Mallorca is a Balearic Island located close to the coast of Spain. While most visitors associate these series of Mediterranean islands with Ibiza and partying, there is so much more to them than that!
Because of this, we were a little concerned when we saw a cheap airfare to Mallorca appear. Caleb and I, Taylor, are in our 30s and don’t want to party the night away – we want amazing meals, cocktails, romance, and discovery, you know? But, because we like Spain, we boarded the aircraft!
The “too long didn’t read” part is: after four days on the island, we were pleasantly delighted by how much we enjoyed it and can confidently declare that Mallorca is 100% worth visiting! There are so many things to do and places to explore in Mallorca, whether you are a couple that loves to lie by the beach or go climbing around gorgeous villages in the mountains!
Here are all of the reasons why we believe Mallorca should be on your list of “places to visit” as a couple!
15 Reasons Why You Should Visit Mallorca
Lovely beaches
They claim the Caribbean has the most beautiful beaches in the world, but we’d perish on the hill of “Mallorca has the best beaches” if it existed in real life.
With their white, smooth sand that doesn’t become hot and the sea, the beaches are truly wonderful. The water, oh my goodness. You’ve never seen something that blue in your entire life. Even folks who find beaches boring (like us) will become beach believers after sitting on the smooth sand and staring out over the azure Sea.
Fun fact: because the water is so blue because of the lesser nutrient level, algae cannot flourish as well.
When you combine it with somewhat warm sea water, you get the ideal combo for kick-booty beaches.
It’s Very Romantic
We honestly don’t believe we’ve ever been someplace MORE romantic than Mallorca, which was completely unexpected, and we didn’t expect to want to spend as much time there as we did! Aside from sunbathing on the beach, there are all these wonderful small mountain towns to meander through that feel like a dream.
There are stunning flowers around every corner, cozy tiny wine bars with excellent Spanish wine, and little tapas bars where you can bunker up and share amazing Mallorcan food.
Don’t even get us started on one of the most romantic things to do for couples: watching the sunset with a bottle of wine on a warm night! ROMANCE SAY WHAT.
Whether that is warm
Mallorca is for you if you’re a normal, live, breathing human who despises being cold. As a Mediterranean island, you receive a lot of sun and have pleasant winters. Even when it’s fairly hot, there’s always that cool sea wind to keep you cool.
If you want a bit more adventure on the side of cooler temps, you may travel to the mountains to get away from the heat of Palma.
2 IMPORTANT POINTS: While there are options to get away, Mallorca is EXTREMELY hot and humid in the summer, ranging from 80.6°F to 91.4°F. In the winter, temperatures range from 57.2°F to 62.6°F, making swimming impossible.
If you are a couple that does not like it too hot or prefers to swim, take this in mind while planning your trip!
Beautiful Mountains and Landscapes
Sure, the turquoise-blue Mediterranean Sea is stunning, but it isn’t the only thing Mallorca has to offer. Mallorca is also home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range.
You will pass through thick and beautiful green trees and sand-colored stone that soars high above the beautifully blue lake as a background in the mountain range.
We intended to stop every 5 minutes while driving down the MA-10, one of the most hazardous roads on the island with EPIC vistas.
There are also wonderful treks and hundreds of beautiful places to discover along the way in the mountain range.
Car or bus access is simple.
We wanted to be able to provide you with accurate, real-world information on whether you require a car in Mallorca or not, so we spent many days driving about Mallorca with a rental car and multiple days without, getting around by bus. We are pleased to report that BOTH choices are quite handy for getting about the island.
While the mountain roads might be fairly winding, they conveniently link all of the small communities, making traveling around extremely convenient.
The bus system is also extremely well-designed, with all of the little communities accessible via the main bus routes. The bus system is very simple to use, so even if you’re in a strange nation, it’s not difficult to get around.
Beautiful Small Towns
Mallorca’s little villages were by far our favorite and most surprising aspect of the island. The Serra Tramuntana Range and the island’s coastline region are home to several beautiful and enchanting tiny villages with cobblestone lanes and brownstone buildings to get lost in. Whether you travel in the summer or in the dead of winter, there is always another stunning vista, vineyard, or gelato shop to discover.
The towns have an ancient air to them and offer some unusual experiences, such as riding a 20th-century vintage train from Palma to Soller or taking a Paella class in a native one-room home in Banyalbufar.
The following villages are must-sees:
- Deía
- Valldemossa
- Soller (don’t miss the April orange celebration!)
- Santanyí
- Banyalbufar
- Fornalutx
Palma City Life
We’ve spoken a lot about Mallorca’s calm beaches and lovely villages, but the island also has a thriving capital city, Palma de Mallorca.
When you’re done relaxing by the beach or visiting the mountains, come to the city center and sit outside on a terrace in the warm evening with a bottle of wine and drink in the sounds, sights, and fragrances! Don’t worry, the water in Palma is safe to drink, so have those ice cubes ready!
Palma also offers AMAZING shopping. There are several designer boutiques as well as locally owned stores selling fascinating fashion and local items. Parts of it seem like New York on the beach!
Fantastic Food And Drinks
The city has fantastic bars and eateries! There’s a stylish restaurant selling all types of food everywhere you turn, as well as small, romantic cocktail bars for a nightcap, as long as you’re of legal drinking age!
Mallorca is home to several Michelin-starred restaurants, including El Olivio in Dea, which is one of the most magnificent restaurants we have ever seen.
Some must-try Mallorcan cuisine include:
- Sobrassada is a spreadable, chorizo-like sausage that we ADORE. Seriously, we speak about it all the time.
- Tumbet is the Mallorcan equivalent of ratatouille.
- Ensamada – A basic, spiral-shaped pig lard pastry. It doesn’t taste like pork, but it’s SO light, fluffy, and delicious! Our favourites were at Panaderia S’Estacio in Palma, where you can watch the bakers make them through a section of the glass floor!
Lovely Accommodations
Even if we believe that “a room is just a room,” it’s always wonderful to stay in a romantic, gorgeous hotel or Airbnb. You’ll discover beautiful hotels covered with flowers and fashioned of old stone, as well as cute old Mallorcan-style flats like the one we stayed in!
A Culture that is alive and well
When people inquire, “Is Mallorca Worth Visiting?” You should be aware that Mallorca is brimming with culture! It has an overall “artsy” atmosphere, and as you walk through the historic streets, you’ll come across museums and several art galleries, such as the Frédéric Chopin and George Sand Museum in Valldemossa or the Pilar and Joan Miro Foundation.
There are also other markets, such as l’Olivar near the train station and Santa Catalina in the chic neighborhood of the same name!
Breathtaking sunsets
The sun setting over the Mediterranean with the mountain range and spectacular rock cliffs (and rock formations in certain locations!) as a background is incredibly breathtaking and extremely romantic! We witnessed some of the most breathtaking sunsets we had ever witnessed.
Santanyi, a town on the south-eastern edge, is a must-see for spectacular sunsets and incredibly interesting rock formations! Port d’Andratx also offered a lovely sunset and plenty of eateries to have a drink of wine while watching it.
A Long History
Mallorca is more than simply a beach resort; it has a fascinating history! Mallorca passed under Roman and Arab domination before being captured in the 13th century by King Jaume I of Aragorn. You can see the effect of all these civilizations in the streets, walls, buildings, and architecture, such as the Cathedral, as you walk through them.
Unusual Activities
It’s tempting to believe that sitting by the beach is the only thing to do in Mallorca. That’s one of the reasons we were hesitant to go in the first place: we grow tired of sunbathing soon!
While you could spend your whole holiday lying on the beach, Mallorca also has some unique activities to offer, such as catamaran excursions, hiking, scuba diving, snorkeling, cycling, vineyard exploration, and, our personal favorite, a paella-making session!
A Good All-Year Destination
One of the best things about Mallorca is that you can visit at any time of year and have a wonderful time with fantastic weather. There is NO bad time to visit Mallorca, making it easy to organize a trip around your schedule, holidays, and so on.
You Can Make Do With English
On our journey, we never had to use Google Translate. While elderly Mallorcans may not speak English, everyone we encountered in the tourism business (restaurants, hotels, etc.) did. This made it much easier for us to travel about.
Try to learn at least SOME Spanish words so you appear to be making an effort!
A Drawback to Visiting Mallorca
It should be clear by now that we believe the answer to the question “Is Mallorca worth visiting?” is unequivocally YES.
However, we want to be honest with you so you know what to expect: Mallorca is a popular tourist destination. “Oh okay, this isn’t so bad,” we thought as we walked down some of the back lanes. Then you turn onto a busy street, and there are PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
We’ve traveled practically everywhere in Spain, and it typically doesn’t take much effort to get a sense of the country’s genuineness. This is not the situation in Mallorca, which is perhaps why you see ‘tourists go home’ placards on several Mallorcan apartment balconies.
This will be less of an issue if you stay in one of the sleepier mountain villages rather than Palma!
Conclusion
Mallorca certainly shocked us! We were fortunate to visit Mallorca at a shoulder season, October, and had a fantastic time that we will remember forever. This may alter if you have to come during the busy Summer months since we understand that not everyone can travel when they want.
Even if you must, we feel that Mallorca, with its combination of relaxed beach time, mountains, and amazing food, is 100% worth visiting and should be added to your bucket list!
So, do you plan to visit this island anytime soon?
