Ten Things To Do on Mallorca
Whether your visit is over a long weekend or two weeks, here are ten suggestions of things we think you might enjoy doing.
Explore Palma
Historic patios | Mallorca Nightlife
Now considered one of the most elegant Mediterranean cities, and surely one of the easiest to get to with a good choice of no-frills scheduled flights between major European airports and the island, Palma offers a wide cultural choice, with new museums and guided walking tours, shopping, restaurants, and sightseeing. (Look out, shameless plug coming!) Stay in Scott's Townhouse Hotel in Binissalem, the wine capital, and you'll be only 18 minutes from the centre of Palma, or 25 on the train.
If you click on the title above, it will take you to a page where there's more information, and a form you can use to help us make this a better and more useful resource for those who come after you.
 
Discover the Local Cuisine
To go to our food page, click the title above
Over the past ten years, there has been a strong move on the island to promote locally produced food and wine. Three years ago the local Ministry of Agriculture introduced Good Food & Wine routes around the island to encourage visitors to seek out local producers and explore the island at the same time.
We have several separate pages on food, so for more information, just click the title. Don't neglect to give us feedback, especially on restaurants.
Take a Pretty Drive
Five Inland Drives
This is a particularly easy thing to do - just look at your map and pick the smallest roads you can to go in the general direction of where you're heading. The island is only roughly 60 miles by 40 miles, so you are never more than half an hour from a coast, and it is impossible to get lost (well, for more than twenty minutes or so).
The most fun are the small roads that wind through the valleys adjacent to the mountains and there are several winding coastal roads that can give you stunning views out over the sea. Ask at your hotel for recommendations.
If you click the title link, our information includes maps for several delightful drives, short loops for a little potter around the local vicinity or longer routes for a day's excursion. Your time is precious, and so we are always looking for suggestions on the most delightful ways to explore any part of the island.
Get Out on the Water
In Palma's harbour there are several boat services that will take you out for up to two or three hours so you can see the island from the sea. Most hotels have connections to charter boats that can offer you a lovely experience of the aquatic side of the island, usually for a minimum of half or a full day. We recommend a particularly good boat, with English crew, Sirena Sailing. For information, bookings and prices, drop a line to
There is also a delightful way of seeing the dramatic promontory of Formentor from the sea. A local ferry service makes trips from the bay in the Port of Pollensa to the beach of Cala San Vicente, where there is an excellent small hotel with a good restaurant.
There are also ferries across to Formentor itself. Regrettably, sometimes it's a long time between ferries, which means that you can be more or less stranded on that beach for several hours, and the Formentor Hotel discourages walk-up visitors from the beach, which they used to have pretty much to themselves as a private beach for their guests, something no longer the case.
As above, further suggestions in the category are most welcome. Click the title to get to the page with the form.
Take a Country Walk
One of the best ways to see and appreciate the tremendous variety and natural beauty of Mallorca is walk in the countryside. There are many guided walks, or books with suggested walks. If you stay with us, you will be provided with a folder of essential information, including suggestions for excursions using the quietest and prettiest routes to explore the various areas on the island. We also keep many published guides for serious walkers and can arrange a professional guide for individuals or groups by arrangement. You can also pick up a free brochure on 20 walks around the island from any tourist information offices.
Click on the title link above to go to a page with more information and a form you can use to add your own input.
Ride the Soller Train
The ever popular period piece electric train starts from its own station in Palma's Plaza España and ends in the historic town of Soller. This heirloom train takes a spectacular route through the mountains and, if you catch the special scenic edition which leaves every morning at 10:40 a.m., it stops en route so passengers can catch a photo opportunity high in the mountains. Me, I think this is overrated, but lots of people like it and at least it's a chance to get off the train and stretch your legs. Further information from local tourist offices.
Experience a Fiesta
Practically every week, somewhere on the island, a traditional fiesta is taking place. For example, the Moors & Christians Mock Battle (would that we had more mock battles and fewer real ones!) at Soller, which celebrates the victory over the Turkish pirates in 1561, takes place on the second Monday in May. It's extremely colourful, great fun and well worth a visit. As similar fiesta takes place in Pollensa on August 2nd.
But there are many others. Click the link above and tell us your favourites.
Listen to Live Music
Palma is a sophisticated city for music lovers. In addition to having an excellent symphony orchestra, the island is regularly visited by first class choirs, opera and ballet companies from around the world and dozens of excellent bands and groups of all description, Music festivals and concerts from classical to jazz and pop/rock are on offer throughout the calendar year.
Click the title link to go to a list of some of the more established festivals, and if you know of good music venues, please tell us about them using the form on that page.
Visit a Local Market
They shout at one another and wave their arms, they bang and clang things, bob and weave in constant motion, though some stand immobile, blocking everyone's path, exuding aromas of alcohol and cigarettes, sweat and unwashed clothes. It's a typical local Mallorca market and a must see if you want to experience the real Mallorca. Museums are all very well, but to get a real sense of life here there's nothing like a marketplace.
On every day of the week, villages and towns across the island have their own regular markets. These markets all have their own character reflecting the local produce of that area. Some of the most popular include: Santa Maria (Sunday), Sineu (Wednesday), Inca (Thursday) and Pollensa (Sunday). Daily markets are listed in the local International press.
Click the title link above for a full list.
Get On Yer Bike
25 Recommended Routes | Medium to Long Cycle Routes
Mallorca has a network of 1,250 kilometres of roads and approximately half of these are made up of minor and secondary roads, 675 kilometres of which have been renovated and adapted for bicycle touring over the past few years.
There is something for everyone, amateur or professional, as the main cycle routes pass throughout the length of the island and feature long flat plains, gentle and steep slopes and spectacular mountain routes (approximately 20% of these roads pass in between the mountains). In addition, new signposting and special cycle lanes have been introduced. Further information and maps are available in local tourist offices.
One word of warning: Mallorca is now the official training site for a number of professional cycling teams. If you see any of them coming your way, get off the road and take cover: they take no prisoners!
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