top restaurants sell out for reservations very far in advance. Overall we did enjoy our short time in Deià and I would recommend adding it to your list of towns to visit while in Mallorca.
Valldemossa
Valldemossa was by far my favourite town that we visited in Mallorca. I would recommend it over Deià if you only have time to visit one. Valldemossa, is a picturesque village nestled in the Tramuntana mountains. The streets are lined with quaint stone houses, plant and flower filled alleyways and charming cafes.
We decided to visit Valldemossa during the market day and made sure that we arrived early to find parking. We read that the town gets very busy during the day and I’m glad we arrived early because about an hour after our arrival the parking lot quickly filled up (I think we arrived around 9 am). We stopped for a cappuccino at a small coffee shop and then set out to explore. Our day was spent with wandering the quiet streets (before the crowds arrived), stopping for lunch, browsing the beautiful shops and enjoying the views.
You’ll want to stop at Pastelería Ca’n Molinas for a quick snack to try traditional Mallorcan pastries. After a quick bite we wandered through the market. It was quite small but the produce selection was beautiful. I wish I had a kitchen while I was there so I could have tried some of the produce.
Final Thoughts
Mallorca is overall a very beautiful island filled with quaint charming villages and beautiful beaches. However, I did find myself feeling discouraged and frustrated throughout the trip because of how busy the beaches and towns were and by how expensive accommodations and restaurants were. Maybe we didn’t stay on the right side or perhaps we didn’t see enough beaches to make up for the downfalls. I also felt like I was comparing it to my previous trip to Greece where the beaches were only frequented by locals, they weren’t busy and overall it was very affordable.
We did speak with our hotel concierge many times for beach and restaurant recommendations and luckily they did provide us with some fantastic local spots. I remember asking our concierge about popular beaches that you see all over Instagram and she told us to stay away from these places so we did just that. I’m sure if you visited these popular Instagram spots in the off season they wouldn’t be as busy, but in the high season I would avoid these spots. She did recommend to us a very beautiful and secluded beach that seemed to be frequented by locals only. If you want the name of it, feel free to send me a direct message on Instagram and I’ll fill you in on the secret spot (@tomato__tomatoe). We did visit this beach for a day and that beach made the trip special. As always when travelling, talk to locals as much as possible to see what they recommend. They typically will provide you with options that you can’t find on Google or Instagram. Always do your research before you travel, price things out and read blogs to get a feel of what the trip will be like.
Am I glad I visited Mallorca, yes I am. Will I visit again, I don’t think I will just in terms of the overall cost and by how busy this island is. I think there are equally as beautiful islands to visit in Europe that are a fraction of the price. Mallorca does have a lot of charm and beauty but be prepared to spend a lot on accommodations and restaurants.
Tomato Tomatoe 
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