Palma Airport Travel

Marvelous Mallorca: 9 Must-See Attractions On The Beautiful Balearic Island

Also known as Majorca, this Spanish island’s main language is Catalan, but fluency in either that language or Spanish is not necessary because many business owners and residents speak some English and other languages. Consider renting a car to get the most out of your trip, as the island is fairly easy to drive across and there are great things to do in all directions.

Below are just nine of the many wonderful attractions and day trips for a great trip to Mallorca; everything from quiet relaxation to enjoying some nightlife that never seems to end.

1. Relax on the beach

Because Mallorca is located in the Mediterranean, it has pleasant temperatures for much of the year that make it an ideal getaway for a relaxing beach vacation. No matter where you’re staying on the island you’ll find the ideal beach spot, whether you’re looking for something with plenty of watersports and other activities or just a quiet hideaway from the tourist crowds.

In the south, Es Trenc is very popular because of the fact it is not attached to a particular resort and is in a slightly more remote location than other beaches. The well-kept beach looks as perfect as a postcard with its crystal blue water and sand as far as the eye can see. Alternatively, check out Port de Pollença in the north, which is known as one of the best beaches on the island for watersports, including some of the best windsurfing available.

Many of the beaches have plenty of cafes and restaurants for you to enjoy some food and drink, as well as services offering things like beach chair rentals and other amenities.

2. Tour historic Alcúdia

Located in the northeast of Mallorca, the city of Alcúdia is well worth seeing primarily because of the old town that has been preserved for locals and visitors alike. Set within a 14th century wall that stretches for most of the old town’s grounds, you’ll find fantastic restaurants and more. Or perhaps you’d like to explore some of the museums that elaborate on the area’s history. Even though it’s centuries old, there is plenty to see and do in Alcúdia’s old town.

Beyond the old town, Alcúdia also has a host of other things to attract tourists including a water park, great beaches, and more. It is also home to many festivals throughout the year focusing on different things like art and music, so do some research in advance to see if there’s going to be a big event happening that you could time your visit around.

3. Wander around Palma de Mallorca

With more than 400,000 residents the city of Palma de Mallorca is a bustling place that still manages to retain old world charm, with buildings and history dating back to the Roman period. It’s the largest city in the Balearic Islands in Spain that include Mallorca, and is on the south coast. If sightseeing is what excites you the most about a vacation then this is the city for you. There are museums, religious buildings, castles and more to explore and educate about Palma’s interesting history. It’s the perfect place to stay for a while or even just a day trip.

As a major city, Palma has many fantastic options if you want to stay overnight, from affordable hostels to luxury hotels. And there are just as many choices with everything else you could, including shopping that runs the gamut from small souvenir places to high-end boutiques, and food and drink choices varying from little-know cafes to five-star establishments.

4. Admire the Palma Cathedral Le Seu

If you’ve decided to add the city of Palma to your itinerary then be sure to put a visit to the Palma Cathedral Le Seu at the top of the list for things to do once you’re there. Groundbreaking on this massive religious building started in 1229 and wasn’t completed until 1601, but the years of effort were worth it as seeing the sheer spectacle of the sight is quite the experience.

This Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral — one of the largest such churches in Spain — is an imposing presence with its intricately designed interior and exterior, including stained glass windows featuring more than 1,200 individual pieces of glass. The entire building spans almost 109 meters long and almost 34 meters wide, and so is easily spotted from afar.

Tickets are required to visit the cathedral’s terraces, and can be bought on its official website. (https://catedraldemallorca.org/index.php/en/entradas-4) Availability can be somewhat limited, particularly in busy tourism months like the summer, so it’s advisable to purchase your tickets as soon as you have your travel dates confirmed. Typical summer hours are 10am until 6pm for visits to the terraces and cost €20 per person. You must show up at least 20 minutes before you scheduled tour time, otherwise you might miss out on your visit.

5. Hike the Serra de Tramuntana

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated the Mallorcan mountain range Serra de Tramuntana as a World Heritage Site and if you decide to try hiking it then you will quickly find out why. This majestic mountain range spans from the southwest to the northeast of the island for a total of almost 90 kilometers (about 55 miles). Some of the highest peaks along the range are more than 1000 meters.

UNESCO hands out its coveted designations for sites that “are of outstanding universal value to humanity,” and it’s easy to see why it awarded it to these mountains. The views are beyond spectacular in every direction, making it the ideal spot to get those vacation photos. One of the best ways to take it all in is the drive along the MA10 road, which covers the entire span of the mountain range. You’ll need a rental car to do this, but if you choose this option it allows you to explore as little or as much of the mountains as you’d like, at your own pace.

But if you’d like to experience the range on foot, then consider a hike along the dry stone path known as GR221. It has four sections dedicated to hikers linking key parts of the mountain range, with 167 kilometers (just over 100 miles) open to the public with signposts to guide your way. Entry to the path is free, just be sure to pack essentials like water for your hike. This is a great way to spend hours for active vacationers, as you’ll cross varying terrain including the shimmering water of reservoirs, villages set high in the hills, and much more.

6. Enjoy the nightlife of Magaluf

If wild nightlife with bars and clubs is your idea of a great vacation then you need to make time to visit Magaluf, a resort town that is incredibly popular with the British and other Europeans as a place to escape for some fun. Because of its decades of reputation as a center for partying, it has many nightlife venues, giving you plenty of choice. Some of the nightclubs have played host to major DJs from around the world, so you might get to see one on your trip if you’re lucky. The crowds can get a little rowdy at nighttime given all the alcohol and partying, so be careful while you’re about. But if you’re sensible and pay attention to your surroundings you’ll enjoy it.

For dining, the choices tend to veer mostly toward fast food or casual restaurants, which is perfect for your night out — but don’t come expecting many five-star dining places.

And nightlife isn’t the only attraction in Magaluf, as you can find family fun at nearby waterparks. The two most popular are Wave House and Katmandu Park. Wave House (http://www.wavehousemallorca.com) is open during tourist season and has an artificial wave machine you can “surf” on, as well as other pools for swimming and playing. Katmandu Park (https://www.katmandupark.com/) is typically open from March to November every year and a regular pass costs €27.50 for adults or €20 for seniors (age 65 or older) and children (ages 3 to 12). Season passes are available at €60 for adults or €50 for seniors and children.

7. Travel (carefully) along the road to Sa Calobra

Staying in your car might not sound like an exciting way to spend some time in Mallorca, but once you hit the road to Sa Calobra you’ll see why this voyage is often a must-do for tourists. It’s a narrow road about 13 kilometers (roughly eight miles) in length that has breathtaking curves as it wraps around a rocky landscape, with 12 curves that are at 180 degrees or more.

Safety is the paramount concern if you attempt this journey, as the lack of guardrails for most of the drive makes it only advisable to confident, skilled drivers. Beware also of rocks falling down the side of the terrain. And if it’s raining heavily or there’s other particularly bad weather than considering making the trip another day, rather than risking any problems.

But if you drive carefully when the weather is good the reward will be some of the best views in all of Mallorca. This is a great experience for those looking to come back from the island with amazing pictures. The curving nature of the road means that you get to see stunning views of towns and countryside below on the way to Sa Calobra, which is a pebble beach. It’s a nice spot, but note that it will be very crowded with tourists during peak seasons.

8. Try the beverages on a winery tour

Mallorca has some renown as a place where good wines are made, and you can learn more about the island’s winemaking history by visiting a vineyard. Several different companies provide wine tours, so do some research in advance to find one near where you’ll be staying. Many of the tours leave from the popular Palma de Mallorca but you can also find winery trips at other places throughout the island — so you should be able to find one close to you.

Most of the trips tend to take between three and four hours, so plan accordingly for time. Tours usually pick you up and transport you to and from the winery, which is the most advisable option as you’ll probably be sampling wines once you get there and shouldn’t be driving. Costs varying depending on the scope of tour that you book, so you can expect to pay anywhere from roughly €50 for a simple tour to more than €150 for longer, more elaborate tours.

9. Visit the quaint village of Valldemossa

Travel to the northeast part of Mallorca to see the quaint village of Valldemossa, whose centuries-old buildings and quiet pace evoke yesteryear. Getting there is a short drive of between 15 and 20 minutes (depending on traffic) from the thriving city of Palma de Mallorca, but once you arrive you’ll feel like you stepped into another world. The village is set in the hilltops of the Tramuntana mountains and you can have a great time for free simply walking the cobbled streets and admiring the ancient architecture.

But visitors should make time to see the Valldemossa Charterhouse, a palace built overlooking the village in the 1300s for King James II of Majorca. But in 1399 the monks of the Carthusian religious order were given all the possessions in Valldemossa and turned the palace into a charterhouse; a monastery for their religion. It is also famous as the place where the writer George Sand and musician Frédéric Chopin, who were lovers, stayed in one of its rooms from 1838 to 1839 — causing much tension with the village residents. Tickets are available to tour the old palace, the church, an old pharmacy, the cell of Sand and Chopin, and more.

Visit the Charterhouse’s official website (https://www.cartoixadevalldemossa.com/en/) to purchase tickets, with general admission costing €9.50. It’s advisable to get them in advance when you know the dates of your trip because this can be a popular attraction.

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