How to Visit Mallorca: Tours, Getting Around and Everything You Need to Know
The short answer
Mallorca is about 3,640 km², so where you sleep decides what you can reach. Stay in Palma and you can get on the water without a car. Book boat days in July and August before you fly, and put them early in the week so wind cannot take them from you.
The one number that decides your whole trip
Mallorca covers about 3,640 square kilometres. That is roughly five times Ibiza, and it is the fact that undoes more Mallorca itineraries than weather ever does. People book a hotel in Alcúdia because the beach looked good. Then they book a boat out of Cala Figuera because the cove looked better. Only later does it become clear that those two are ninety minutes apart by car, and the boat leaves at 10:00.
The island divides into five practical parts. Palma and its bay. The south-west resorts. The Serra de Tramuntana along the north-west. The north around Alcúdia. And the south-east coves near Santanyí. Palma is the only one of the five from which you can reach the water without a car.
Getting to the island
| Arriving by | Lands at | To central Palma | First move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane | Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) | About 8 km | The A1 bus to the Intermodal Station, a taxi, or a booked transfer |
| Ferry from the mainland | Port of Palma, or Alcúdia | Minutes, or an hour | Check which port your route uses before you book a hotel |
| Cruise ship | Estáció Marítima, Camí de l'Escullera | About 4 km | Two marinas used by these trips are a short ride away |
PMI is one of Europe's busiest airports in summer and sits about eight kilometres east of the city. The A1 bus runs into the Intermodal Station at Plaça d'Espanya, which is also where the Sóller railway starts and where the island-wide TIB coaches leave from. The published fare at the time of writing was around €5, and it is worth confirming rather than budgeting to the cent.
Do you need a hire car?
The honest answer splits three ways, and it is worth being straight about because a car is the largest optional cost of a Mallorca week.
- Staying in Palma: no. Four marinas, the cruise berth and the railway station are within reach on foot or by bus, and most of the trips here start in or beside the city.
- Staying in the north or the south-east: probably yes — unless the one trip that collects from your area happens to be the one you want. The kayaking day out of Alcúdia includes pickup from Port de Pollença, Alcúdia, Playa de Muro and Can Picafort; almost nothing else does.
- Staying in the south-west resorts: a car helps, but taxis handle the twenty-minute hops to Portals Nous and Magaluf without much pain.
The one journey worth paying for
The Palma to Sóller railway was inaugurated in 1912 and still runs its original wooden carriages on a daily timetable. It climbs through tunnels and orange terraces to reach the town. This is not a heritage attraction run at weekends. It is a working railway that happens to be well over a century old.
| Ticket | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Palma to Sóller, one way | €23 | The 1912 train, both directions of the line |
| Palma to Sóller, return | €30 | The same, there and back |
| Sóller tram | €10 per direction | Sóller down to Port de Sóller |
| Train and tram combined | €40 | Bought as one ticket from the railway |
What a day here actually costs
Very little on Mallorca charges admission. The beaches are public, the coves are free to swim in, and the Serra de Tramuntana is a working landscape with no gate. What costs money is moving, eating, and the handful of things that sell their own ticket.
- Free: Palma's old town and seafront, every public beach, the coves, the mountain roads and the GR221 walking route
- €10–40: the Sóller train and tram, on their own tickets
- Around €5: the A1 airport bus
- From $65 upwards: a guided trip, and the upper end of that range is a whole boat rather than a seat
When to come
July is the driest month of the year here, at 5 mm of rain across the whole month. August is the warmest, with an average high of 31.3 °C. Both are busy. October is the wettest month at 62 mm, and September second at 50 mm. Both still have warm water, because the sea lags the air by about two months. That trade is the most useful thing to understand about timing a trip here, and the weather page works through it month by month.
What to book before you fly
Two categories, and nothing else. Any boat day in July or August: several are flagged as likely to sell out and the small-group boats cap between eight and twelve. Anything with a 48-hour confirmation window. Four trips here confirm within 48 hours rather than instantly: the quad tour, the Valldemossa day tour, the private all-inclusive sailing and the Wonders and Wines experience. Everything else can wait until you arrive. And since every trip here refunds in full up to 24 hours before it starts, booking early costs you nothing if your plans move.
Three mistakes worth not making
- Booking a trip on the wrong coast. Check the meeting point against your hotel before you check the price.
- Leaving the boat day until the last afternoon. Wind cancels boats, and a cancellation on your final day is a refund rather than a trip. Put it early.
- Assuming the tram is included. It usually is not, and it is €10 each way.
If you are staying in the city, the Palma de Mallorca Spain tours that start within walking distance are the ones to look at first.
Every trip named here is compared on price, hours and what the fare covers at Mallorca Spain Tours.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Mallorca?
Do I need a car in Mallorca?
How much is the Sóller train?
What is the cheapest way to get on the water?
Is it worth going outside summer?
Trips that suit a first visit
Mallorca in One Day Sightseeing Tour with Boat Ride and Vintage Train
The one-day circuit that puts the coach, the 1912 train, the tram and a boat leg inside a single fare.
From $110 per person
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Luxury Catamaran Sailing in Mallorca with Tapas and Welcome Drinks
A four-hour catamaran from a marina you can walk to from Palma's old town, capped at twelve guests.
From $117 per person
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Gourmet Tapas and Wine Tour in Palma de Mallorca
A self-guided tapas route through the old town, five stops with the food and drink already paid for.
From $65 per person
Check AvailabilityGet the coast right and the rest of Mallorca is easy. Start with the map, then pick the trip that leaves nearest to where you are staying.