3 Exciting Day Trips From Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Planning a trip to Palma de Mallorca? Woo-hoo! But let me tell you one thing: PLEASE, please consider exploring at least a bit of the rest of the island too; it would be such a shame not to! In case you’re looking for some exciting day trips from Palma de Mallorca, I got you!

When we visited Mallorca, we stayed in Palma. It made sense, as there was so much to see and do in the city. However, our favourite days were the ones we spent exploring the rest of the island. There are SO many beautiful towns to be explored and stunning beaches to see that made our trip to Mallorca feel complete. Below you’ll find the itineraries of my 3 favourite Palma de Mallorca day trips that we did on our trip and we really enjoyed ourselves.

NOTE: These day trips are a drive away, so you’ll need to take a bus, taxi or rent a car. Taking public transport around the island can seem a bit tricky, so I wholeheartedly recommend renting a car if you can. You can check for the up-to-date rates and available cars right here.

NOTE #2: Please remember to bring cash with you, as there will be restaurants that don’t accept card and all parking must be paid in cash.

1 – Formentor and around

Going to Formentor means doing a day trip to the Northern part of Mallorca, which will offer you the opportunity to take a quick tour around the island. It will also take you to some of the nicest beaches and little towns in Mallorca. The shoter driving time gives you enough time to slowly explore each place and enjoy the day to the maximum.

• TOTAL DRIVING TIME: 2h30m-3h
• PRICE: 40-80€/pp
• DIFFICULTY: Easy. The roads are easy to drive and safe
• STOPS:  Pollença, Platja de Formentor, Cap de Formentor and Port de Pollença (if you choose to)

WHERE TO EAT

• Lunch option: Celler es Moli does €12 amazing menus del dia that include bread and olives, water or a bottle of red or white wine, a typical Mallorcan dish and dessert.
• Dinner option #1: La Llonja (€€€€) – This fancy seafood restaurant has one of the best locations in town and provides a great meal with an amazing view over the Port of Pollença.
• Dinner option #2: Ca’N Josep (€€) – A less expensive option that does not sacrifice quality. The menus del dia are incredible, providing a really strong seafood meal at an affordable rate.

ITINERARY, TIPS AND WHAT TO EXPECT

1. I recommend you leave Palma in the morning, after having breakfast in town.
2. Drive to Pollença and explore this historical hotspot. This town will keep you busy for a few hours, as there are so many little roads to walk with boutique shops and places to eat and drink to explore. Have lunch in Pollença (I recommended some places above) and then move on to your next stop.
3. Drive up to Playa de Formentor. Spend some time on this beautiful beach with a view over the mountains spread across the horizon. Don’t spend too long though, you want to get moving to the next spot before sunset!
4. Drive up to Cap de Formentor for sunset. Important to note that you can only drive there before 9 AM and after 7 PM during high season, otherwise they won’t let you pass. Enjoy the sunset in the most beautiful place in Mallorca!
5. At this point, you can choose to go back to Palma or go for dinner in one of the amazing specialized seafood restaurants of Port de Pollença. 

RELATED READ: 12 Most Beautiful Resorts, Cities and Villages in Mallorca, Spain

2 – Sa Calobra and around

Going to Sa Calobra means doing a quick run through some picturesque little towns and the high hills of Mallorca, showcasing the most beautiful landscapes you’ll see on this island in just one trip. I’m not kidding, this day trip will show you some of the most famous places on the island! 

• TOTAL DRIVING TIME: 3h20m-3h40m
• PRICE: 40-80€/pp
• DIFFICULTY: Hard. The roads are quite hard to drive, and less-experienced drivers will struggle going down the twisting roads down the mountains leading to Sa Calobra. But it’s definitely doable!
• STOPS: Valldemossa, Deià, Sa Calobra and Fornalutx (if you choose to)

WHERE TO EAT

S’Hortet – This lovely healthy food restaurant in a corner of Deià is an amazing place for breakfast, brunch or lunch, as you sit in the nice and fresh backyard garden. They have food options for vegetarian and gluten-free.

ITINERARY, TIPS AND WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Drive to Valldemossa, one of the prettiest towns and most touristy destinations in Mallorca. I recommend you visit quite early so you can enjoy the town almost to yourself. You don’t need very long to catch the feeling of Valldemossa and move on with your trip. 
2. Next, drive to Deià. This cute little town in the hills is a lovely place to explore on foot, as you walk through the steps and alleyways of the Tramuntana Mountains. Enjoy 1h – 1h30m in this beautiful town and then move onwards with your trip. 
3. Make sure to buy some snacks before moving on to Sa Calobra. The drive is long and eating in this half-deserted place is not as easy or as enjoyable as it sounds, so I recommend you get something to eat on the go. 
4. Enjoy the beautiful popular beach of Sa Calobra for a few hours. After you’re done (or it gets dark), move on to your next stop or to Fornalutx, if you’re still up to visit another little town. Fornalutx is known for being a mix of a dreamy medieval village and for its local and authentic feeling of Mallorcan culture. Stopping here will only add 20 minutes to your drive home, unless you choose to stay for dinner. 

RELATED READ: Things to Do in Palma – Ultimate Guide to The City

3. Beach hopping around the island

This is an easy tour across some easy-going beaches found in the East of Mallorca. This day trip features an enjoyable and easy drive and a relaxed day at some of the most remote beaches on the island.

• TOTAL DRIVING TIME:  2h30m-3h
• PRICE: 30-80€/pp
• DIFFICULTY:  Easy. The roads are easy to drive and safe.
• STOPS: Cala Pi, Calo Des Moro, Cala Llombards and S’Amarador (if you choose to)

WHERE TO EAT

La Torre (Bar) is one of the best restaurants in town for a delicious, quick and cheap meal. 

ITINERARY, TIPS AND WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Drive to Cala Pi. This is one of the dreamiest beaches in Mallorca so make sure to enjoy some time here. I recommend you move on with your trip at least one hour before your ideal lunchtime to give yourself enough time at your next stops.
2. Drive to Calo Des Moro. This beach is the most famous beach in the whole of Mallorca and for such, it will probably be more crowded than other places. Regardless of that, this is one of the most beautiful beaches in Mallorca, so you don’t want to miss it!
3. Time for lunch at La Torre at Calla Lombards (recommendation above).
4. After lunch, move on to the actual Calla Lombards  for some more beach time.
5. After Calla Lombards you can choose to either head back to Palma or stop by and visit Praia S’Amarador as well, as it only adds about 20m to your drive home. This beach is located in the natural park of Mondragó and is an absolute beauty!

RELATED READ: 10 Best Beaches in Mallorca, Spain

BONUS: Organised day trips from Palma de Mallorca

All three day trips above are self-organised and we did them all ourselves, so I can totally vouch for the experience.

BUT! If you cannot rent a car or don’t want to do it all by yourself, worry not, as I have a simple solution for you: booking an organised day trip! These day trips are organised by local guides that will take care of the transportation and the itinerary/activities for you. These are usually done as private tours or in small groups – both are equally charming. Plus, another huge benefit is that you won’t have to drive or worry about arranging transportation yourself!

Here are the best organised day trips from Palma I have found for you. All of them have pick-up from Palma available:

• Mallorca: Scenic Island Tour from the South – Looking for some Palma de Mallorca boat trips? Heh, get ready! This scenic tour offers a complete experience by bus, tram, train and boat. You’ll be going to Lluc, a charming town in Mallorca, you’ll ride the famous Tren de Soller and you’ll also be exploring Sa Calobra Cove by catamaran.
• Mallorca: Off-Road Quad Biking, Snorkeling & Cliff Jumping – up for an adventure? During this tour, you’ll be exploring the area around Palma by quad bike. You can also cliff jump, snorkel and swim – how awesome is that?
• The Caves of Drach Full or Half-Day – The Caves of Drach on the East coast of Mallorca are a famous attraction that’s worth visiting if you have the time. There’s also an underground lake to be explored there with a live concert included.
• Mallorca: Soller Port and Valldemossa – During this tour, you’ll go to the town of Valldemossa and to Port de Soller as well. You’ll visit the main points of interest here with a knowledgeable guide.
• Mallorca Half-Day Coasteering Experience – cliff jumping, sea caving, rock scrambling and abseiling – all in one half-day tour at Alcudia/ Cala San Vicente!
• Majorca Winery Tour – if you’re a wine aficionado, this tour is definitely for you. You’ll go from Palma to the fascinating La Raixa Estate and some other wineries as well to sample some exquisite wines!

This guide is based on my honest experience driving around Mallorca and 3 of my recommended Palma de Mallorca trips. Although there are so many interesting things to do in Palma de Mallorca, it would be a real shame not to visit some other parts of the island as well such as Port de Pollença, Valldemossa, Deià, Sa Calobra, Cala Pi and more! And the best way to do this is to organise your own Palma de Mallorca day tours or to join some organised experiences. Regardless of your choice, you have ALL of our tips above to create the perfect Mallorca road trip!

In case you need more helpful tips and personal stories that will help you organise the best itinerary for your Mallorca adventure, I recommend clicking here to find all my articles about this wonderful destination.

xoxo,

Melissa

Want to know more about travelling to Mallorca?

• Check out all my Mallorca Travel Guides here.
• Need to book your flights? Head over to Skyscanner!
• Time to book your boat to get to the Islands? Head over here.
• Not get travel insurance??? Get it – it’s not a hassle you want to risk!
• Don’t forget to download my nifty Google Maps Guide for your trip to Mallorca so you don’t miss a thing!

Pin it for later!

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Want to stay in the loop? Join my exclusive mailing list, plus you’ll gain access to my ever-growing free resource library!