14 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Mallorca Spain | Top Travel Tips

We recently spent 10 days in Mallorca and it was an absolute dream. The beautiful secluded coves, the epic mountains, and the picturesque villages blew me away.

When I first considered traveling to Mallorca, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I can now say it’s one of our favorite places we’ve ever been.

This post is here to give you all of my top tips for visiting Mallorca that I wish I could have found gathered in one place when I was doing research for our trip. In my (oh so humble) opinion, I feel like we did Mallorca in one of the best ways you can- so hopefully I can help you have an amazing holiday in Mallorca as well!

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Is Mallorca Worth Visiting?

Before we get going- let’s ensure the answer to this question is clear. Is Mallorca worth going to? Yes, definitely yes.

Mallorca is now at the top of our list as one of our favorite travel destinations. If you’re a sucker for insanely clear blue water, stunning rocky coves, incredible mountains, and charming old villages then you will be blown away by Mallorca.

14 Essential Mallorca Travel TIPS FOR First-Time Visitors

1. THere is so much more to Mallorca than Palma

One of my biggest recommendations for visiting Mallorca is to explore beyond the main resort cities of Palma and Alcudia. There are so many beautiful things to see on the island that it would be a shame to only stay in one place.

We chose to base ourselves in two different areas over 10 days to explore as much of the island as possible without moving accommodations too often.

I have read about people who will do a large loop around the island and stay in different accommodations every night or two. However, we were traveling with two young kids, and having more of a home base made more sense for us.

If you do want to base yourself in Palma here are some day tours from the city that I’d definitely take: this full-day beautiful beaches and coves trip from Palma or this mountain-and-village (including Sóller) day trip from Palma.

2. The Water in Mallorca is So clear and blue

The water in Mallorca is GORGEOUS. Almost everywhere you go it’s so so so blue. Photos of the amazing crystal clear, blue water actually represent real life- it’s not exaggerated!

Our favorite stunning cove/beach was Cala Llombards on the southeastern coast and our favorite beach with a large stretch of sand was Playa de Formentor on the Formentor Peninsula.

If you won’t have a car, be sure to book this day trip to beautiful beaches from Palma to relax at some of the most beautiful coves/beaches in Mallorca.

3. BOoking a Rental Car is the best way to See Mallorca

One of my top Mallorca travel tips is to book a rental car and explore all over the island. You may be tempted to stay in one small area, or even inside the walls of a resort but you’ll miss so many beautiful places if you do that.

We almost always book our cars through Economy Bookings and have snagged some killer deals. I’m not usually big on booking via third-party websites, but we’ve always had a great experience with Economy Bookings.

The prices seem to fluctuate on the Economy Bookings website, so I suggest checking a few times over a few days to see if the prices go down even more.

We rented our car from the airport and immediately drove about 45 minutes north to the Alcudia area where we were based for the first part of our holiday. Each day we drove 20 minutes to 1.5 hours to various spots on the island and I’m so glad we did. To see all my recommendations check out my Mallorca guide.

We saw people at our hotel’s pool that arrived via airport transfer and I’m not sure they ever left the pool area. It’s okay if you like pool time, but we were able to get the best of both worlds by exploring a new place every day then coming back to relax/play at our pool each evening. I highly recommend it.

It’s quite easy to drive in Mallorca. However, the mountainous areas of the Formentor Peninsula or the Tramuntana Mountains can be a bit tricky if you are a nervous driver.

Those areas have narrow, steep, and windy roads with a lot of cyclists that you have to safely pass. However, other than those areas, driving was typically quite easy.

4. Mallorca has both secluded coves and long stretches of sandy beaches

Whether you like long stretches of white sand accompanied by lifeguards and restaurants or more secluded, naturally beautiful coves with limited facilities, you’ll find what you are looking for in Mallorca

We visited four beaches in Mallorca- two coves, one with a long sandy beach, and one with a small pebbly beach.

The two coves were: Cala Llombards (gorgeous with fisherman houses and my favorite) and Cala Molins (has epic mountain views in the distance).

The long sandy beach was a naturally beautiful beach on the Formentor Peninsula called Playa de Formentor. The water was amazingly clear and the drive there was beautiful.

The most unique beach we visited was Sa Calobra which is reached via walking through a tunnel carved in the rock. Sa Calobra is a small, pebbly beach nestled between two large cliffs backed up to a large canyon leading into the island- it’s pretty unique.

5. THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT Mallorca IS MAY-JUNE OR SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

One of my biggest tips for visiting Mallorca is to steer clear of visiting during the peak summer months of July and August. The weather in July and August is unforgivingly hot and the crowds brutal.

We visited Mallorca the last week of May and the weather was just about perfect. The temperatures were in the mid-70s F with the sun shining beautifully.

As soon as the temps hit 80° F on one of the days it felt defeatingly hot. Our morale drained and it was hard to enjoy ourselves if we were doing anything other than being in the water.

In July and August, the temps are regularly above 80°F sometimes reaching 90°F+. No thank you.

The only downside about visiting in May/June rather than September/October is that the water hasn’t warmed up as much as it does by later in the season. However, we still enjoyed the water, it just took a minute to get used to.

6. You can ferry/Fly from Mallorca to other nearby Spanish Islands and Cities

If you’re looking to explore beyond Mallorca, you can easily visit the nearby Spanish islands of Ibiza, Menorca or Formentera by ferry and/or flights. You can also easily reach mainland cities like Barcelona, Valencia or Denia by ferry and/or flights (depending on the city).

7. Spend at Least 7-10 Days in Mallorca to Really See the Island

We spent 10 days in Mallorca which I felt was enough time to see a variety of beaches, multiple mountain sites and viewpoints, and a few charming villages (along with a bit of extra relaxing time).

I’d recommend no less than 7 days in Mallorca but you could easily stay 2+ weeks.

You can see everything we did in Mallorca in my Mallorca travel guide here (it’s targeted to families, but it works for anyone!).

8. Mallorca is a great place to travel with Kids

We have traveled extensively with our young kids and Mallorca is at the top of our favorites list. There isn’t much that gets better than warm weather combined with beautiful beaches and epic mountain views.

It may be tempting to visit Mallorca and spend a week inside the walls of your all-inclusive resort. However, I suggest branching out and really exploring the island. There are so many safe, family-friendly beaches and coves plus other great things to do with kids in Mallorca.

Be sure to check out my family-friendly guide to Mallorca if you are traveling with kids- I highlight all of our favorite things to do, where we stayed plus my top tips.

We stayed at two different accommodations, both with a pool, so that we could explore during the day and come back and play in the pool before dinner. Our kids loved it (and so did we!).

9. There are lots of Fun Local Tours/Excursions Available in Mallorca

If you’re someone who loves a good tour/excursion once in a while ( I know I am) then you’ll be happy to know that there are some great options for your trip to Mallorca. Below are some that we highly considered taking or would take if we hadn’t had a car:

• Full Day Tour from Palma to the Best Beaches and Coves of Mallorca (goes to Cala Llombards -one of our favorite beaches we visited, plus two other beaches).
• Boat Trip from Cala Figuera to three beautiful coves: Calo de Moro, S’almonia, and Cala Màrmols (we were THIS close to booking this boat trip but it didn’t fit into our itinerary).
• PRIVATE 4-Hour Boat Cruise with Snorkeling in Palma de Mallorca: (a great option if you’re looking for some quiet, private time on the water).
• Valldemosa and Valley of Soller Tour (including tram ride (gorgeous mountain drive and visit to mountain villages with a tram ride).
• Small-Group Sailing and Snorkeling Trip (4-hour small-group sailboat trip with numerous swim and snorkeling stops)
• Spanish Cooking Experience in Mallorca (hands-on cooking experience in a historic old flour windmill from the 16th century)

To see more available tours and excursions in Mallorca, check them out on Viator (my favorite site to search for local experiences).

10. Staying at Son Alzines May be the Best Part of Your Trip

One of the absolute highlights of our trip to Mallorca was our three-night stay at an agrotourism boutique hotel in the Tramuntana Mountains called Son Alzines. It. was. amazing. (FYI I found this hotel all on my own and we paid for it ourselves… we just loved it so much I have to tell you about it).

Son Alzines is a gorgeous farm property that has been in the owner’s family since 1428. The buildings have been converted into 5 individual apartments all equipped with kitchens and amazing views. Pictures on their website do not do it justice.

I recommend booking the ‘Family Room’ as it is the only apartment with a totally private patio and its own private little garden area. All of the apartments have a patio with a table and beautiful views… however, the family apartment is totally secluded and bigger than the rest with the best views of all (their website even says so).

At the top of the property, there is an amazing communal swimming pool surrounded by gorgeous lavender and sweeping views of the mountains. It was so quiet and relaxing and perfect (even with the kids playing!).

And to top it all off, you can even purchase breakfast and/or dinner. We treated ourselves to dinner out on their patio from their onsite restaurant one night and it was a lovely experience. They even have a kids’ menu. All of our other meals we prepared ourselves in our apartment’s kitchen and enjoyed out on our private patio.

All of the other guests we chatted with at Son Alzines were also blown away by their stay and seemed to be having an amazing, relaxing time. You will not regret spending a few nights here.

11. Split Your Time between Beaches, Beautiful Villages and Mountains

I recommend doing a little bit of everything that Mallorca has to offer. Not only does Mallorca have amazing beaches and coves but the island is dotted with picturesque old villages as well. Plus, the mountains in Mallorca are absolutely gorgeous and are a must-see destination.

The two mountainous areas in Mallorca are Cap de Formentor and the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. Cap de Formentor is a lovely drive with viewpoints and a lighthouse. Our favorite part of the Formentor Peninsula was the beach Playa de Formentor.

Our favorite villages we visited in Mallorca were Old Town Alcudia in the northern part of the island and our cafe stop at Sa Ruta Verda in a tiny village called Caimari at the base of the Tramuntana Mountains.

We also enjoyed the town of Soller which is lovely, although, can be extremely crowded ( I recommend visiting the orange grove just outside of Soller at Ecovinyassa which is absolutely amazing and not crowded at all).

The beaches at the top of my list of recommendations are Cala Llombards and Playa de Formentor.

12. You’ve got to try the fresh orange juice in Mallorca

I didn’t know that Mallorca was known for fresh oranges. But the oranges and fresh OJ in Mallorca are out of this world. It was literally the best orange juice I’ve ever had in my life (and I’m not exaggerating).

The first orange juice we ordered was at an amazing cafe called Sa Ruta Verde in a quaint old village at the base of the Tramuntana mountains We were shocked at how good it was (everything on the menu was great- I highly recommend).

So my husband then bought some fresh OJ from a machine at the grocery store (thinking it wouldn’t be nearly as good) and even the grocery store OJ was amazing! So we of course bought orange juice and local oranges a few more times on the island and they were delicious every time.

All of this is to say that if you ever see local OJ or oranges for sale… get some! Even our kids who are hit or miss with oranges and OJ were obsessed with all things orange in Mallorca.

13. Cycling Culture is huge in Mallorca

If you spend much time in the mountains of Mallorca, you’ll see how huge the cycling culture is. There are lines of cyclists climbing and descending the the roads at any given time of day.

This makes driving a bit tricky as you have to share the skinny, windy roads with the cyclists and keep your distance. Always give the cyclists the right of way and pass only when it’s safe.

14. Be Sure to visit an orange Grove in Mallorca

Most people visit the town of Sóller to visit the city and ride the iconic (yet crowded) tram. However, our favorite thing in Sóller (by far) was our visit to an orange farm just 2 minutes outside of town.

Sóller is known as ‘the Valley of Oranges’ because of its special micro-climate tucked in a valley in the Tramuntana Mountains that creates quite a long growing season.

At Ecovinyassa you can take a walk through a citrus farm backed by beautiful mountains, try fresh oranges from the farm, and enjoy a lovely snack in the shade.

Reservations are required and they do sell out days in advance as they keep attendance to a minimum to keep the farm a quiet and peaceful experience (which is the opposite of what you’ll find walking around the town of Soller).

The entire experience took about two hours which included a lovely self-guided walk, fresh oranges in the shade halfway through, feeding chickens for the kids and fresh OJ, a snack, and orange marmalade at the end.

This is one of Mallorca’s hidden gems and it mustn’t be missed. Reserve your tickets in advance on their website here.

Mallorca Tips Conclusion

And those are my top travel tips for visiting Mallorca! If you want to learn more about things to do in Mallorca, read my full Mallorca travel guide for families here. If you have any questions about my tips for Mallorca, be sure to comment below- I’ll be sure to get back to you!

Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:

• 15 Amazing things to do in Mallorca for Families + Map, Itinerary & Tips
• 7 Fantastic Things to Do in Old Town Alcudia Mallorca
• Your Essential Guide to Cala Llombards Beach in Mallorca

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