One week in mallorca
Mallorca is the largest of the four Balearic Islands off the coast of mainland Spain. Ibiza is probably the most popular of the four; the others are Menorca, and Formentera. This was by far one of our favorite trips together if not our favorite. The views, the food, the beaches were amazing! This was a surprise trip for Garvin’s 35th birthday planned by yours trulyyy (: and he had no idea where we were going until a few days prior. I gave him a picture of the island, and some words to unscramble- & he figured it out in less than 10 minutes unfortunately too. LOL. A lot of our friends have wanted to know exactly what we did on this trip, and want to copy our itinerary for their future visit so for everyone who has asked: here it finally is! We had never heard of Mallorca before planning the trip and it was the best time! So being open to exploring new places you've never heard of can give so many awesome benefits. We flew from Dubai with a short layover in Switzerland (about 5 hours total); our flights were about $500 each ticket.
Getting around
Renting a car is 100% recommended if you can drive a manual (most cars are manual throughout Europe). This will be especially helpful for getting from one side of the island to the other. Melody was able to get about a 3-day rental for $160 dollars through Chase Sapphire Rewards. This card has given a lot of perks over the years, so if you’re looking for a good travel credit card, highly recommend the Chase Sapphire Reserve. We picked up the car at the airport and it was our lucky day because we were able to upgrade the car to a convertible BMW for about only $20.00 extra a day which was definitely the highlight of our trip. Being able to drive with the top down and stop for photos along the way and enjoy the views and weather was unmatched!
Our 3-day rental during our trip to Mallorca
Manacor
We landed in Palma Airport (PMI) and drove about 45 minutes to Manacor where we started our visit. Manacor is a beautiful rustic, country-side and much different from the coast. It was really nice coming here before heading to the beaches on the other side of the island for a more diverse vibe. We stayed in a hotel called Sa Franquesa Nova which was also amazing. The hotel gave us a free bottle of champagne for Garvin’s birthday along with welcome drinks when we arrived. There were chickens wandering around the large property and a nice buffet breakfast was also included that we enjoyed on the outside terrace the next morning. There was also a calming salt water pool where we spent most of the day walking around and taking some photos. This place was so relaxing, definitely recommend staying here or in this area before heading to the Drach caves. We had dinner at a pretty popular restaurant called Can Salom which was delicious too!
Photos from our time in Manacor
DRACH CAVES
There are several caves on the island but we were told that these were the best ones. So after leaving our hotel we drove for about another 45 minutes to the caves. Get the tickets online in advance, because they seem to sell out quickly in the summer. We ended up having to get 2pm tickets instead of the morning tickets like we originally planned. Also, you may want to bring a scarf or sweater because its naturally pretty cool in there.-but it can also be a nice chill from the summer heat too-so up to you. Tickets cost about 30 USD. You walk through this amazing structure and then sit down for an orchestra concert that takes place on boat. Pretty incredible. Check it out if you'll be over on this side. Staying in Manacor and then heading this way was also ideal-our hotel was about 25 minutes away and then after the caves we continued to the coastal areas .
Cuevas Del Drach (Drach Caves)
Can Picafort
We stumbled upon this beach on the way to our hotel in Alcudia. After our drive across the island, we wanted to take a quick break to soak up some sun, plus at this point Garvin really needed some sunglasses so he bought some fugazi shades there and then we had our first Spanish beach experience. Can Picafort was a cool beachfront town. The water was clear but a bit rocky. There were a ton of touristy restaurants along the strip. One of which stood out because it was a “Jamaican” restaurant. Of course we wanted to try it out and of course it was trash lol. We then got back in the car and drove further into town to our hotel. Beautiful place to stop and get photos and also get your feet wet, or spend the afternoon. You could also stay a night here if you wanted to.
Classic instagramable photo spot in Can Picafort
alcudia
We stayed at BQ Delfín Azul Hotel which is a more budget friendly option in the area and close to everything. Another awesome place for lunch or dinner is a place called Giardino- the seafood paella was amazing ( you can hardly make a another choice for a meal when you’re in Spain). We ate breakfast at Davys Food & Coffee because a brother wanted an acai bowl. I know…I know.. I know… but anyway, over breakfast we began to plan our day so Garvin went to Google Maps. We knew we wanted to make it a beach day but didn’t want to go back to Can Picafort. We knew Mallorca had better than that. On Google Maps, Garvin found Platja Des Coll Baix. This beach looked DOPE! The only thing is that the reviews were a bit sketchy. They went from, “I did it while pregnant in flip flops” to “Not safe for kids, make sure you bring you the right footwear”. We chose to adhere to the latter and walked across the street to the store where the travel gods smiled on us because we found 20 Euro no-name sneakers that did the job ( if you pack your own sneakers or hiking boots- you’re good to go). Google maps said the drive to the beach was 25 minutes. Actually, the drive to the end of paved road was 25 minutes. It was another 10 minutes of light off-roading in the rental that we prayed wouldn’t get damaged before we returned it. After that, it was another 25-minute hike up and then the real fun started. The trail down was a bit of a “choose your own path” vibe. We realized that regardless of the path we chose, it was going to be dangerous AF! The whole time, we were thinking “Who the hell is doing this trail with flip flops?!” The only pros we saw at the hike were the goats because they def knew what they were doing. Once you make it you will land a on a barely touched black sand, pebble beach with such breathtaking views. Also, better if you can bring some lunch & water with you in a backpack. Personally, wouldn’t recommend it for kids unless they are regularly active, older and follow instructions well.
Platja Des Coll Baix
The thing about the hike being dangerous AF is that the amount of people that could make the trek is limited. So the beach had about 40 people max on it. There were no facilities, no food trucks, no fake Jamaican restaurants, no tiki bars, just sand, water, and blue skies, backed by gorgeous mountains. We can count on one hand the amount of times we’ve been to a beach like this and this was by far the best. The only thing is that that the water is very rough even for great swimmers. The rip tides put your quads to the test, and waves were at least 10 feet high at times, but you can still enjoy the waves and dip in the ocean near the shore to stay on the safe side which was so much fun. Going in deep is definitely at your own risk.
The journey to the beach & adventures of Platja Des Coll Baix
Pollenca
Stopped in this town on the way back from Alcudia. This town is exactly what you think of when you think of Spain or any quintessential small European town. There were no big box stores and it looked like it was untouched from your typical tourist traps. We loved every bit of walking through and getting lost in this place. We stumbled upon an AMAZING restaurant called Respira that accommodated us before the evening rush and it shot up to our best meal of the trip. Eating outside in perfect weather and drinking $3 house rose. Could life get any better?
Dining at Respira in Pollenca
The streets of Pollenca
PORT DE POLLENCA
We stopped by here in the evening. It’s beautiful and there are lots of little shops, it's very touristy but also beautiful so we recommend stopping by (if you're not staying here) for a nice evening walk- maybe go around sunset so you can see the view during the day. We didn’t get any photos cuz it was late and we didn’t have the camera with us but it is surely gorgeous to look at so we recommend stopping by or spending a night here! It’s probably best to choose between staying either here or in Alcudia and visiting the other town to eat or sight see.
Driving along the MA-10
The MA-10 has been described as one of the worlds most scenic drives, which is exactly why we wanted to rent the car. The MA-10 was kind of like those Mazda Zoom Zoom commercials (Fun fact: car commercials are actually filmed on it). The road was windy, dangerous at parts, and scenic at all of it! We had a couple things in our favor as Mallorca was less crowded due to Covid and we left early so the road was fairly empty. There are spots where it gets more busy especially once the tour buses try to traverse the thin roads. You can take your time and enjoy the roads with no problem at all. If you’re a driving enthusiast, you’ll LOVE IT but please be mindful of the cyclists. Mallorcan’s take cycling to a whole other level and do 3-hour rides up a mountain for breakfast. Ideal for experienced drivers- practice on some flat roads if you need to before taking the trip.
Views from the MA-10
Sa Calobra
This is a great option if you don’t get to make it to Platja Des Coll Baix (especially if travelling with people who can’t do the hike). It gives similar vibes except this beach is much easier to get to. It can get packed so get there early. There is paid parking as well and you will need to pay cash before leaving your car and heading for the beach. This is a beautiful place to take photos and there is a restaurant overlooking the water once you get there- but probably overpriced. The water at the beach is also rough like at Platja Des Coll Baix so you better be a good swimmer if you're getting in here too. It’s also more enclosed and does not have as much open water as other beaches.
The main beach of Sa Calobra is a bit more crowded and on the day we went, the surf was rough.
Fornalutx
This was a lovely town that we stopped along the MA-10. If we could do it again, I think we would spend a night here just to get more of the small town mountain vibes. Keeping in line with great food while in Mallorca, we stumbled upon another really good and cozy restaurant called Es Turo with an amazing view. They gave us a table outdoors and because we were in the mood for paella, once we saw that they had a squid ink paella, we knew it was about to go down. It did not disappoint. Other towns that you can stop along your way from Alcudia to Sa Colabra are Escara and Lluc.
Entering the streets of Fornalutx
Port de Soller
This is definitely the most ritzy area of the island but also one of the most beautiful! If you're coming from Palma you should take the Tren De Soller to get here. Get the tickets online if you can or get there in person well before your trip and pay cash. You could also drive with a rental car but its better if you plan this part of the trip so that you can take the train. This train has been in operation since the early 1900s and its scenic and beautiful and has a nice “indoor outdoor” vibe; we really enjoyed the ride. Getting there early also means you can be first in line to get a good seat by the window. If you do have enough time to kill there is a nearby street in downtown Palma where you can buy snacks for the road. Melody got some really good empanadas from a place called DCFM which really came in handy for breakfast on the way there. The trip is about 1 hour.
Views from the train & stops along the way
Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel
This was place was so beautiful (also a place that is pretty expensive so book it early rather than later). Bikini Island and Mountain Hotel is like a very high-end hippie hotel and it was amazing. It’s located right on top of a mountain and overlooks the whole town. We had a beautiful room with a hammock on the balcony, chill music is played at the pool all day long (we even shazamed a few songs) , the hotel served delicious tacos, sangria, and breakfast in the morning. They also offered free Stand Up Paddleboard board rentals for the beach which Melody loves and had a blast doing for the day. Yes, we were the only Black people there (and in all of Mallorca pretty much-not surprising) but everyone minded their own business, we felt chill and relaxed which is major and would definitely stay here again. We spent just a night here. Once you arrive in town from Palma, the easiest way to get to this hotel will be to find a taxi. We planned to take the local bus at first, but it was much easier to take a taxi so we ended up walking to the bus stop and getting a cab from there. If you can't find a taxi at first it may be a good idea to walk to the bus stop anyway since it should be easier to find one from there. We had dinner at No Name Restaurant also very good- per usual.
Good vibes at Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel
palma de mallorca
For our last two days we stayed at a hotel in the city of Palma. It was easier to do this last because since the airport is here it makes it easy for getting ready to fly back home. We stayed at ICON Roseto which was located in what looked like a bit more of the historic part of town but truth be told, the city is fairly small enough to navigate to the point where you’re never really that far from most attractions. So much so that right around the corner from our hotel was a poppin’ restaurant and bar that we ended up frequenting twice. The hotel came with all the usual niceties, free breakfast buffet, and most importantly free bike rentals. This allowed us to traverse the city easily and do a good amount of sight seeing. As stated before, the cycling culture in Mallorca is big, even for the casual cyclist. This meant that all throughout the hustle of the city you have dedicated safe bike lanes. We biked to lots of cool thrift shops, also to Placa Major which is a nice area with lots of shops and restaurants. There we stumbled upon Brunchit where Garvin had the best smoothie bowl of his life (they wouldn’t tell us their secret ingredient…might’ve been crack)…& the favorite part, biked along the coast near sunset and also stopped at a medieval fortress called Castell de Bellver which you should definitely visit and walk through the nearby park too. On it’s own Palma is a vibe but navigating Palma on a bike is even better. Highly recommend, 5 stars.
Ridin’ around & gettin it in Palma de Mallorca
The majority of our hotels were booked with credit card points which was awesome. But you can definitely stay in Airbnb’s, and grocery shop (we did once for snacks) instead of eating out all the time if you really want to keep things under budget. Croissants, ham, cheese and bottles of prosecco ( for 5 euros or less) can be found everywhere. For the most part we found the prices in Mallorca to be fairly reasonable throughout our stay! If you visit or check out any of the places we mentioned let us know (: