Spain · Balearic Islands

Mallorca travel guide

Hidden coves, mountain villages and a capital worth a city break

Palma Cathedral, Mallorca. Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

2h 15mflight from London

PMInearest main airport

26° in Augwarmest month

12° in Febcoolest month

Mallorca is far more than its famous resorts. Palma is a stylish city with a sea-facing Gothic cathedral, the Tramuntana mountains are a UNESCO site full of stone villages, and the east coast hides turquoise coves.

It's the biggest of the Balearic Islands and just over two hours from the UK, with flights from almost every airport.

Good forBeachesIslandsHikingFamily holidays

Top things to do in Mallorca

1
Palma Cathedral and old town
La Seu rises straight from the seafront. Behind it are courtyards, tapas bars and the Arab baths.
2
The Tramuntana mountains
Drive or cycle the mountain road to Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa.
3
The Sóller train
A wooden train from 1912 runs from Palma to Sóller, with a tram on to the port.
4
Calas of the east coast
Cala Mondragó, Caló des Moro and Cala Varques: small coves with clear water. Get there early.
5
Caves of Drach
A huge cave with an underground lake and a short classical concert.
6
Cap de Formentor
A winding road to a lighthouse at the island's northern tip, with jaw-dropping views.

Tours and tickets in Mallorca

Where to stay in Mallorca

Palma
A city break with beaches nearby, and the best restaurants.
Alcúdia and Pollença
Long sandy beaches in the north, popular with families.
Sóller and the mountains
Hotels in the hills for walkers, cyclists and a slower pace.

Find a hotel in Mallorca

Best time to visit Mallorca

Best value: Apr–May, Sep–Oct. May, June and September. July and August are hot and very busy; winter is quiet and good for walking and cycling.

Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Mallorca, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 2h 15m from London to PMI, and flights from most UK airports.

Buses link Palma to the main resorts, but a hire car makes it easy to explore the coves and mountain villages. Mountain roads can be busy with cyclists.

Search flights to PMI

Day trips from Mallorca

Valldemossa
A mountain village where Chopin spent a winter, with a monastery you can visit.
Cabrera
A boat trip to a protected island national park from Colònia de Sant Jordi.
Menorca
Ferries from Alcúdia reach Ciutadella in Menorca in about 1½ hours.

Good to know

Hire cars and good coves both get scarce in August: book cars early and go to beaches before 10am.
The Balearics charge a sustainable tourism tax, paid per person per night at your hotel.
Some resorts, such as parts of Magaluf, have drinking bans and fines on the street.

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