Definitely the largest, and arguably the most spectacular, island in the Balearics, Mallorca is renowned for its golden beaches, historic port towns, and reputation for fun. But that's just scratching the surface! Mallorca’s mountainous heart is the ideal backdrop for hiking or biking; the gentler foothills are dotted with honey-coloured stone villages: ideal for a rural island escape. Some centres are all about the good times, and offer a huge range of accommodation, while others cater more to a particular kind of holiday. Our guide to Mallorca’s neighbourhoods, towns and regions, will help you pick the base to suit your dream holiday.
Map of Mallorca from Idealista
Palma de Mallorca is the only real city on the island, so it’s a hub for pretty much everything! But it’s a lot more than that, Palma is an old, old city, with sites dating back to the Romans. The elaborate Cathedral of Santa Maria is the largest local landmark; a huge building with a fairytale quality — especially at sunset. Palma also has a whole collection of historic and cultural sites: a 10th century Arab bathhouse, a museum of Spanish Contemporary Art; and a Gothic castle, to name a few. The food and drink scene is another reason to stay here. There's a lively buzz every evening from the marketplaces to the marina, through the trendy bars and cafes, and into the restaurants, and clubs. Palma has a huge range of accommodation, we’re talking glamorous and historic, through to family-friendly, cheap and cheerful, with properties to satisfy all tastes and budgets.
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Port de Sóller is a fishing village on the north-west coast of the island, but these days it's also a busy tourist destination with a warm welcome and lots of choice when it comes to accommodation. Port de Sóller’s setting is stunning — a rounded cove, sheltered by the impressing Tramuntana Mountains — and it boasts some charming historic architecture. Eat seafood, build sandcastles with your kids, take a private boat trip or hike up the mountains. There are lots of ways to enjoy Port de Sóller and accommodation options to match from boutique boltholes to family friendly hotels and grand luxury stays.
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Sóller is situated 3km inland from Port de Sóller, in a very pretty valley surrounded by ancient citrus groves, with views towards the Med on one side and the Tramuntana Mountains on the other. Its most iconic emblem is the historic, wooden tram which you can jump on to take you to the beach. Sóller is a charming town, its maze of narrow, cobbled streets playing host to galleries, churches and ice cream parlours. The accommodation here is a mixture of fincas and welcoming guesthouses, romantic restored mansions, elegant aparthotels, and intimate luxury hotels. The eating and drinking scene is alive with flavour from the local producers, which you can admire and purchase at the weekly Saturday market.
Alcúdia is historic and beautiful, a really charming spot straddling the narrow part of a spit that separates two calm and bright blue bays. The cheery beach resort of Port d’Alcúdia is on the Bay of Alcúdia side, and the old heart of Alcúdia sits behind it, with its medieval walls of honey-coloured stone and elegant plazas. The oldest part of town is pedestrianised and has plenty of sites to visit, including Roman era ruins that include an amphitheatre; historic royal villas; and the Neo-Gothic church of Sant Jaume, which is built into the medieval ramparts. During the summer months, the medieval walls and surrounding area are used as a stage for players and open-air music concerts. Every Tuesday and Sunday the town hosts a lively market, which has two parts, one for local produce, the other for crafts and other wares. Port d’Alcúdia is popular for watersports, and for bird watching, as well as for more traditional beach activities. Alcúdia is also close to an 18-hole golf course, and golf resort. Accommodations here are wide ranging from boutique B&Bs in the pretty old town, to family friendly hotels that are close to the beach.
Image by Monica Volpin from Pi
Ca’n Picafort is a bustling resort town on the Bay of Alcúdia, an ideal choice for families because of the shallow waters, sandy beach and relaxed atmosphere. It’s evolved from a little fishing village, and now has a good collection of accommodation options, including some charming old converted fishermen’s cottages and farmhouse buildings. There’s still a good market twice a week, which really brings the town to life especially during the peak summer months. The beach is the main appeal here — it’s wide and long — ripe for sandcastle-building, kite-flying, windsurfing, kayaking and sailing. Just along the coast are the wetlands of S’Albufera Natural Park, home to hundreds of different bird species. Beyond that is the archaeological site of Nekropole von Son Real.
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Artà is set back from the coast, and sits pretty on a hilltop, with fantastic views. The ancient centre of town is where you’ll find many of Artà’s main sights; built in the medieval period, it has stone towers, churches and villas. If you’re looking for historic or romantic accommodation you’ll find it here, or if you prefer something with a bit more space you could consider one of the converted farmhouses or fincas in the surrounding countryside. Artà has plenty to entertain you: an impressive regional museum, an excavated bronze age settlement, hiking and biking trails, a riding school and an 18-hole golf course. The regular market is held on a Tuesday, and features both edible and non-edible local produce. There are plenty of lovely beaches close by.
Manacor, situated in a sunlit valley on Mallorca’s eastern side, is the second largest settlement on the island. It isn’t far from the beach, but its own appeal is more historic and commercial: Manacor is a centre of jewellery making, with a huge weekly market, and an impressive collection of historic landmarks. It has a nice variation to its appeal — there’s an imposing church and impressive history museum, but there’s also the Rafa Nadal Museum. The town’s major sites are probably the 4,000 year old archaeological remains at S’Hospitalet Vell, and the fascinating Drach Caves, which are right on the coast. Manacor is close to several blue flag beaches, hiking and biking trails. It's a good base for anyone wanting to be close to the beach, but also wanting to experience a slice of authentic modern-day Mallorca.
Just 40 minutes outside Palma de Mallorca, Deià is a hilltop town with sweeping Mediterranean views framed by the Tramuntana Mountains. Its buildings are constructed with a lovely local honey-coloured stone, and cling to the hillside in between the citrus groves, and olive and almond trees. This is the ideal destination if you’re hoping for laid-back charm and historic landmarks, as well as great hiking and biking opportunities. Poet Robert Graves’ old home is one of Deia's landmark sights, as is the Archaeological Museum. It has a number of charming boutiques and galleries as well as the more traditional cafes, bars, restaurants, and shops designed to appeal to visitors. Deia's beach is small and secluded and mainly made up of small pebbles and larger stones. Many of the hotels here are quite upmarket and expensive, but we've also uncovered a more affordable option which is family friendly too.
Valldemossa is a picturesque village in the foothills of the Sierra de Tramuntana. Tree-lined streets are populated with cafes, boutiques, restaurants and terraced houses with terracotta tiled roofs. While in the backdrop are views of the mountains and the sea below. The mountains are criss-crossed with scenic hiking, biking and horse riding trails — including the locally famed GR 221. One of the town’s most significant buildings is La Cartuja, a 14th century that began life as a royal palace, then became a monastery and latterly hosted such guests as composer Chopin and author George Sand in the 19th century. Pull up a chair at a buzzy outdoor bar or eatery on one of the village’s sun-drenched squares to feast on seasonal produce — including the region’s famous olives, almonds and oranges. The choice of hotels here is not huge, but you can expect to find some beautiful hideaways in the hills just outside town as well as a luxury property in the centre with a gourmet restaurant.
Image by Gabriele M. Reinhardt
Fornalutx is another competitor for prettiest village in Mallorca. Like Valldemossa it is framed by the Sierra de Tramuntana on one side, but on the other side of Fornalutx is the valley of Sóller. Like Valldemossa its buildings are of pale sandstone, the streets cobbled, and the window boxes verdant with flowers. There’s an impressive church on the main square, and some charming old buildings, now bars, cafes and restaurants mostly — perfect for long, lazy lunches! Outside of town are miriad hiking and biking trails, including the Dry Stone Route, which runs from Andratx to Pollenca. For those wanting a bit of beach time, Port de Soller is about a 15 minute drive. Accommodation options here tend to be intimate and low key, perfect for a peaceful island getaway.
Historic, peaceful, and very beautiful at sunset, Pollença is situated in northern Mallorca, inland from Port de Pollença and Alcúdia. This an ideal part of the island for hikers and bikers, because there are so many trails which either run through the town, or very close beside it. It’s also a lovely base if you're looking for a laid-back getaway. Pollença has a lovely main square, with a grand church, and a collection of very nice cafes and restaurants. There are also a couple of little museums, and on Sunday there’s a brilliant local produce market. Even if you’re not a lover of hiking, it’s still worth heading up to some of the local lookout points — or to the Formentor Lighthouse — for the incredible views. There’s not a huge amount of accommodation, but our favourites include an historic property right in the centre of town with appealing room rates and a super deluxe property just outside which won't disappoint even the pickiest of customers.
Port de Pollença is a pretty seaside town, a welcoming place that both kids and couples want to return to. Some come for the white, sandy beaches, some for the hills and rather rocky backdrop, and others are attracted by the bustling marina. First time visitors will definitely want to stroll along the promenade, try some of the chic little seafood restaurants along the waterfront, taste test the weekly market, and walk or drive into the hills for the views and the walking trails. Port de Pollença is a good place for fishing and kayaking too. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to accommodation, with options for families and couples alike.
Cala d’Or is a popular beachside spot on Mallorca’s southeastern coastline. The name translates to Golden Bay, but really the bay is very striking shades of blue, and the beaches are the most modest part of it — more small coves, than golden sweeps. There’s a holiday resort atmosphere, but plenty of privacy too — many hotels and resorts have their own private coves. The town also has a marina with around 600 moorings, and a yacht club. The quay is lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and boutiques, with useful things like supermarkets and banks too. Cala d’Or has been well set up for visitors, and is one of the most popular resort towns on Mallorca; there are plenty of accommodation options for all budgets and a fairly lively nightlife.
