Sun-kissed beaches, manic nightclubs and mass tourism: just
three words which may spring to mind when Mallorca is mentioned. Whilst I’m not denying that Magalúf parties
are the best in the world, I’d like to use this article to cast the island in a
different light. I’ve put together a
list of my top 10 favourite places to visit in Mallorca.
Valldemossa
I’ll start off with my absolute favourite place on the island – Valldemossa. This picture-perfect town sprawls down a hillside in the Tramuntana mountains. Valldemossa is bigger than it looks, you can get lost for a couple of hours exploring the tangle of cute cobbled alleys. Try ‘coca de patata’ from any Valldemossa bakery; a sweet potato bread traditional to the town, but beware at mealtimes as restaurants in this part of the island are frequently overpriced.
Sa Calobra
The natural setting of Sa Calobra is spectacular. This is one of the best places to visit to
get a feel of the rugged and remote Tramuntana coastline. The journey to Sa Calobra is part of the fun
of coming here – it’s both terrifying and magnificent at the same time as the
narrow ribbon of tarmac snakes down a near-vertical mountainside from 682
meters to sea level. From Sa Calobra, it
is well-worth taking the ten minute walk around to Torrent de Pareis; this deep
and dramatic gorge really showcases Mallorca’s stunning natural beauty.
Mondragó
It’s a difficult task to narrow down my favourite Mallorcan
beach as there are so many to choose from.
However I instantly fell in love with the white sand and turquoise
waters of Mondragó. The coastline here
backed by pine woodlands and protected as a nature reserve, which prevents
overdevelopment and retains the rural charm.
This is a lovely place to swim as the waters are crystal-clear. I much preferred the beach at Mondragó to the
well-sought-after, but overhyped beaches of Es Trenc.
Santanyí
Whilst Mallorca is scattered with attractive medieval towns,
the one which stood out for me was Santanyí, nestled in the far south-eastern
corner of the island. Santanyí felt
authentically Mallorcan – I encountered few tourists whilst exploring the
town. The honey-coloured buildings have withstood
all that history has thrown at them; Santanyí has been influenced by both
Moorish and Catalan occupations. It is
best to visit on either Wednesday or Saturday which is when a bustling market
pops up and the town springs into life.
A visit to Santanyí is easily incorporated into a trip to
Mondragó or Cala Figuera.
Palma (Old Town)
It’s hard to fully understand Mallorca without visiting its exciting
capital, Palma. After all, this is where
almost half of the Mallorcan population lives!
Whilst I found the newer parts of the city to be rather hectic and
over-congested, the historic centre is fabulous. It would be easy to fill a few days exploring
Palma, but an afternoon or so should give a good snapshot of the main
sights. The city’s history is long and
varied and this is reflected in the architecture. If you see nothing else, be sure not to miss the
magnificent Palma Cathedral, the colourful and elegant Plaça Major square and
the Moorish Almudaina Palace each of which showcase a different era in the
city’s development. If you decide to
drive into the city, I’d recommend coming early in the day as parking close to
the old town can be a nightmare.
Lluc Monastery
Founded in the 13th century, Lluc monastery is a
haven for peace and tranquillity high in the Tramuntana Mountains. It is one of Mallorca’s best cultural sites
and a great place to learn about the island’s catholic heritage. Owing to its spectacular location, Lluc is
also a magnet for walkers.
Fornalutx
It is the combination of the magnificent mountain setting
and the beautiful historical streets which make the little village of Fornalutx
one of the prettiest on the island. The
village sits on a hill overlooking Sóller, tucked beneath some of the highest
peaks in Mallorca. There are no
‘must-see’ sights in Fornalutx, but it’s an absolutely beautiful place to
wander around – the place is a photography dream. Ideal when combined with a trip to Sóller or
the mountains.
Banyalbufar
The rugged natural beauty of Mallorca’s west coast took my
breath away. High mountains drop steeply
into the waves of the Mediterranean. A
great place to see this coastline is from Banyalbufar, an old village of
Moorish origin roughly half way between Andratx and Sóller. The village is surrounded by a series of
ancient agricultural terraces, some of which have been farmed for well over
1000 years. Terracing allows
shear-sloping mountainsides to flourish with crops; these farming practises
have been passed down from generation to generation and have earnt Mallorca’s
entire western coastline a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Perhaps the best view of the west coast can be seen from
Torre del Verger, a former watch tower just outside Banyalbufar (towards
Estellencs on the Ma-10).
The main draw of this coastline is the dramatic scenery;
beaches tend to be rocky and difficult to access. Those seeking sandy beaches will have more choice
in the south and east of the island.
Cala Figuera
Mallorca is crammed full of pretty fishing villages. However, my favourite has to be Cala Figuera,
a small working fishing port on the east coast.
A deep fjord-like natural harbour is lined with whitewashed
buildings. Cala Figuera is quiet; the
village is still untouched by mass-tourism.
It’s not a large place, but it’s extremely photogenic. It’s also worth mentioning that there’s no
beach in the village itself, but it’s just a short drive to the fine sandy
beaches of the Mondragó reserve (follow signs to s’Amarador). Ideal when combined with a visit to Santanyí.
Sóller
Whilst not as uniformly pretty as some other places on this
list, and by no means untouched by tourism, the twin citrus-producing towns of Sóller and Port de Sóller have managed to retain a quintessentially Mallorcan feel. The area is perhaps best known for its iconic wooden trams, dating back to 1913. The route runs for just over 3 miles and links the historic centre of Sóller with the historic centre of Port de Sóller for a return price of a rather pricey 8 EUR. Come here for the picturesque sandy beach, the numerous bars and restaurants and relaxed way-of-life.
Mallorca earns a backpackability score of 4, meaning it is mostly favourable for backpackers. For an explanation of the backpackability index, see this post.
Several budget airlines operate very cheap
flights to Palma (particularly from the UK and Germany). With stunning natural beauty, a wealth of
history, friendly and welcoming people and an abundance of sunny weather, it is
difficult to find any negatives with Mallorca.
Have you been to Mallorca? Thinking of going? Let me know your thoughts in the comments
section. Thank you for reading, I hope you'll find this useful!
Elis Griffiths. x
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