My Travel Guide- Mallorca

Hello everyone, 

My god Mallorca is a popular place for us Irish! I got so many messages whilst over there dying for a blog post and recommendations. I have rounded up our trip with some of the best things we found so, if you’re planning a visit you got to put these on your list.

You can tell by this blog post 4 days just wasn’t enough time to relax and explore, so I’ve already planned a trip back to tick off a final few things which I have included below!

Let’s start with the basics.

How we travelled;We flew with Aer Lingus, travelling Sunday night to Thursday night (I would flag the Thursday night flight doesn’t get in until 1.30 am Friday morning) however, it’s less expensive to book this flight. Flights were roughly €131 including carry-on luggage only (this does not include additional bags, seat bookings etc.).

As someone who travels regularly, I offset my carbon emissions. I use this site myclimate.org to do it but there is also an Irish site vita.ie that you can use too for anyone interested. When you visit the site, you go on calculate your flight (road trip or one way) and offset your emissions through a donation to a climate initiative or project. For this flight I donated to the reforestation of Nicaragua. Something to consider when booking your next holiday. 

Where we stayed;Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel in Port de Soller. Ok, don’t let the name put you off. I booked this on a whim knowing nothing about the Island or best location to stay, all I knew was that we didn’t want to stay in Palma or Malaga. This was one of the only reasonable ‘nicer’ hotels I found equipped with a lovely pool and a gym, it’s also adults only if that’s your thing. 

When I arrived into Mallorca, I’m not going to lie, I was getting slightly anxious to see what the hotel was actually going to be like, but I was pleasantly surprised. Located overlooking Port de Soller it hosts stunning views, cosy rooms with a balcony including a hammock, everything you could want in a buffet, great bar food, swimming area and not to mention free electric cars to use* (more below!)

I definitely think you get bang for your buck here in this hotel, it’s everything you could want and central so it was easy to stroll up and back to the port (disclaimer: I made that sound like an enjoyable stroll it’s more of an uphill workout but worth it and short). The hotel was €261 per night for 2 people in a double bayside room with breakfast included (bear in mind we travelled in peak season!). Check it out here.

*They have an electric car available for rent for 4-hour periods on a first come first serve basis daily. There is also an SUV for rent too. Both are free of charge and will just require your drivers license. 

The taxi trip from the airport to our hotel was approx. €60. 

Where we Hiked;

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Torre Picada

This hike starts right in Port de Soller so if you’re staying there it’s the perfect one to start with. It takes about 1 -1.20 hour and is about 5km with an elevation of 200m. The hike is mainly off road and clearly marked with “Torre” signs, which can be easily missed if you’re chatting so keep a look out. It will bring you to a stunning view out over the sea where you will see the tower and be able to get some serious Instagram shots. The tower is dated to 1614/1622 as a defensive structure against piracy as Port de Soller was a prime target is the 16^thcentury. Start point off Carrer de Puerto Rico road see here for more.

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Port de Soller to Deia /Cala Deia

This hike is not to be underestimated. I had a nice little costal walk in mind however, this goes up and down and all around so prepare to get your steps in and your heart rate elevated. The 10km route starts up by the lighthouse, so if you’re leaving from the port like us, you’ll be adding on 2-3 km.

You can start at the lighthouse also if you’re driving as there is parking available but you’re better off walking from the port because if you get the bus back it will leave you down in the port anyway. 

The walk/hike is a mix of road (for very short bursts and seemed pretty safe with room at the sides), forest paths, steppingstones, people’s gardens, and dirt tracks – it’s got all the scenery and settings in one walk.

I would recommend if you’re doing this walk to bring swim wear and take the small diversion to Cala Deia (signposted) for an epic swimming spot to cool down. From there it is a 30 mins walk up hill to Deia where you can grab some food and the bus back.

Check here for the bus times (a ticket one way cost us €1.50 and the bus was comfortable).

Taxis are not frequent or easy to get in Deia so be prepared and check the times for the bus (the first day we visited Deia we went for food in Nama and they did ring a cab for us – we got lucky! So, might be worth a shot.). 

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Where we swam; 

Cala des Moro in Santanyi

Wow, this was the most stunning swimming spot I have ever been, the water was so clear, and the beach tucked away by the cliff walls in a secure cove. If you’re heading to Mallorca, you have to go here. From Port de Soller it was about a 1 hr 30 minutes’ drive one way. I would advise getting there early, we arrived at 10.30 and within 30 minutes it was flooded with tourists so I would suggest getting there for 9am to have some peace in this beautiful place (it’s still pretty hot that early!). 

Right beside Cala des Moro is another swimming spot which is much quieter, so once you’ve visited Des Moro you can stroll over to Cala s’Almunia. You will have to wander down steep steps (when we were there trees were blocking the steps which we had to climb through) but don’t worry its completely fine once you pass the tree barriers. This isn’t advisable if you have kids as it is steep and there is no beach here. 

Note; Cala Des Moro is not easy to access as you follow a rocky path down alongside the sea and it wouldn’t be ideal for prams or small kids. 

There is a parking lot which is easy to access and is a 15-20 mins walk from both locations. 

Cala des Deia in Deia 

A 30-minute walk from Deia it’s a hot spot, there are 2 restaurants down by the cove which are perfect for grabbing a drink or some lunch and getting lost in time, like des Moro I would recommend heading early as it can get overcrowded. I think it’s a nice place for a quick dip but it’s very rocky so unless you head early and get a good spot to chill out you may be a little uncomfortable, I recommend the big rock over to the far side when you arrive it’s a great sun spot that’s flat for lying down.

Warning; there can be lots of jelly fish here so check in advance, it doesn’t stop people swimming there. There is plenty of parking if you are driving. 

There is a beach in Port de Soller that seemed very popular in particular for families. 

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Where we ate; 

Nama in Deia 

One of my favourite spots we found, we ended up taking refuge in Nama from a lightning storm and boy were we impressed. They have something on the menu for everyone and a nice mix of comforting dishes and light salads. 

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Randemar in Port de Soller

Heavily recommended by friends and on Instagram this place was such a nice spot to relax and enjoy local food. The restaurant seating is outside in the courtyard and the atmosphere is lively with a DJ on the decks (don’t worry you can still hear each other talk) and the sun shining down it’s a real holiday vibe. It’s little more up market but a nice way to end a holiday. 

Nautilus in Port de Soller

For a great view and local food. This place was right beside our hotel, so we didn’t have to walk very far. It also came highly tipped by the staff as a nice spot. It’s the most romantic setting for a dinner looking out over the sea perfectly situated to get a great sunset. 

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Note; hotel food is also great, the pool bar food was delicious (recommend the halloumi fries and loaded sweet potato fries) and the restaurant Neni is really good with a middle eastern cuisine inspired menu. It was also booked out, up to 3 days in advance so book before your visit! It’s also the perfect spot to grab a few cocktails and look out over the Port.

We were also recommended kingfisher by the locals but unfortunately it was booked out if you’re lucky enough to get table its hotly tipped. 

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We visited;

Where we visited;

Valldemossa

An old town about 45 minutes from Port de Soller which hosts some of the most magical winding cobble streets. Nice to stop off to have a wander, just make sure you go when everyone isn’t having a siesta! The bus also accommodates here too and is roughly every hour. 

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If we had more time, I would have loved to have checked out these places;

• Cala LLombards and Cala Pi
• Ecovinyasa 
• Ruta de Pedra en Sec hike
• Head to Mondrago Natural Park 
• Rent a boat 
• Pollenca
• Old Town Palma

Other tips:

• If you’re renting a car, do so a good bit in advance of travelling to ensure you don’t miss out as there is a demand! I would advise renting a small car as some of the coastal roads are narrow. There’s also an option to rent scooters too! 

• Mallorca airport is big so do give yourself enough time when travelling home – there’s plenty of shops there to keep you interested. 

• If you’re planning to chill by the pool, get there relatively early as it does fill up as that’s what most people staying in the hotel are there to do. Do look out for free events in the hotel while there, there was yoga and cooking events on during our stay. 

• Do make bookings for dinner as any good places do fill up and the majority of people have bookings. 

• Stock up on water and treats from the local shops instead of the hotel as it’s much cheaper! 

• Grab a map of the area from the hotel upon arrival and they can help you map out the best walks/hikes to do and things to see.