Mallorca

Introduction

Mallorca

© vag_elis

Mallorca is the biggest island of the Balearic Islands and the biggest in Spain as well. It is a popular tourist spot, especially during the summer months when thousands of people from northern Europe come here to soak up the sun, enjoy the beaches and good restaurants. There is more however, because the island boasts some great architecture, culture and secluded places as well. You just have to look for it and if possible come just before or after the great influx of people.

Geography

Parts of Mallorca are mountainous, especially the northwest and east: the Serra de Tramuntana. The highest peak is Puig Major at 1,445 metres, though this is millitary area, so the highest accessible peak would be Puig de Massanella at 1,364 metres. The northern coastline is less popular with beach fanatics, as the coastline is rugged and with cliffs. To the south, the area flattens out and this is where you will find the more popular beach resorts.

Cities, towns and villages

• Palma de Mallorca - the capital and biggest city on the island.
• Sóller - town in the north noted for its old rail link with Palma de Mallorca, its tram to the port and numerous art nouveau buildings.
• Fornalutx - village near Sóller - one of a number claiming to be the prettiest in Spain.
• Biniaraix - village within easy walking reach of Sóller.
• Deya - attractive village on north coast.
• Valdemossa - attractive village near the north coast, where Chopin and George Sands lived for a year in the old monastery (open to public).
• Alcudía - the best Roman remains in Mallorca (but they are a bit on the underwhelming siide. The fine walls and gates are more appealing.
• Pollença

Sights and Activities

• Banys Arabs: Arab Baths dating back to the Muslim domination of the island
• The Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca
• Beaches and marine activities
• The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
• Palau de l'Almudaina, a Muslim castle
• S'Albufera de Mallorca - wetland bird reserve near Alcudía (free entry)
• Old monastery at Valdemossa.
• Belver Castle - a round castle near Palma de Malorca with great views.
• Joan Miro Foundation - an art exhibition house with Miros best work during his years in Mallorca.

For a complete overview of many sights and activities around the island, including great hidden villages, check the Balearnet website.

Weather

Mallorca has a typical Mediterranean climate with warm and dry summers and mild but relatively wet winters. Summers last from June to September when temperatures during the day average between 24 °C and 28 °C with nights generally still above 20 °C. Occasionally, temperatures can hit almost 40 °C. Winters last from December to February with temperatures around 13 °C or 14 °C and nights around 10 °C. This is also the time when most rain falls, although autumn and spring have a good deal of showers as well and even summers can have some heavy showers now and then. Occasionally, snow, especially in the higher parts is possible.

Getting There

By Plane

Palma de Mallorca Airport (IATA: PMI, ICAO: LEPA), located 15 minutes' drive from the city of Palma de Mallorca, is the main airport in Mallorca. After Madrid Barajas Airport and Barcelona Airport this is the third busiest airport in the country and one of the busiest during summer. Numerous airlines serve the island, including several budget airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair. Dozens of cities have connections, mainly in the north and west of Europe, as well as places closer by in the south.
Ryanair has flights to Alicante, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bremen, Dublin, Edinburgh, ]]Frankfurt|Frankfurt-Hahn]], Girona, Glasgow-Prestwick, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London-Stansted, Lübeck, Madrid, Reus (near Barcelona, Shannon, Stockholm-Skavsta and Weeze (near Düsseldorf).
Air Berlin is another big one serving the island with destinations like Almería, Amsterdam, Asturias, Barcelona, Basel/Mulhouse, Berlin, Bilbao, Bremen, Ciudad Real, Cologne/Bonn, Copenhagen, Dortmund, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Erfurt, Faro, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Ibiza, Jerez de la Frontera, Karlsruhe, Leipzig, Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Menorca, Munich, Murcia, Nuremberg, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Stuttgart, Valencia andZürich.
Thomson Airways, Thomas Cook Airlines, TUIfly, Easyjet and Condor air other big airlines, mainly serving the UK, Germany and Spain but some other destinations as well.

By Boat

Domestic
Several ferry operators have connections to Mallorca from mainland Spain. Acciona Trasmediterránea has boats to and from Alicante for example. Other ferry operators include Balearia between Barcelona, Valencia and Denia and Mallorca. Iscomar offers roughly the same connections as well.
Most of the ferries have connections to the other Balearic Islands as well, like Ibiza and smaller Menorca.
France

• Trasmediterranea between Marseille and Palma de Mallorca.

Getting Around

By Train

There is several train routes. One travels several times daily between Palma de Mallorca and Soller on the northwest coast. Check Sollernet for more information about the train and the town.
Other trains go inland to Inca. A third train connects Inca with Sa Pobla and Manacor.

By Car

Renting a car is one of the best ways to cover a lot of the island and offers the possibility to visit some more remote places. Roads are generally in a good conditions and prices of rental cars are not too high. Book ahead during the peak months of July and August.

By Bus

There are number of bus routes around Mallorca and to the interior. Most buses terminate and originate in Palma de Mallorca, where they leave from de Playa d'Espanya. The only really reliable way to be sure about services is to ask at this bus station - in winter at least.
For an overview of schedules and connections, check thebusschedule.com.

By Boat

The best way to explore the coastal points of interest on Mallorca is by renting a boat or going on a private boat tour. Most boat companies offer various options depending on your location on the island. You should definitely book ahead during the peak month, especially if you are looking for a private boat. The boat tours available on the island include: half and full day excursions, dolphin watching tours, national park's tours (there are 2 on Mallorca Cabrera and Sa Dragonera), sunset tours and numerous booz cruises.

Sleep

View our map of accommodation in Mallorca

External Links