Mallorca Travel Guide: Things to Do on a Budget for (First-Time Visitors)

Mallorca is a destination filled with picturesque views tucked away in hills, stunning beaches, historic towns, and rich cultural history.

Located on the Balearic Islands of Spain, Mallorca is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Europe. For many visitors, ourselves included, this island is one of the highlights of “must-visit” places in Spain.

The beautiful landscapes, the charming villages, and the winding and spectacular roads create a magical destination.

With so much to see and do on this wonderful island, planning a trip to Mallorca can feel confusing and overwhelming to a first-time visitor.

From figuring out when to visit to how many days you need in Mallorca, where to stay, creating a long list of must-see attractions, and whether you need to hire a car or not, it can feel like a daunting task to figure out how to plan the best Mallorca travel itinerary.

But don’t panic! After spending almost 10 days exploring the island on a budget, I’ve discovered the top affordable attractions, stunning beaches, and hidden gems worth your time.

In this post, I’ll guide you through some of the essential things you need to know before you go, from the best time to visit and must-see places to budget-friendly Mallorca travel tips to help you save money without missing out.

Hopefully, by the time you finish reading this guide, you will be ready to prepare for your first trip to Mallorca.

Let’s begin!

General Overview of Mallorca & this Guide

Mallorca is the biggest of the Balearic Islands of Spain. The well-known island of Ibiza, which is a part of Spain’s Balearic Islands, is also not far from the island of Mallorca.

It’s no secret that Mallorca’s stunning beaches and picturesque landscapes draw a lot of tourists. Because of this, this Spanish island has become the most famous place in Europe for tourists to visit.

That also means it is expensive to visit. This does not mean that you cannot visit and enjoy yourself without going over your budget.

This Mallorca travel guide is perfect for first-time solo travellers, couples, or adult-only family visitors to Mallorca.

How many days in Mallorca is enough on your first visit?

To be honest, you can spend as many days as you want.

The island of Mallorca is not as small as you might think. This is something that I think most first-time visitors don’t know.

If you just want to drive through Mallorca and see a few of its most interesting spots, you will need two to three days.

Still, I think you need at least a week to see everything on the island, no matter when you go.

I feel this is especially essential for visitors from outside of Europe. But four days would also be enough for people like me who live in Europe to see at least some of the most important places.

For example, we had eight days to see everything, but we still missed some things, which I’d love to see and do on our future Mallorca trip.

PRO TIP: Cities and towns are a long way apart. It could take you two to three hours to get from one city to another, like Palma to Deia. It can be tiring to drive long distances every day. Unlike other European cities, you can't visit multiple towns in a day. Consider that when deciding how long to stay on the island.

Best Time to Visit Mallorca?

If you are planning a trip to Mallorca to go beach hopping, June through August is the best time to visit Mallorca.

In spring (March to May), you can expect pleasant weather and fewer crowds, and depending on the year, you can even expect proper summer weather, as Spain overall is known to have the best weather in Europe.

Now, for transparency, I’ve not visited Mallorca in the peak tourist season (June to August) yet.

Based on what I researched when preparing our first visit to Mallorca, the peak seasons are usually busy, like many Spanish summer destinations.

The earliest I recommend planning a summer trip is late May to early June or in autumn (September to November).

Visiting around autumn is also a great balance between weather, price, and crowds. You can still visit Mallorca in winter (December to February), which is when we visited, but you might be limited in hopping on beaches.

You may also love my Mallorca Travel Guide Video below from our winter trip.

However, if you’re visiting Mallorca to go hiking, then the winter season can be ideal and also perfect for exploring towns with hardly any crowds. Lastly, it’s much more affordable to visit Mallorca in winter.

We visited Mallorca once, in late December, through into early January. On our visit, which lasted 8 days, we had a windy day and clouds on the others.

Thankfully, it never rained, not even once. On some days, we had sunshine all day, which made exploring charming villages super pleasant.

I’m certain we would love to visit Mallorca in late April or early May, when the weather is pleasant and warm enough to go beach hopping.

How to get to Mallorca

There are only two ways to get to Mallorca: by boat or by air.

One of the fastest and easiest ways to get to Mallorca is by plane. Every day, many foreign flights land at Palma de Mallorca Airport.

To get to Palma de Mallorca from places other than Europe, there are direct flights from North America, such as the US and Canada.

If you are travelling from a big city in Europe to Mallorca, I recommend that you book your flight early to save money.

If you wait until the last minute to book your flight, it may cost a lot. There are direct flights to the island from northwest Europe.

I recall how expensive flights from London on budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet are when we were organising our trip to Mallorca. We were looking two or three months ahead of time, by the way.

It was a surprise that Jet2holidays had the lowest prices. Since Mallorca is one of their main hubs, we booked with them.

Another cheap travel tip for Mallorca is to check out Jet2holiday if you want to get inexpensive flights. These airlines aren’t usually cheap, but every once in a while, they have big sales.

You could also try to find cheap flights to Barcelona or Valencia and then take a different trip to Mallorca.

Taking a boat is a cheap way to get to Mallorca. Mallorca can be reached by ferry from other islands like Ibiza or from places on the Spanish mainland like Barcelona and Valencia.

How to Get Around in Mallorca?

In my opinion, the easiest way to get around Mallorca is by car.

Renting a car gives you the freedom to explore charming towns, drive along some of the most scenic roads, and access beaches and hard-to-reach attractions more comfortably than by public transport.

I believe you can find buses in Palma De Mallorca, the main city of the island. Unfortunately, we did not use any during our trip, so I can’t offer much advice on bus usage.

However, from what I observed, there were not many buses that I recall seeing while we drove around.

Therefore, I suggest doing a bit more research on how to navigate using buses. Also, keep in mind that your bus options may be limited based on the location of your accommodation.

Once you get to Mallorca, make sure you plan how to get around using the local transport upon arrival.

We hired a car rental through Wiber, a private car rental service. You don’t pick up the car at the airport with Wiber, though. Their pickup is near the airport.

From the airport, Wiber does offer free shuttles that will take you to your rental car pickup spot.

Unfortunately, our experience was initially a little stressful. We couldn’t locate the shuttle pickup spot from the airport even though we followed the instructions given when we rented the car online.

So we took a taxi for £15 for a 10-minute drive, which sucked.

They did, however, offer us a free ride back to the airport after we returned the car. For that reason, I would still recommend Wiber because their cars are newer, faster, and cheaper than most airport car rentals.

Where to Stay in Mallorca?

To be honest, accommodations on Mallorca Island are not particularly cheap.

So, keep in mind that when you’re figuring out where to stay in Mallorca, you may have limited options for budget accommodation overall.

But I don’t mean to imply that it’s impossible to find affordable places to stay in Mallorca. You may have to do a bit more thorough research before you find one that fits your budget.

For example, we travelled to Mallorca with Alex’s parents during the off-peak season (winter months).

But I wouldn’t say that our accommodation was super cheap, but it was affordable for “Mallorca” as an expensive destination.

Ultimately, where you stay on your first visit to Mallorca depends on your travel preferences and budget.

In my opinion, renting a car will also have a huge influence on where you stay, and without one, you’ll have limited options, especially if you’re travelling on a budget.

Budget-Friendly Stay in Mallorca

We stayed at a reasonably priced place in the Can Pastilla area, not far from the Aquarium of Palma and only 200 metres from both Playa de Palma and Can Pastilla beaches.

It was lovely, had a balcony with a view of the sea, and wasn’t too expensive—for a week in Mallorca.

One thing we didn’t like was how noisy it was at night because it was right next to the main road across the beach.

After a day or two, we were fine, and it didn’t cost us more than £1K. There were lots of stores and restaurants nearby, and getting around was quick and easy.

Tips on Driving Around in Mallorca

If you want to see more of the island than just the common tourist spots, you should rent a car.

It’s highly recommended, and I agree that having a car gave us flexibility and convenience while discovering hidden gems along scenic drives.

It gave us a relaxed holiday vibe because we didn’t have to worry about missing a bus or train to see or do something. Everything was done at our own pace.

After renting a car and driving around for a day or two, you’ll quickly understand why renting a car is popular in Mallorca—it’s the best way for both locals and tourists to get around.

There are also a lot of underground parking lots, mostly in Palma City. There are public parking lots almost everywhere else on the island, even in villages.

You can park for just €2 to €3 for two hours, which is also affordable. As someone who used to live in London, I thought that was nothing compared to the ridiculous £5 charge to drop someone off at the airport in London.

PRO TIP: As long as you have a rental car, the best place to stay is in Palma city or close by. The city has a lively Spanish atmosphere and more restaurants, attractions, and activities than anywhere else on the island. It's also the closest to the airport. So explore it on your last day or two before leaving the island and save your holiday energy for beautiful places you don't want to miss.

Top Things to Do in Mallorca on a Budget

Honestly, how you see Mallorca’s most interesting sights and towns will depend on how long you stay and whether you rent a car.

As I already said, the island isn’t small, and believe it or not, it’s a long way between towns and villages. Here are my suggestions for the best places to see in Mallorca to help you plan your trip well and make the most of it.

Palma, which is the capital of Mallorca, is where most tourists start their first day. This was not the case for us, though, because we stayed pretty close to Palma—in fact, it only took us 10 to 15 minutes by car to get to the centre of Palma. So where we began didn’t matter.

Visit Port De Soller

Explore Port de Soller harbour to start your trip. We started our adventures here. Port de Soller is on the northwest coast of the island of Mallorca. It offers breathtaking views of the azure water in a mountainous backdrop.

There are sailboats, cafes, gelato shops, shops, and beach clubs along the waterfront, which we enjoyed exploring.

By the way, this is where the trans-Soller line ends. You can ride the historic tram that runs between Port de Soller and Soller town. The ride goes through beautiful scenery.

We didn’t stay long, though, because that day we had more places to see. We also didn’t need to take the train because we had our car and were already going to Soller.

Explore Soller

The charming town of Soller is only a short tram ride from Port de Soller. Explore its narrow cobblestone streets with boutique shops and cafes to admire its well-preserved architecture.

If you want to eat there, just make sure you call ahead of time. I don’t know if this is because we went in the winter, but most of the restaurants were either fully booked or closed.

Quick Tip: Take the time to find out which towns or villages are close to each other when you are planning your Mallorca Travel Guide Activities. This is important so you can plan day trips around it. A route that goes to Soller but skips Port de Soller and then to Deia on the same day is not what you want.

Explore Palma de Mallorca (Main city)

A great mix of history, culture, and lively nightlife can be found in Palma City. Here are some of the best things to see and do in the city:

Visit the Charming village of Valldemossa

Valldemossa is one of the most beautiful villages in Mallorca, and it’s only a short drive from Palma de Mallorca.

I thought I was going to have an “Instagram vs. reality” moment, but I was pleasantly surprised by how cute and beautiful this village is in real life.

Explore its narrow cobblestone streets lined with pretty flower pots and cute shops that sell crafts and goods made in the area.

Everyone visiting Mallorca must see this village. I don’t know how busy it is in the summer, but when we were there, it was so quiet and not crowded at all.

It was like stepping into a magical world. You can also enjoy tasty local food in one of the cosy cafes or restaurants while taking in the beautiful scenery.

Explore Deia

I remember thinking Deia was the most beautiful Mallorcan village when I was researching village visits. After seeing both, though, Valldemossa is my favourite.

I also liked Deia’s unique landscapes. The village of Deia is a magical place with stunning views, just a 10-minute drive from Valldemossa. It is tucked away in the beautiful Tramuntana Mountains.

Walk leisurely through its charming streets, lined with stone houses decorated with flowers. As a downside, most of the restaurants in this village will be closed during the winter.

Unlike Valldemossa, where restaurants were open and we had coffee and treats at a cafe, sadly for Deia, this turned us off.

Don’t miss Cala Deia, though, a beautiful pebble beach surrounded by rocky cliffs. It’s a great place to relax, even in the winter. We loved watching the sunset from the beach.

Must-Not-Miss Experience in Mallorca

Visit the Drach Caves

These caves are the most amazing ones I’ve seen so far! It is located in Porto Cristo, which is a bit of a drive from Palma, but the trip was well worth it.

You will embark on an underground adventure through the famous Drach Caves. These mysterious limestone caves are like nothing else on Earth.

You can have an amazing time in these mysterious limestone caves that are unlike anything else.

The part where we sat in what looked like an arena to watch the classical music performance along the riverbank was my favourite. The show began on a boat, with the lights turned off.

It was lovely and soothing to watch. No filming or taking pictures during the performance is allowed, but you can before and after. Our cave exit included an optional free boat ride. I highly recommend it!

Day Trips I'd Recommend in Porto Cristo ⤵️

Go Beach hopping on the Best Beaches of Mallorca (FREE)

Beautiful beaches and clear blue water are what Mallorca is known for. There are more than 200 lovely beaches on the island, so it can be hard to choose the best one.

We went to the island at a time when it wasn’t convenient to be at the beach, but we still had a lot of beaches we wanted to see. We did see some of them, but not all of them.

These, along with the others on our list, were the most beautiful options we saw. I hope your trip takes you to all of them. Don’t worry if you don’t see them all—you can always return. I hope to visit Mallorca soon.

Sa Calobra

In a quiet spot on the western coast of Mallorca, you’ll find Sa Calobra, a cute group of two beaches separated by a river gauge.

Pick which of the two sets of beaches you want to see. We only saw the Torrent de Pareis because we got there a little late.

Take a drive around some of Mallorca’s scenic roads (MA-10). The road to Sa Calobra is tricky as it goes through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, which is already a thrilling journey.

Nevertheless, seeing one of the most stunning and twisting roads in the world made the journey worthwhile.

Cala Llombards

Cala Llombards is a popular beach on the southeast coast of Mallorca, close to the village of Santanyí.

It can get crowded in the summer, but we went during the off-season and had the whole place to ourselves. It gives people a beautiful piece of paradise to enjoy.

This tiny beach is tucked between two rocky cliffs that protect it from strong winds and make it feel cosy. It’s great for families with kids because the water is shallow and clear.

Calo Des Moro

Caló des Moro is 15–20 minutes from Cala Llombards. Caló des Moro is a stunning, undiscovered gem that will leave you in awe. It’s a small beach, but the water is clear and great for swimming.

I enjoyed visiting Mallorca during the off-season because of how serene it was to be surrounded by cliffs that were covered in beautiful greenery.

PRO TIP: I'd suggest you visit the Drach coves and Caló des Moro and Cala Llombards on the same day. They are all on the southeast coast of the island. You'll also save time this way.

Cala Deia

Cala Deià is a beautiful beach that is right below the cute village of Deià. High cliffs surround this paradise, which offers a calming atmosphere.

The fastest and easiest way to get here is by car on a narrow road. There are two places to park at the bottom, right before you reach the beach.

Use the visitor parking lot, not the resident one. If you take a taxi, make sure you arrange a pick-up time, preferably with the same taxi, or don’t expect it to come down.

This beach doesn’t have any sand at all, like most of the beaches in Mallorca. But the water is clean and the views are beautiful, making it a great spot to watch the sun go down.

There also looked to be restaurants nearby, but most of them were closed again. In the off-season, this looked like a big issue. But I think you could enjoy tasty seafood from the area while taking in the view in the summer.

Below are other beautiful beaches recommended by many travellers that we would love to see the next time we visit Mallorca.

Note that calas are small, sheltered bays or inlets with clear waters and rocky shores. This is why most of the beaches in Mallorca are called cala.

What to Know About Eating in Mallorca in Winter

If you are planning your first visit to Mallorca during the winter period, be prepared to be a little disappointed.

When we were planning our trip, I remember listing down several wonderful restaurants we had found, and we were excited to try them out.

Unfortunately, most places we had on our Mallorca itinerary were either closed or permanently closed.

This was the only big letdown of our trip. But we did find some that were open, and I think they are worth checking out in case you also visit in winter:

TIP: Note that Google Maps currently shows this location as temporarily closed, but it's not. The restaurant was open when we were there not long ago.

Quick Disclaimer: Most of the restaurants I've suggested are only in Palma and Can Pastilla, as you may have noticed. We chose these spots because they were close to where we stayed and had many food options. This is because off-season Mallorca visitors are fewer. Many restaurants outside Palma closed early or closed completely. Our trip's only drawback was this. I recommend researching this to avoid disappointment.

Conclusion

The quiet charm of Mallorca was a big hit with me, but our time there was too brief to fully appreciate it.

But as I mentioned in my guide, we will undoubtedly go back to Mallorca in a different season to see what it has to offer. Overall, it was an enjoyable first-time visit.

I hope this guide to travelling in Mallorca is useful for you.

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