Whereas many Mallorcan itineraries start in Palma, I choose kicking off my trip at a extra relaxed tempo in Sóller.
It’s a 35-minute drive from the airport and appears dedicated to the issues that make me comfortable: a laid-back ambiance, a superbly preserved historic sq. the place households and neighbors collect within the afternoon to talk into the night time and cobblestone streets that conceal eating places and conventional outlets.
I really like the honey-colored buildings, the truth that you’re by no means removed from a view of the Serra de Tramuntana, and you may see the solar set on this facet of the island. It is the proper introduction to Mallorca. We’ll base ourselves right here for a lot of the vacation because it gives quick access to Palma and the good seashores and villages.
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When to reach: Mallorca is beautiful year-round. Winter sees many coastal resorts shut, nevertheless it’s excellent for mountaineering the Serra de Tramuntana and Serra de Llevant mountain ranges or having fun with cozy farm stays inland. The very best time for many guests is spring or autumn when the climate is gentle and you may take pleasure in quite a lot of actions, however I choose summer time when it is busy and vibrant and ideally suited for sun-worshippers (that is me).
The right way to get from the airport: If you happen to’re staying in Palma, taxis and the EMT A1 bus, which runs each quarter-hour through the day and each half-hour at night time, are handy choices. Throughout summer time, AEROTIB buses present direct routes to main resorts like Alcúdia, Can Picafort and Cala Bona.
The right way to get round: The general public transport system on the island is fairly good. Palma is well-connected with buses and taxis, and TIB buses hyperlink the capital with main vacationer locations throughout the island. Nevertheless, for the itinerary I’ve created, you are going to want a automotive. It is the simplest option to discover Mallorca’s villages and hidden seashores, which are sometimes solely accessible by automotive.
What to pack: A lightweight and comfy wardrobe is your finest guess in summer time. Go for breathable materials that hold you cool through the day and produce alongside a number of dressier gadgets for eating out. Locals sometimes costume up for meals (informal stylish fairly than gussied up) so you will not see many individuals in beachwear on the desk – it is typically frowned upon. The west coast can expertise occasional showers even in summer time, so packing a lightweight rain jacket is a great transfer. Moreover, water sneakers are a clever selection since a lot of Mallorca’s seashores are rocky, and so they’ll save your ft from undesirable cuts and scrapes.
Day 1: Begin your journey in Sóller
The right way to spend the day: Test into your resort, and in case you’ve rented a automotive, drop it off on the city’s underground public automotive park, which prices solely €6 per day. In any other case, it is nearly inconceivable to seek out parking on the slender streets, and only a few motels have their very own parking bays.
As soon as settled, take a pause on the canopy-draped Plaça de la Constitució and revel in lunch at a restaurant there. Sant Bartomeu cathedral can also be situated right here and is properly value a search for its spectacular Modernist facade and jaw-dropping altarpiece. Afterward, saunter alongside to Carrer de sa Lluna; you will discover some old-school outlets right here promoting Mallorcan-leather crafted sneakers and conventional homewares like handstitched floral and antique-style linen napkins and tablecloths that make beautiful Mallorcan mementos.
Dinner: There aren’t any late-night bars in Sóller, and dinner service normally ends at 10:30pm, which is uncommon for Spain. Plan to go out no later than 8pm in case you do not wish to really feel rushed. A few of my favourite eating places in Sóller, resembling Ca’n Pintxo, are tucked away down facet streets. Head right here and ask to be seated at its candle-lit tables on the cobbled terrace to take pleasure in dishes just like the catch of the day, offered as a silky ceviche dish and marinated in citrus and keenness fruit juices.
In search of souvenirs? Do not miss Palma de Mallorca’s finest impartial shops
Day 2: Port de Sóller
Morning: Be part of the lengthy line of sweet-toothed locals gathering their ensaïmadas (coils of flaky pastry dusted with icing sugar and generally crammed with jam) from Horno San Cristo. Mallorca is thought for ensaïmadas, which pair completely with a bitter espresso.
The right way to spend the day: Hit the seashore! Port de Sóller is a 10-minute drive away, or you may take the wood tram, which is a really cute and enjoyable option to journey. There are two seashores right here, the principle Port de Sóller seashore and Platja d’en Repic. Each have calm, clear waters and lifeguards on obligation. You possibly can lease solar loungers, lockers, and parasols for a flat day price and also you’re surrounded by eating places and bars. I like Patiki Seashore for lunch, however I normally carry bread, cheese and chorizo from the grocery store and make my very own picnic. Plus there are fruit distributors right here able to slice up a dragon fruit or crack open a coconut everytime you fancy.
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Dinner: Take pleasure in a surprising sundown on the seashore after which make your option to Ses Oliveres for a recent seafood dinner with glowing wine and delightful views of the bay.
Here is our choose of Mallorca’s finest seashores
Day 3: Fornalutx, Sa Calobra and Pollença
Morning: Begin your day with a scenic 15-minute drive to Fornalutx, usually hailed as one in every of Spain’s most stunning villages. The journey itself is a deal with by means of lush greenery and delicate, winding roads. Have breakfast at Cafè Sa Plaça within the coronary heart of the village after which go for a stroll by means of the knotted streets, admiring the attractive window packing containers that adorn every house. Cease on the gloriously old style Panaderia de Fornalutx to select up some conventional Mallorcan pastries for a candy deal with on the way in which to your subsequent journey.
The right way to spend the day: Proceed on the MA-10 freeway and brace your self for the exhilarating (learn: terrifying) drive to Sa Calobra seashore. The MA-10, significantly because it snakes its approach all the way down to Sa Calobra, is legendary for its hairpin turns and cliff-hugging roads. No person warned me it is referred to as “the wildest highway on the island,” so be ready. The views are saga-worthy (take it sluggish), and Sa Calobra actually is a stunner. The water is so clear you may see the fish flit previous even with no snorkel. Purpose to get there by mid-morning to safe a spot and calm down on the pebble seashore or take a brief stroll to Torrent de Pareis gorge.
Night: Finish your day in Pollença, a quintessentially Balearic city an hour’s drive away with wisteria-draped streets that after charmed Agatha Christie. As nightfall settles, the city’s eating places and bars come to life, with households gathering within the squares to take pleasure in ice cream and wine. Nourish your soul with dinner at Amazo, a comfortable spot providing hearty South American and Spanish fare. For a extra relaxed drive house to Sóller, take the flatter and extra easy MA-13 freeway.
Day 4: Deià and Valdemossa
Morning: If you happen to’ve ever looked for pictures of Mallorca on Instagram, you have undoubtedly seen Deià. This charming and considerably bougie spot is thought for its creative vibe, beautiful surroundings and celeb vacation houses. It’s only a 20-minute drive from Sóller. Begin with a go to to the poet Robert Graves’ grave within the hilltop cemetery that overlooks the village. Then mosey to De Moniö for espresso, a minimalist-styled vegetarian cafe that additionally sells handmade ceramics (excellent souvenirs). Then, drive all the way down to Cala Deià, the place you may take pleasure in a swim and have an early lunch at Ca’s Patró March, a restaurant overlooking the water.
The right way to spend the day: Drive for quarter-hour to Valldemossa, a city declared a World Heritage Website by UNESCO, to get misplaced among the many labyrinthine streets and go to Actual Cartuja de Valldemossa, a museum devoted to the composer Frédéric Chopin and author George Sand. The constructing is an outdated monastery and former royal residence that dates again to 1310. Whether or not you have eaten or not, your lunchtime precedence ought to be La Posada, the place you may sip wine with wood-fired steaks or recent salads on the outside terrace overlooking Valldemossa’s sea of terracotta rooftops and olive groves.
Night: When the time is true, return to Sóller to your remaining night right here and revel in dinner at C’an Llimona, a stunning family-run Italian restaurant that values high quality produce. The pasta is made recent day-after-day and is outstanding.
Day 5: Palma
Morning: Earlier than leaving Sóller for Palma, go to Ecovinyassa, a surprising citrus orchard only a 10-minute drive away, the place the air is crammed with the perfume of oranges and lemons. They provide excursions on weekdays (besides Tuesdays) from 10am, the place you may pattern freshly picked fruit, discover the attractive grounds, and revel in recent juice and a lightweight snack underneath the shade of the citrus timber—a languid and beautiful option to spend the morning.
The right way to spend the day: Transfer on to Palma, Mallorca’s vibrant, art-filled capital. I like to remain in Santa Catalina. That is the house of each second Palma artistic so look forward to finding stay music, dog-friendly bars and a few kind of candy deal with on each road nook. As soon as you have checked in to your resort, discover the historic Previous City, visiting the magnificent La Seu Cathedral, and searching idea shops resembling Rialto Residing and La Pecera and smaller spots like Mimbrería Vidal to seek out that “oh this? I picked it up in Mallorca” piece.
Dinner: Seize a seat close to the open-plan kitchen at Vandal in Santa Catalina the place the menu reads like a map of the world with influences from South America, Asia and Europe. It is loud, so not the place for an intimate dinner, nevertheless it’s enjoyable. Spring for the plump and sweetly flavored beef bao and burrata with fried zucchini flower. After, search out the blink-and-you’ll miss it jazz-infused speakeasy Door 13. You may want a password to enter, which is normally shared on its social media.
Want extra data? Here is our first-timer’s information to Palma
Day 6: Cala Pi and Santanyí
Morning: Get up early, seize some snacks and recent fruit from a close-by grocery store (Spanish supermarkets are elite) and prepare for one more seashore day.
The right way to spend the day: Begin the day at Cala Pi, a 45-minute drive from Palma. This can be a conventional Mallorcan seashore that I fell head over heels in love with – quiet and secluded (within the morning, at the very least) with no amenities. Convey towels, snorkels and snacks (therefore the grocery store run earlier than leaving). Keep in mind you must stroll down some fairly steep stairs to succeed in it. Within the afternoon, you may drive half-hour to the white-sand Caribbean-esque seashore of Platja des Trenc or 40 minutes to Santanyí, a small, slow-paced city the place even the air feels mild. There’s an exquisite seashore right here too and a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays (till 2pm).
Dinner: Stick round in Santanyí as a result of it appears to be like particularly fairly throughout golden hour. Take pleasure in recent paella at one of many casual seashore golf equipment for dinner or truffle pasta within the courtyard of Es Cantonet. It is a few 45-minute drive again to Palma.
Day 7: Palma
Morning: Do not depart with out visiting the Santa Catalina market. It has just about all of the recent produce you may consider, and you may choose up native honey, marmalade, melt-in-the-mouth hams and Mallorcan wines to take house. Whereas there, go to Can Frau for an early tapas lunch. It is an excellent place to dine alone as they’ve an extended counter that wraps across the bar. It additionally serves a few of the finest paella in Palma.
The right way to spend the day: Proceed to discover Palma’s charming neighborhoods or take pleasure in a soothing seashore day at Portixol, a former fishing village now a stylish seaside suburb of Palma. Finish your journey with one thing a bit bit totally different by paying a go to to one in every of Mallorca’s glassware outlets or warehouses. The island boasts a wealthy glassmaking custom, and its oldest model, Gordiola Glass Firm, has been round since 1719. Whereas there’s a store in Palma, a visit to the workshop in Algaida is way extra thrilling. Right here you may witness the artwork of handblown glassmaking within the museum – the €8 entry charge is properly value it – and peruse and store numerous merchandise.
Dinner: In Palma, go to La Rosa Vermuteria and Colmado, a vermouth bar with essentially the most charming bartenders and an excellent choice of vermouth, beer and wine. Get the cheeseboard for dinner earlier than heading to the airport. Adios!
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