Tips to organize your trip to Mallorca

I was a bit lost when I decided to spend a week in Mallorca. I didn’t know where was the best area to stay, neither how to get around or organize the itinerary and the tours I wanted to make. To help the next travelers, I’ve put together in this post the top Mallorca tips you need to know before going. But if I left something out and you still have some questions, don’t be shy and ask away in the comments section that I’ll help in any way I can!

What awaits you in Mallorca…

How many days to stay? 

Starting from four full days (5 nights) you can get to know the best of the island. Less than that is too little and you’ll have to leave a lot of beautiful things out.

Even if you stay here for a month, I think you’d still have new things to do every day! There are many, many beaches, little towns, clubs, restaurants … stay as long and as much as you can. With more or fewer days, I guarantee the experience will be better than you think (you can see that Mallorca made an impression on me, right?).

Where to stay?

If you have up to 5 nights, stay in Palma de Mallorca. It’s the most practical option, with more structure and hotel offers, besides being near the airport. From there, you’ll be an hour and a half by car from the furthest point, so it’s easy to go exploring for the day and come back at night.

Around downtown Palma de Mallorca

If you have more than 5 nights, you could consider spending a night or two elsewhere on the island. This can help you to optimize your time and not have to travel too much. It is also a chance to enjoy a nice hotel like the Belmond La Residencia in Deia, one overlooking the sea like the Hotel Cala Fornells, or an absolute dream of mine, Hotel Cap Rocat, near Palma.

How to get around? 

I strongly recommend renting a car. I was sort of anxious about renting a car and braving the island on my own, so I got by on the first two days using public transport, and on the third one, I gave up and rented a car. It’s nonsense worrying about it. Even on your own it’s very worth renting a car to move around more freely, get to know more beaches and optimize your time. On top of that, the main roads that cross the island are in great shape.

We were able to rent a car for 4 days for 60 euros at Rental Cars, which was a very fair price and almost the same as the bus if you go to more than one beach (especially if you are in two or more people).

For those who want to be stubborn as I was, there are buses within Palma and to the nearest beaches in the region such as Cala Comtesa, S’Arenal, and Portals Nous. And there are also trains that make the “intercity” route, with fewer stops and going to places farther from Palma. Don’t expect punctuality if you’re using Google Maps to get your bearings. Although the service is good, the time shown on Maps sometimes wasn’t right.

How to organize the itinerary and what to see each day? 

We suggest dividing the island into regions so as not to waste time traveling around. We made a very complete, step by step guide showing the main tour options in the post: Itinerary in Mallorca, Spain, for 5 or more days, with maps. Starting from it, it’s easier to understand the island, the regions, and tours. Check it out!

Discover incredible tour beyond the beaches, such as going to Cap de Formentor.

When to go?

The answer I give to people that ask me this about Mallorca is the same as the one I give for Ibiza, the Greek Islands, Croatia… if you want the hustle and bustle and the sun high in the sky, go during the high season in July and August, but be prepared to share the space with many tourists and pay a little more for that (even though Mallorca is not an expensive destination, even during high season, compared to the other places I mentioned).

A paradise a little bit more crowded, yet equally beautiful.

If you still want to enjoy the beach but want fewer crowds and a little more room to breath, go in June, September or October (by the end of October it’s getting cold and the water is colder, but you can still make it).

In May, the weather is already beautiful, the beaches are empty, but I find it difficult to get in the sea and enjoy the beaches since the waters are still cold and haven’t had the time to warm up.

From November to April is winter, and the island gets practically no tourists, prices go down and everything is empty. You can still enjoy the charms of Palma and admire the beaches and beautiful landscapes. But for me, it’s like seeing a chocolate cake and not being able to eat it: a waste. It’s a torture to see a beautiful place and not be able to make the most of it, getting into the water, sunbathing and enjoying the heat. And the chance of rain is slightly higher during the winter. So, I wouldn’t recommend coming during these months.

Looking at this water and not being able to go in is a torture. Photo in Caló des Moro.

I went in the middle of July, and even with a lot of tourists, I took the time to enjoy the beaches. I woke up early and found many empty seats until about ten-thirty in the morning, and then shared the space with others without it bothering me. I already knew what I was going to find going in, and I liked it anyway.