MALLORCA ITINERARY

I just wanted to share a few things that I love so much about the island in an itinerary that I tend to follow when friends or family are visiting that includes all of the must-sees

*side note: for most of the calas you will need to rent a car, however, there is a public bus system called the TIB that has bus routes to many of the larger pueblos and touristic beaches on the island. There is also a city bus system in Palma, the capital, called the EMT that has lines throughout the city and to the airport from both the city centre and Ca’n Pastilla/S’Arenal. Also remember that most locals speak Mallorquin (a dialect of Catalan) and many of the names of places are in Catalan, but of course, in Palma and at the resorts everyone will speak Spanish and most people will speak English as well.

While I am partial to staying in Palma and not a resort, there are also fincas (country houses) that can be rented and other cute little pueblos like Arta, Pollenca, Ses Salines, Sant Jordi (all the Mallorqins stay here in summer), Banyalbufar, Valldemossa and Deiá (if you bougie), Puigpunyent, Soller and Port de Soller. It really just depends on what scenery you want and how much you want to have to drive to see other places.

The following itinerary will be from Palma/central perspective and the days are interchangeable depending on arrival day of the week:

Day1

• Arrive to Palma
• Head to hotel to drop off things/rest/change
• If early arrival, go ahead and take a stroll around the city centre to get your bearings
  Try walking down Passeig del Born from Placa del Rei Joan Carles towards the Cathedral.
  This walk is beautiful and feels like you’re in Italy with all of the shops and boutiques lining the street.
  Once you arrive at Placa de la Reina, walk through S’Hort del Rei, the palace garden, and up the old city wall steps to snap a photo of the grand Cathedral and view of the Med, and walk around the city wall a bit.
  When you head back down the steps, walk towards La Llotja, the old Maritime trade exchange, and if you want a little to go drink make sure you stop by Spritzstop for a to-go Spritz!
• For dinner head to La Rosa, Bar Dia, or Vermuteria San Jaime (if you make it by 6:30/7pm you will beat the Spanish crowd), both are a short walk from the places mentioned above
• Don’t miss the sunset from a rooftop!
  Nakar Hotel (they still weren’t open to the public in April)
  Hotel Almudaina, or Hotel Saratoga
• And if you’re really looking for some banging cocktails check out Chapeau 1987, which is in this same area

Day 2

• Jump in your car and head to Valldemossa (you can take the TIB bus to Valldemossa from Palma, but you must plan this out just right to continue on to the next adventures of the day)
  Go to the famous bakery, Pastisseria Ca’n Molinas, and grab a “coca de patata”. The coca is famous in Valldemossa and even if it is summer…you should really get the dipping hot chocolate
  Walk around Valldemossa and snap a few photos in the plant lined streets around Iglesia dela Cartuja and Palau del Rei Sanc
• Back in the car heading towards Deiá (or catch the TIB to Deiá but watch your times and stops)
  Put Cami cala Deiá into your Google Maps (you can download a map beforehand if you don’t have service) and you are going to park in the public parking just before the pueblo of Deiá…just trust me on this one.
  Make sure you have some decent shoes (I always go in Vans) because you’re going to hike down to Cala Deiá via Cami Cala Deiá starting from the public street parking. Though it may look far away on the map, it’s an easy and short hike.
  Once you are in Cala Deiá congratulations! Go put your name down at one of the restaurants for lunch (the most famous is Ca’s Patro March, but they’re both fantastic, so check out which one has space or call ahead to reserve if you can)
  Reward yourself with a dip in the crystal blue waters and then veg out on all the grub at one of these super cool lunch spots
  Hike back up that mountain! You got it chica!
• Once you are back in Deiá, head towards the centre to walk around and take a drink to cool off from Cafe sa Fonda…it’s an awesome outside bar with loads of beautiful green plants and shrubbery. If you’re lucky, there will be live music
• Back in the car once more to go back towards Valledemossa close to time of sunset, but this time, you’re going to stop at Chillout Sa Foradada
  Grab a cold one (water if you need it) and watch the ESPECTACULAR sunset! You won’t regret it (if you don’t have a car, this one might be a bit more difficult as you would have to take the TIB from Deia, jump off a bit past the viewing point and walk the winding road back up to the Chillout area at Sa Foradada. It is doable but not as easy).
• Then back to Palma! If you’re up for it, you can go out to eat or out for drinks in the neighborhood of Santa Catalina, but believe me…this day will be tiresome

Day 3

• Take a cafe to go today
• If it’s a Sunday, you want to head to Pollenca for the village market (every Sunday from 8-1:30pm), but if it’s a Wednesday, you want to head to Sineu for their village market (Wednesdays, 8-1:30pm)
  Do some local shopping and explore these cute towns
• Jump back in the car and head towards Ponderosa Beach for lunch.
  You probably want to call ahead for this one. This is an amazing chiringuito right on the beach- where you can eat the most delicious Paella while dipping your toes into the cool sand (sand stays pretty cool under the sheltered roof). The best part is that they have to die for veggie paella…I mean, seriously melt-in-your-mouth, rich vegetarian paella, but they have all the traditional paellas as well.
  After lunch, make sure to walk down the beach a bit and take a swim or a much-needed nap. Take your time here because next, we are going to the mountain for sunset.
• After you munch and a dip, we are going up, up, up to Cap de Formentor
  Make sure to stop at various lookouts on the way
  The road is narrow and winding and a bit scary but it is so worth it!
• Back to Palma for dinner and drinks, and/or bed

Day 4

• Ok! This may be a long day so prepare yourself; Go grab an early coffee and a Mallorquin pastry from Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo
  There are three locations now open but it’s not a chain. They serve Mallorca’s famous Ensaimadas, Gató (almond cake, not cat), house-made ice creams and coca with hot dipping chocolate
• Today, you want to pack some walking shoes again!
• Head to Soller by car and park on the side of the main highway/street once you arrive
  Explore the village for a bit (if time permits)- definitely see the cathedral and snap some photos but keep on moving as there will be a lot of ground to cover today
• Jump back in the car to drive to, or walk to, Port de Soller
  Walk around the port: go shopping in the boutiques, take a mojito at one of the bars with outdoor seating, and definitely get a scoop of Orange Sorbet made from famous Soller oranges.
  You can even take a dip in the refreshing water! It may be a port, but only smaller boats come in, so the water is still clean and clear
  Grab lunch or a little snacky
• Back in the car by 4pm, at the latest, I would say…you’re going to head to Sa Calobra
  You can stop at the two lakes (they’re called Gorg Cuber and Gorg Blau) to take photos but once you get to Nus de Sa Corbata, I would suggest to keep going because you will come back here later for sunset
• Explore and take a dip at Sa Calobra, rest a bit
• Give yourself enough time before sunset to make it back up the mountain to Nus de Sa Corbata. Park the car in the parking lot and run up to the top of the “bowtie”, the main road, to watch the sunset
• And back to Palma you go (this time I would recommend by way of Lluc)
• Dinner and drinks in Palma and/or bed

(An alternative to this day would be to take the century-old Tren de Soller, with breath-taking, scenic views, from Palma to Soller, walk around Soller, then take the old tram, Tranvía de Soller, from Soller to Port d’ Soller for lunch, boutique shopping and a dip in the Med…and finally, taking the TIB bus back to Palma)

Day 5

• Grab a breakfast “tostada” and a cafe at Santosha, Santina, La Molienda, or La Finca. Take your time girl. Today is the last full day and that sounds like a good day to rest and rejuvenate:
• Make sure to book a bed online for Gran Folies Beach Club a few weeks in advance.
  Arrive at Gran Folies and chill
• If you’re feeling bougie, have dinner in Port d’Andratx…if not just head back to Palma to chill

(An alternative to Gran Folies Beach Club is to chill at the amazing glass-bottom pool suspended over the square in Magaluf overlooking the sea at INNSiDE Calviá Beach– it’s the pool in the banner photo of this blog post.)

*Some Alternative Suggestions, or for other days if your trip is longer:

~Sunday: Es Trenc beach (long stretch of famous beach), with Sunday night: dinner and party at S’Embat in Es Trenc

~Tuesday night: La Ruta Martiana (the tapas route) in the old town of Palma (just search for Molta Barra)

~Cala Varques (probably one of my faves) and hike around the area up to the puente (land bridge) then go to Cala Anguila for a swim and bites at the Chiringuito (beach bar) at Cala Anguila

~Explore Arta, Coves d’Arta, Capdepera (where you can climb the castle and pretend to burn the village by dragon’s breath like you’re in Game of Thrones), and Cala Agulla/Cala Molto

~Camp de Mar to beach and eat at Restaurant Illeta (can get here by TIB bus from Palma)

~Caló des Moro (the most famous cala, but also small and the most crowded, so get there early!), Cala s’Alumnia, Cala Llombards and Mirador des Pontas, or the following places in the same area

~Port de Cala Figuera and Cala Mondrago going back to Palma by way of Ses Salines in order to stop at Cassai Home & Fashion boutique, and the beautiful Cassai Gran Cafe & Restaurant

*Don’t forget to get some “Pa amb oli” (bread with oil) from a typical restaurant or chiringuito…sounds bland, but totally delicious with jamon serrano or jamon iberico*

There’s so much to do in Mallorca; this is just ONE itinerary of many that I’ve used for showing friends and family around

*Breakfast/Brunch in Palma:

~Nakar Hotel

~Mama Carmen’s

~Santosha

~Santina

~Brunchit

~La Finca

~Arabay

~Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo

~weekend brunch: Hotel Juame III

*More Lunch/Dinner Suggestions in Palma:

~La Rosa or La Vermuteria San Jaime

~Bar Dia

~Buscando el Norte Santa Catalina

~Meson Ca’n Pedro, Cellar Sa Premsa, or Ca’n Torrat for some real, homemade Mallorquin food

~Patro Lunares or El Txoko de Martín

~Duke Restaurant

~Siete Machos for take away tacos..say hello for me!

~Nola for New Orleans style foods

~el Neo

~Fred

*Boutique/Typical Mallorquin Craft Shopping in Palma:

~Mimbreria Vidal (if you don’t find a woven straw bag at one of the markets, this place has a ton to choose from)

~Carrer del Sindicat

~Around Plaça de la Quartera

~Carrer de Jaume II (street for Menorquina sandals)

~Cereria Candela (handmade candle, jewelry and woven bags)

~Maricastaña (super cute boutique)

*Cocktails in Palma or Nearby:

~Lab

~Caoba

~Alchimia Gin Club

~Ginbo

~Chapeau 1987

~el Neo

~Brassclub

~Fred

~Origin in Palmanova

~Siso in Palmanova

*Dance clubs in Palma:

~Luna

~Sabotage