Imagine an island with turquoise blue waters, secret coves, soft golden sands, lush green foliage, rugged mountains, picturesque villages and a vibrant capital city – this is Mallorca in Balearic islands.
The island and its capital, Palma, are overflowing with character, while its beaches are famous all around the world, making it one of the most sought-after summer destinations.
Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, the Spanish island of Mallorca is a true paradise on earth and it definitely has to feature on top of your Spain bucket list.
How to get to Mallorca
Although there are a few options to get to Mallorca, taking a flight is undoubtedly the easiest and most popular option. Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) is located 8 km east of Palma, the capital city of the island.
It’s one of the biggest airports in the country so it can handle lots of travel throughout the year. Keep in mind that some international flights only operate between May and October.
Where to stay
The island is quite big and every town/area caters to a different type of holiday. You will be spoilt by the choice.
For families. A very popular area is Santa Ponsa because of its very wide and shallow beach, located in a bay protected from the open water, fantastic for small children. Another great spot is Port of Pollensa in the north-east.
For nightlife. The are two possibilities – the first one is to stay in Palma de Mallorca (the main town), with more character and charm, especially for more mature age. The second possibility is to stay in Playa de Palma (famous with Germans) or Magaluf (famous with British), very popular with “guiris”, a Spanish word for foreigners looking for partying and drinking on a budget.
For the beach. it’s always hard to suggest just one place, it can be so subjective. Cala Millor, Cala Figuera, Cala d´Or has a bit of everything, a gorgeous idyllic long beaches, bars and restaurants, a cosy environment for any age and a tiny bit of nightlife.
I would recommend to stay in different areas of the island, so you will be able to explore nearby places without having to drive a lot to reach them. For instance, we have stayed for two night in Cala d´Or, another two nights in Alcudia and one night near Palma in El Arenal area.
Here I share the links of accommodations:
Cala d´Or – Hotel Cala Ferrera: http://www.booking.com/Share-8ZIIzU
Alcudia – BelleVue Club: http://www.booking.com/Share-kEaYUz
El Arenal – Hotel El Teide: http://www.booking.com/Share-hsGoTQ
What to do & see
Keep in mind, the island is far too big to explore on foot or with bicycles so if you have an international drivers license, it’s best to rent a car and opt for an exciting Mallorca road trip!
Rest assured that by following this 4 days itinerary, your Mallorca road trip will be one that you’ll never forget. Each day will be packed with some of the best attractions and with a car, you’ll be able to get there a lot easier.
1st day itinerary:
• Explore Palma, the capital city of Mallorca. Many of the attractions are just walking distance away but you’ll want to bring your car for some of the attractions later in the day. I also would suggest to stay one night in Palma.
Must visit places in Palma:
Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma. It’s one of the most popular attractions in all of Mallorca, so there’s no better place to start your trip than here. Check out the beautiful windows – there are 61 stain-glassed windows on the cathedral in total!
Royal Palace of la Almudaina. The palace was built in the 14th century and it serves as the official residence for the royals when visiting Mallorca ever since then.
Plaza Major. This square is always busy with people, and it’s lined with great shops and restaurants so even if you’re not hungry, it’s an awesome place to just people watch.
Port of Palma de Mallorca. This is one of the biggest ports in the area and is incredibly scenic and beautiful! At the port, take the time to take in the breath-taking views and watch some of the boats come in and out.
2 nd day itinerary:
Playa de Cala Pi. It is a picture perfect beach on the south coast of Mallorca, with golden sand and turquoise water glistening between two rocky cliffs. The views from the top are just breath-taking! One of my favourite beaches in Mallorca.
Es Trenc beach. Another gorgeous beach with fine white sand and turquoise waters, you’ll truly feel like as if you were laying on a beach in the Caribbean!
Since it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Mallorca, it usually gets super busy later in the day so that’s why it’s a good idea to visit early in the morning.
Es Caragol beach. It is a virgin beach located 2 kilometres from Faro de Ses Salines, in Santanyí, south of Mallorca. Playa del Caracol, as it is also called, is very well known and visited, but it is usually a very peaceful beach with crystal clear and calm waters which attracts naturalists and nudists.
3rd day itinerary:
Calo des Moro beach. An incredibly beautiful beach situated deep inside a bay with sheer cliffs. It is located 6 kilometres from Santanyi in the southeast corner of Mallorca. The beach can be a bit difficult to find. The residents put up signs saying that the road is private, but it is possible to drive all the way to the beach. However, it still requires some walk from parking place.
Cala Mondrago is a small beach situated within Mondrago National Park in the south east corner of Mallorca. The beach has been protected from development and is considered to be one of Mallorca’s most beautiful areas with its sand dunes, pine forests, beautiful coastline and rocky coves.
Cala s’Amarador. Another amazing beach situated in Mondrago National Park, It is the largest cove in the natural park with 150 m in length and up to 45 m in width. It is a beach of fine white sand and waters of a luminous clear blue.
Cala d’Or is a village and a popular beach area located on the southeast coast of Mallorca. Most well known for its striking coastlines and its gorgeous beaches, such as Cala d’Or beach, Cala Gran or Cala Petita. In addition to the beaches, you can also find a beautiful marina and the Cala d’Or Yacht Club, most of which is open to the public.
Cala Esmeralda is a small beach of sand and rocks located in the tourist center of Cala d’Or. The traditional name is Caló des Corral, but it was renamed the more commercial name of Cala Esmeralda due to the greenish tone that its waters acquire when it illuminates them in the sun.
I would suggest to stay in one of the many hotels you have in this area, so you can visit all beaches I have mentioned in 2nd and 3rd day itineraries.
4th day itinerary:
Head directly to Alcudia town. Explore its beautiful historical old town and gorgeous beaches around. THe beaches in Alcudia is considered one of the best in Spain, because of its fine and white sand and turquoise water.
Alcúdia also has a lot to offer for those interested in sports: the town is a perfect starting point for hiking and mountain bike tours in the surrounding mountains. Every kind of aquatic sport can of course be practiced at Port d’Alcúdia, which is situated at only one kilometre from the old town.
Puerto Pollensa. It is very similar to Alcudia Bay, but it’s around 1.5 km long. You will for sure find your space in the sand to enjoy the beautiful beach. Even though it’s smaller than the Alcudia beach, the town is also less crowded.
The water is totally clean and turquoise and the beach has fine and white sand. The views from the beach are really pretty.
Formentor beach. This small beach is one of the most beautiful and popular ones in Mallorca.
The views are amazing. The water is clean and turquoise and it has a really beautiful clean colour. It can get a little busy in summer, because everyone wants to visit it. It’s about one kilometre long and there is a pine forest which means that the trees provide a little bit of shade in the hot summer days.
On your way to Formentor beach you will pass the Es Colomer viewpoint. Don´t miss to stop here and enjoy those incredible views. At 200m high, this Mallorcan viewpoint offers visitors a truly unforgettable view; a memory you’ll definitely want to capture in photos. The perfect combination of the different shades of blue in the water and the sun against a deep blue sky make this viewpoint a must-see if you come to visit Mallorca.
Cala Torta. The road to Cala Torta is clearly marked, but you should prepare for the last few kilometres on a poor, unpaved road. However, the beach is well worth the trip. This is a magnificent natural beach surrounded by wild nature and hills.
Final thoughts.
Now you know exactly how to spend 4 days in Mallorca!
Mallorca is utterly beautiful and it’s so much more than just a simple beach destination. I hope you liked this road trip itinerary and you will be able to see all the best of Mallorca in 4 days by following this itinerary.
I you will have any questions, don´t hesitate to ask me! 😉
For more Spain travel inspiration check my posts here: https://travelwithanny.com/category/destinations/spain/
Your sincerely,
Anny