Things To Do

Palma

The narrow alleys around the Plaza Mayor are lined with small boutiques and shops, while Palma's high streets, Avenida Jaime III and Paseo del Borne, offer the elegant labels of the fashion world. Culture abounds, with numerous galleries having opened during the past few years, and museums Es Baluard and Palau March offer diverse exhibitions and classical music concerts throughout the year. The quarters of El Terreno, Santa Catalina and La Lonja, as well as the bustling Paseo Marítimo on Palma's seafront, are thriving with an abundance of new restaurants and bars, making them popular areas with the party crowd. The music bars offer live entertainment from rock and Cuban sounds to flamenco and young Spanish bands, and stay lively until the early morning hours. The city vibrates with energy.

A Beginner's Guide to Mallorca

Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca

The monumental Catedral de Mallorca (La Seu) overlooks the Old Harbor. Splendid stained-glass windows including several rose windows (the largest dates from 1370) illuminate the sanctuary with an ethereal glow. Much of the interior was remodeled by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in the early 20th century. You may visit the cathedral Monday through Saturday. Admission requires a ticket and includes an audio guide. We highly recommend getting a ticket and seeing it inside, especially if you didn't go to Barcelona to see La Sagrada Familia. Guided tours are available on Saturdays.

Castell de Bellver

A surprising 14th-century fortress, the Castillo de Bellver is found on a hilltop three kilometers from the historic center of Palma de Mallorca. The castle's unusual circular plan was influenced by Eastern architecture. The castle is open daily, year-round and has a history museum.

Deià

The small coastal village of Deià, on the northwest coast of Mallorca, about a 40 minute drive or bus from Palma, is one of the most picturesque villages on the island. Perched in a ravine at the foot of the Teix mountain, with views out to the Mediterranean below, Deià is a must see in Mallorca. There are a few interesting small boutiques, galleries and shops in the village, and plenty of places to eat and drink. The town is well known for its cuisine and boasts several top restaurants: Es Racó d'es Teix, a gastronomic restaurant with an outdoor patio overlooking the Tramuntana Mountains; the award-winning El Olivo restaurant in the dreamy five-star Belmond La Residencia hotel; and the Restaurante Sebastian, which serves seasonal cuisine in a romantic dining room or on a garden terrace shaded by olive and lemon trees. A 20-minute stroll from the village takes you down to Cala Deià – a small rocky cove with a shingle beach, and beach restaurants known for their fish.

Valldemossa

A village steeped in old-world charm, Valldemossa lies in an idyllic valley in the midst of the Tramuntana mountain range, only around 15-20 minutes' drive from Palma. Visit for amazing views of the mountain valleys, unique boutiques and cafes (in Plaza Ramon Llull), and walks through cobbled pedestrian streets, narrow alleyways and old stone buildings. Make sure to visit Valldemossa’s Real Cartuja (Royal Carthusian monastery). Below the hilltop town is a lovely harbor, the Port de Valldemossa, which still feels like a little fishing village. If you like seafood, you will enjoy sampling the specialties at local restaurants.

Santanyí

One of the biggest draws to Santanyí is the biweekly market (Weds/Sat), also known as Mercat Setmanal Santanyí. The streets are full of vendors selling various produce, goods, and more. Nearby are beaches Cala Llombards, Cala Santanyi, Cala s'Almunia, Cala Figuera, and Playa de S'Amarador.

Sóller

From the capital of Palma de Mallorca, there’s a wonderful narrow-gauge train that goes to the town of Soller. The train has been trundling through the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range since 1912 and takes about an hour with beautiful scenery the whole way. Soller is a lovely small village in the countryside centered around the main square, the Plaza de la Constitucion. From Soller, you can hop aboard an open-air streetcar that rumbles the few miles out to the fishing village of Port Soller.

Bodega Ribas

There are many wineries on the island with opportunities for wine tasting! The oldest winery on the island is the family-owned Bodega Ribas winery (established in 1711), located in the village of Consell (about 22 minute drive from Palma). Other recommended Mallorca wineries include Bodegas Macia Batle and the boutique Bodega Ramanya.

Cala Figuera

Cala Figuera, about a 45 minutes drive from Palma, is the quintessential fishing village, with a laid-back charm. Walk the narrow path around the deep inset harbor while taking in the white-painted houses clinging to hills lining the harbor.

Caló del Moro

One of the most beautiful beaches on the island, Calo del Moro, is a tiny stretch of white sand bordered by steep cliffs with incredibly turquoise waters. It’s a bit tricky to reach though, as you have to walk down a very steep path. Note that this is a natural beach – there are no restaurants or facilities. So bring drinking water and whatever else you need to be comfortable.

Torrent de Cala Pi

Cala Pi is a picture perfect beach on the south coast of Mallorca, with golden sand and turquoise water glistening between two rocky cliffs. The beach is narrow at about 50 metres wide, but stretches over 100 metres inland with golden sand. Cala Pi is about a 35 minute drive from Palma and has close street parking.

Serra de Tramuntana

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Serra de Tramuntana ("mountains of the north wind") are located on Mallorca's northern coast and offer travelers the chance to hike, cycle or drive through a landscape of deep gorges, jaw-dropping cliffs and the highest peak in Mallorca, Puig Major, while taking in the beautiful lemon and orange groves, olive orchards and awe-inspiring coastal views.

Restaurant Botànic

Our absolute most favorite restaurant on the island. The clean-eating organic restaurant by chef Andrés Benítez (formerly of Michelin-starred Bou). An ode to Mallorca’s horticultural wonders, it places the tomato centre stage. Dishes are religiously served on artisanal ceramics strewn with petals, either inside or in the lantern-strung walled garden. Benítez reinvents and recalibrates traditional dishes for a perfect nutritional score, while at the same time performing alchemical transformations: a simple concoction of Mallorcan burrata, pesto and cherry tomatoes is magically turned into a herby comfort-food elixir with the texture and colour of persimmon. Meanwhile Italian sommelier Emiliano Mei, a former food critic, plays doctor and ‘psychologist’, individually prescribing sulphate-free wines like sparkling health tonics. The most zestful restaurant in Palma.

Fera Palma Restaurant

The vaulted space, hung with grey and chestnut canvases designed by Sheela Levy (wife of Swiss entrepreneur Ivan), is a buzzing backdrop for the ingeniousness of island-based Austrian chef Simon Petutschnig whose MediterrAsian creations were honed at Quadrat restaurant at Hotel Sant Francesc, The Lab pop-up and The Kitchen. His ‘Sea in a Shell’, a ceramic shore of oysters, Japanese yuzu and island plankton, lets off steam when hot water is added, as if emitting ocean spray. Other dishes include Mallorcan sucking-pig dim sum and sea bass with fennel, orange and miso hollandaise, their thrill complemented by the waiters’ knowledge and reverence for their ingredients. Tasting menus start at £45 and can be paired with more than 60 wines. A Michelin star surely awaits.

Bar Nicolás

Great bar and lovely people watching spot to enjoy nibbles for pre/post dinner cocktails.

Santal

Great espresso bar/breakfast spot just around the corner from the Hotel (HM Palma Blanc).

Bar Abaco

Opulent bar in an airy, perennial mansion offering cocktails, coffee, wine & sweet treats.