Hi my fellow travel lovers!
I am going to make this one simple and to the point...
If you ever have the opportunity to go visit Mallorca (AKA one of Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean known for beach resorts, sheltered coves, limestone mountains), you absolutely must.
I have been to my far share of cool destinations. Africa, Italy, Qatar... the list is pretty lengthy!
(#blessed)
Out of all of them though, I can honestly say that at the tip top of my list is...
Mallorca.
Unreal.
When planning my trip to Barcelona, I received quite a few recommendations from people on Instagram to tack on a visit to Mallorca before heading back home. Some said it was one of the most BEAUTIFUL places they have ever been.
I was like pshhh, no way.
For weeks I went back and forth between Ibiza and Mallorca. I mean, I felt like I couldn't go to Spain and not stop by the party capital of Europe (AKA Ibiza). But since I was going in the off season and I wasn't sure how the "partying" would be in November, I decided to take the social media strangers word.
Mallorca, here I come!
Here is a break down of my 4 days in the most magical place. Enjoy!!
WHERE TO STAY IN MALLORCA:
Hotel El Llorenç Parc de la Mar in Palma
If you are wanting to stay in the middle of all the action... PALMA. You can't go wrong by staying here.
I was traveling to Palma with a friend (the one who actually broke his collarbone prior to my Portugal trip and sent me goin' solo) so we decided to splurge a bit on the hotel. It worked out because it wasn't peak season on the island so hotels were much more affordable than if you were to visit in the summer months. I had heard great reviews about Hotel El Llorenç and boy... I was not disappointed.
5 stars for this hotel. LUXURIOUS AF.
When we stayed, it was around $250 a night, but in the summer months, you will be paying more like $400+ a night. But trust me, it is absolutely worth every single penny.
The aesthetic is stunning, the rooms are beautiful, the bathrooms are divine and the rooftop is UNREAL. They have a great infinity pool overlooking the ocean and I highly recommend grabbing a drink at the bar for happy hour and watching the sunset over the famous Palma Cathedral.
My favorite part? It's incredibly walkable to the city, shopping and all the restaurants. Taxi's aren't the easiest to catch in Palma (or at least they weren't in November) so we ended up walking to and from dinner each night. It's a beautiful walk - maybe 20 minutes to get into town - and I felt SO safe. You also walk right by the MASSIVE cathedral and I simply couldn't get enough of that view.
Views from our nightly walk to and from dinner. Woah.
Some people may suggest stay in various places around the island, but we made it just fine by staying in Palma and using our rental car to drive to all the different places (to get to the opposite side of the island only takes around an hour).
All in all, I would absolutely go back and stay at El Llorenç again in the future.
WHAT TO DO IN MALLORCA:
Rent a car - A MUST.
Whatever you do... please just rent a car. It's worth the money and absolutely necessary in order to see all the magic the island has to offer.
And fear not, the driving is the exact same as in America and the roads are very easy to navigate! It's relatively painless to get your rental car at the airport and it took us maybe 20 minutes with no lines or hassles.
Sights:
Your first night in Mallorca, I suggest walking around Old Town Palma and exploring a bit. There's all sorts of shopping, from high end stores like Louis Vuitton, to quirky one of a kind European boutiques. Palma is definitely known for it's shopping, so take advantage of that tax return, baby!
I ended up buying a Louis Vuitton purse and saved around $250 on it... WIN! Just make sure to keep your receipt and scan your tax return form at the airport before you leave.
There's so many streets and alleyways to get lost in so you don't need much of a plan here! Just go wander and ENJOY. It's beautiful.
If you love history and old churches, make sure to stop in the San Francisco de Palma church. It's one of Palma's oldest churches and the whole entire property is simply stunning. Even better, it's super easy to get tickets and no need to reserve anything ahead of time. It's only 7 euros and off the beaten path, so not a lot of crowds here!
I recommend carving out 20-30 minutes of your day to check it out. The chapel! OMG.
Palma Cathedral (Catedral De Mallorca)
I have been in quite a few European churches and I love them all but this one... this one actually made me tear up.
It's unbelievable.
You feel like you are transported back to Game of Thrones and Cersei may pop out at any second. The structure is simply massive and if you think the outside is impressive... just wait until you see the inside.
You do need to buy tickets ahead of time for this one (I believe we wanted to go one day and it was sold out or closed early so we had to postpone until our last day) and it's absolutely a MUST for me. With high ceilings, rainbow stained glass and an elaborate gold alter... It's easily one of the top 5 most beautiful buildings I have ever been in.
Cap De Formentor Lookout Point
Thankfully you will have listened to my advice and got a rental car (hehe) so you will be able to drive up to the very tip of the north side of the island. I recommend making a day out of this and checking out this lookout point (you can drive straight up there and the views are wild) and also checking out Cala Figuera Beach before you head back to Palma. Two birds, one stone baby!
Unfortunately, when we were there the roads were closed (I think due to rain?) so we weren't able to drive all the way out to the lighthouse. Luckily, we were still able to stop at one of the lookout points to take in the views. Truly breathtaking but beware if you are scared of heights. Or just don't look down ;)
The lookout point.
Beaches:
Hike down to Cala Figuera Beach
I truly hope you don't have to do this right after a torrential rain pour like I did. My cute (& brand new) Steve Madden sandals were caked, muddy goners by the time I made it down to the water - but it was worth it thankfully.
Hopefully you get to climb down when the ground isn't slippery and wet, but even if it is... you have to do it. Just make sure you come prepared and toss some tennis shoes in your car in case.
There's a parking lot tucked away off the main road and you will want to park your car and make the hike down. Many people seem to stop just to look at the view, but you can walk all the way down to the water! DO IT.
It's a little bit of a hike down and can be steep in some areas, but it's definitely doable for all fitness levels and will only take you around 30 minutes or so. Once you make it to the water... I can almost guarantee your jaw will drop.
We were here in November, so I am sure it's different in the summer with the crowds, but we had the WHOLE entire beach to ourselves. Freaking. Epic.
It's pretty rocky so you definitely will want to pack a towel in your backpack to sit on!
This beach is probably one of the most popular destinations on the island so you have to absolutely make a stop at this gorgeous, tucked away beach. Because it's so popular you should expect crowds, especially in the summertime! Parking can be tricky, but lucky for us we were there in November so it wasn't hard to find a spot on the street. I recommend going early in the day to beat some of the crowd and also secure a parking spot because I heard that can be a bit of a nightmare.
Once you park, just follow the signs and start walking! You will come across the first beach (unsure of the name) but keep going past that and then you will see Calo Des Moro!
The water is SO blue you won't believe it's real. But trust me... no filter needed.
I stumbled upon this beach thanks to the suggestion of a local (always ask the locals!!!) and it was easily my top favorite. I could have spent all day here basking in the sun and looking at the weirdly, neon blue & crystal clear water. You feel like you are looking at a postcard.
Located in Santanyí (cute town), this is a total hidden gem that you should plan a whole afternoon at. There's plenty of parking, white sand beaches, cute rustic houses to lounge by, calm water to swim in and even some cliff jumping for my more adventurous folks!
My biggest regret was not being able to spend more time here. I WILL be back.
If you take anything from this blog post... I hope it is this. Please, for the love of God, go to visit the town of Valldemossa.
The. Most. Stunning. Place. Ever.
We stopped by Valldemossa for a quick bite to eat after our beach day at Cala Llombards, not fully understanding just how gorgeous the town is. Now, if you follow me on Instagram (which you should by now???), you probably remember me sipping Sangria in the lush green hills, overlooking a valley, nestled in between rustic cottages lined with potted plants... Well THAT is Valldemossa.
Didn't I paint a good picture for you just now?
I am planning on going back to Mallorca just so I can spend more time in this town. If you can, I recommend staying overnight here one night in one of the quaint bed and breakfasts. It's truly magical and you won't want to leave.
If you are just passing through, make sure to carve out at LEAST 2-3 hours to walk around and enjoy. It's probably 45-50 minutes from Palma and a pretty easy drive. A must!!!!
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN MALLORCA:
If you like Thai food, this one is for you. Delicious, fresh and has some killer cocktails. Also, easy to make a reservation at!
I had this gelato every single day I was in Mallorca and I think one day I even had it TWICE. Yes, it's that good. It's located right before you walk into Old Town Palma. I recommend getting a double scoop so you can try all the flavors ;)
The banana flavor is out of the world.
The best ravioli...
I befriended a wonderful local (Hi Damien!) and he recommended Botanic - he even said it was one of his FAVORITE places for dinner. So like, sold?
It absolutely lived up to the hype.
I am a sucker for a healthy, farm to table menu and this place DELIVERED. I recommend doing the tasting menu because you will get to try a bit of everything and it's all truly phenomenal. It's a little pricey, but for a whole 5 course tasting menu and a cocktail... it was honestly reasonable. I believe it cost 90 euros and in America, that would have cost you at least 150!
If you are looking for a fancier place to dine and feel like treating yourself... I definitely would choose Botanic.
I still have dreams about this lunch spot.
It has the most unreal view of Valldemossa and it's beyond cheap and DELICIOUS. Get the homemade Sangria and poke bowl - and thank me later.
This is another MUST (and another recommendation from my friend Damien!)
Quirky and eclectic and has a flavor for every type of taste palette!
We came here for our last dinner and I am so happy we chose to end on a high note here. There was live music, great vibes and the food?!!! The food was killer and took you on quite a wild ride.
There's different dishes that represent different locations on the globe (hence the Vagabond name) and you can choose what you're feeling OR you can do the tasting menu - which I highly recommend. We ended up tasting a bit of Mediterranean, Asian fusion, American, Egyptian... so yum.
So I will be honest... I love getting on Hinge when I am in Europe LOL.
Not like I am trying to find my husband (but I wouldn't mind that) but because the men are so kind and LOVE showing you around different places. I met up with a gem of a human named Juan who took me on a cocktail tour of Palma. We went to 3 of his favorite spots and they were all 10/10.
He also told me he absolutely despises influencers... but that's a story for another time.
My favorite was Clandestino mainly because it's owned by the cutest little woman who runs it COMPLETELY by herself. Seriously, she's the only one who works there, is a total badass and knows how to create a crazy good craft cocktail. The place is also just cozy and a vibe. Big fan.
I was a couple tequila beverages deep by the time I got to these places but just know... they were good and worth stopping by.
Take me back. Now!
Whew.
That's all for now, folks!
I hope this was helpful for planning your next trip to Mallorca. It's a magical island and I hope you love it as much as I did.
Until next time...
Xo,
Morgan
