Mallorca: The Best Outside of Palma

So you are graduating college and have no idea what you are going to do next? You have wanted to live abroad again after studying for a semester in Ireland. This is the time obviously. Maybe you’ll teach english abroad or go to grad school! But then one of your friends is going to Madrid to au pair for a year. Ah au pair! You never really thought about it because after working as a PCA in high school you don’t think you would want to live in the same place you work, but that is too good of an opportunity to pass up. Free housing and food in exchange for watching the kids! Sounds great! So you hop onto AuPairWorld and see where you can go. You find a family in Mallorca because personally you aren’t too big on going to Spain, but you like the idea of speaking Spanish and going to somewhere that not everyone goes! But you don’t really know anything about Mallorca other than that is where Love Island is filmed and where Germans go to vacation. You go anyway and absolutely fall in love with the tiny island! I can’t be the only one, right? Well if you find yourself in this situation, then here is all the places you need to know about before you go. While Palma is the capital and definitely somewhere you need to spend some time in, this list is focused on the more rural places in Mallorca to visit

Manacor

While there isn’t a lot of activities to do in Manacor, it is one of the best places to shop and eat in Mallorca outside of Palma. It also has the best view driving into the town. I always really enjoyed the drive from Montüiri to Manacor. The sun reflects so beautifully on the city and and in the distance you see its church towering over the rest of the city. It is also a nice city to walk through. It looks like what you imagine when you think of southern Spain. It is also the place I have the most stories from in Mallorca. Have you ever actually seen firefighters rescue a cat from a tree? Well I have in Manacor. Have you ever been stopped on the street by Mormoms? Well I have in Manacor. You never know what to expect in Manacor.

Cuevas dels Hams

Caves definitely aren’t the first think you think of when you think of Mallorca. At least it wasn’t for me. The nice thing about staying with a family in Mallorca is that you learn about these places that most tourists wouldn’t normally think of visiting. Mallorca isn’t exactly known for its amount of American tourists and I learned this when I visited the caves where they asked me if I spoke German or English. I know we have plenty of caves in America but this was a unique experience. Aside from its pairing with a kids dinosaur park these caves offer an experience unlike one I have had before. You aren’t just walking through caves but your tour is also complemented with informational videos displayed on the cave walls as well as a light show at the end that makes you question whether you are in Spain or Germany. The caves themselves are also beautiful and I highly recommend it for anyone traveling to Mallorca that wants a break from the usual beaches and clubs.

Puig de Randa

While maybe not as extravagent as the rest of the places on this list, Puig de Randa is still a sight worth seeing in Mallorca. That is if you dont mind driving up a mountain. Randa is a hermitage on top of the mountain. There is pretty much the church, Santuari de Cura and its giftshop, as well as a restaurant. While it isn’t much, the view is what makes the trip. You can see all of Mallorca around you. You can even see Palma in the distance. This a tranquil spot to take a break from the urban side of Mallorca and take in the islands beauty.

Cala Ratjada

Mallorca has a lot of beaches but this one is probably my favorite outside of Palma. And maybe it is only my favorite because it was the best weather I had going to the beach as the ocean was so blue. Porto Cristo also had nice scenery around its beach as well as the Port of Soller and I didn’t even have a chance to go to Cala Deia, but still none of my pictures have the ocean looking they way they do in Cala Ratjada. Cala Ratjada is just a short bus ride away from Capdepera which I will get into later in this list. Cala Ratjada is definitely a beach town and a touristy one at that. There are quite a few places you can go to sit by the seaside. I found myself at Son Moll. I spent a late morning there before having to pick up the kids from school. I grabbed a sandwich from a little shop by the beach and sat and read a book surrounded by German tourists. This was late September and the weather was gorgeous. This is definitely one of the more touristy places I have on my list, but we all need to have a nice beach day!

Sa Dragonera

Sa Dragonera is a national park in Mallorca. The kick is that it is also an island. It is a small uninhabited island on the west coast of Mallorca and to get to it you have to take a boat from one of the coastal towns including the Port of Andratx or Sant Elm. Don’t be misled by the label of uninhabited. Sa Dragonera is named for the thousands of tiny lizards that crawl arounds the island. While it won’t keep you as busy as the rest of Mallorca, it is beautiful and is a nice spot to hike and have a picnic. You can also go swimming, but don’t expect sandy beaches like the rest of Mallorca as it is mostly made up of pebbles, which means be sure to wear swim shoes.

Alcúdia

Next on the list is Alcúdia, which is another great beach town, but sadly I did not get to this town during beach season. If you are like me visiting when it is too chilly to go to the beach then no worries because there is plenty to see in the town as well. They have a nice weekend market which is a great place to get yourself or others some souvenirs. The old town is a beautiful spot to explore. The old city walls are still intact and you can even walk them. While this was not open when I visited, you can also see part of the old Roman city at Ruines Romanes de Pollentia. This Mallorcan town has a lot of history and culture to explore. There are also plenty of food options if you are looking for a place for lunch.

Pollença

Not far from Alcúdia we have Pollença which definitely rivals in architecture and scenery. I went for their yearly market, which they call Fira in Mallorca. This Fira included artisan jewelry and crafts as well as art and lots of food options. I highly recommend trying Bunyols at any of the markets in Mallorca. Fira is a great way to see new towns while having something to do. I am all for walking around town and having a relaxing lunch with a glass of wine, but it is also fun to engage with the culture with a chance to try new foods and support the local artisans. And of course Fira wouldn’t be complete without some music. I was lucky enough to get a little bit of traditional Mallorcan music played by a band walking down the street dressed in traditional Mallorcan clothing. If you happen to find yourself in Pollença in one of the other 51 weeks of the year when Fira isn’t happening then there is still plenty to do. You can stop into the beautiful church of Nostra Senyora Dels Ángels or if you are feeling adventurous you can walk up the Calvari steps and find yourself with a beautiful view of the town and the coast. I guarantee you Pollença will not disappoint.

Southern Mallorca

This sounds very broad, but southern Mallorca has some of the most beautiful cliffs and coastlines on the island. There are still beaches like the rest of the island, but also lots of beautiful terrain and rocky shores. While these would definitely be gorgeous in the summer time, I highly recommend visiting some of these shores during the more colder months of the year when the sandy beaches start to get dirtier and darker. It’s definitely not what you would typically think of when you think of the Spanish coasts as it reminded me more of the North Shore in my home state of Minnesota, but it is still equally breathtaking. I stumbled across some beautiful cliffs in Cala Llombards after spending some time in Colonia de Sant Jordí. You can also have this same experience in Santanyí and Ses Salines too. I just recommend exploring the more rocky side of Mallorca’s coasts at some point!

Capdepera

Capdepera, but more specifically the Castle of Capdepera, is the next sight on the list. The town itself is very cute and worth exploring but if you have limited time then you really need to just go to the castle. The castle was built in the 14th century under King Jaume II to protect inhabitants from pirates. It became a military complex in the 18th century and then was later abandoned until the late 20th century when it became protected as the sight it is now. It is a bit of a walk up the hill, but completely worth it. I have been to a lot of castles, but this one was one of my favorites. You will know you are going the right way when you see a sign pointing you to the Castell, the Mallorcan word for Castle. Enter in the grand entrance, pay a few euros, and enjoy the inside of this medieval castle. There will be more climbing once you are inside, but there is plenty to look at and photo opportunities to distract you!

Lluc

Lluc was somewhere I knew nothing about before going to Mallorca but ended up being one of the coolest experiences. Not to say that it will be the same for everyone as Lluc is a holy site and there isn’t as much to see as the other places on this list but the drive through the Tramuntana mountains is amazing! The mountains in Mallorca are probably my favorite in the whole world! None of my photos do it any justice. Lluc is the pilgrimage site of the Black Madonna. The story behind it is that in the 13th century a young boy named Lluc found a statue of the Black Madonna in the mountains. After bringing it to the priest in his village to be displayed the statue disappeared and returned to its spot in the mountains which is where the Santuari de Lluc was built. If you aren’t deep in religious faith there is still a lot you can learn and experience in Lluc. Aside from its peaceful location and restaurants, Lluc is also a great place to learn about Mallorcan culture as the island’s catholic identity has heavily influenced its culture. Aside from the basilica with the statue of the Black Madonna, there is a museum, lots of hiking trails, gardens and of course the gift shop to explore.

Valldemossa

There is the part of the list where things get tricky, because we have arrived at my top 3 and I can not choose a favorite, so we will start with Valldemossa. Valldemossa is perfect for the history and music lovers. Federic Chopin and George Sand spent a winter here in the 1830s in the monastery, which means the monastery should be your first stop in Valldemossa. You can buy a ticket to visit the Real Cartuja which includes not only the Chopin museum but also the palace and the rest of the monastery which includes the church, old pharmacy, and some art galleries. You can also pay extra to go up in the tower which I highly recommend to get a view of the city and the surrounding mountains. Your ticket also includes a small piano recital, so make sure to pay attention to the recital schedule when you get there because this little concert sets the mood for your visit to the museum. Once you are in the cell that Chopin stayed in you can see his original piano as well as some art work and copies of his music. The monastery in Valldemossa was my favorite museum I visited in Mallorca. You can spend hours, so make sure to set aside a decent amount of time here.

As for the rest of your time in Valldemossa, take this time to explore. The streets are some of the prettiest in Mallorca. You can’t get too lost so just go where the streets take you. For the best pictures, find Carrer Rectoria where Casa Natal de Sta. Catalina Thomas and Església de Sant Bartomeu are located. The homes are very picturesque and there are a lot of cute boutiques you can stop into. There is also no shortage of places to grab food or a drink. If cities streets aren’t your thing, then get out of the city and hike the Tramuntana mountains. There is a very popular destination for hikers to make their base.

Sa Calobra

Sa Calobra was the most breathtaking place I had visited in Mallorca. My photos don’t do it justice as I had visited during the off season in November. The best time to visit in definitely in the summer time when the water is clear and you can sit on the beach. There are also a few restaurants you can sit at and enjoy the view while getting a snack or a meal although in the off season many of these places are closed. You could spend a bit more time in the summer enjoying the beach and walking around but in the colder months it is better paired with another smaller trip, like Lluc if you are traveling by car or Soller if you are traveling by boat. Sa Calobra doesn’t work as a base like many of these other places on this list do. There isn’t anywhere to stay and most surrounding sites and towns are about an hour away, so it is a bit harder to get to but its secludedness adds to its charm. The beach, Cala Sa Calobra, is located in between two rocks, which means you have to go through a tunnel to get to it. It is smaller and not quite as sandy as most beaches in Mallorca, but this just makes it that much more unique. While you could stare at the sea forever and never get bored, if you turn around on Cala Sa Calobra you will have an equally amazing view of the Tramuntana mountains. Don’t be afraid to walk around here a bit. The world is your oyster at Sa Calobra.

Sóller

If I had to choose one place to answer the question of what my favorite place I visited in Mallorca is, the answer would be Sóller. If you do Sóller, you have to do it right though and that is by taking the old school train that famously runs from Palma through Sóller. The train station for the Ferrocarril de Sóller is located right next to the Estació Intermodal, so if you are coming into Palma from another town just like I did then you are in luck. If you are staying in Palma you may have a bit of a walk to get to the station, but I promise it is worth it! You can either get a round trip ticket or just one way. I took the train one way and then took the bus back to not only save money but to allow more flexibility in plans as I was ending the day in the Port de Sóller rather than in the city of Sóller. The train ride is about an hour and takes you through the mountains. The views are absolutely beautiful!

Once you get to the city the opportunities are endless. I was there on a Sunday, which ended up being one of their market days. There was a lot of art at this particular market which I hadn’t seen much of at other markets in Mallorca, so I really enjoyed this as I love collecting paintings by local artists from the places I visit. You can also check out the beautiful old church, Esglesia de Sant Bartomeu de Sóller. Of course walking the streets and exploring is nice as well. There are a lot of little shops to go into as you walk through the main part of the city, but remember to look up as well at the scenery around you. Then when it is time for lunch I recommend finding a place in the city square so you can drink your afternoon wine with a view of the church surrounded by the mountain

I visited in late October which means all of Soller’s amazing and unique activities were limited. It is located in Orange country so during orange season you can get our of the city and visit the orange farms. There are also gardens you can expore during the season as well. Then lets not forget about the beach in the Port de Sóller. While it was not prime beach season that did not stop me from dipping my toes in the water and getting an ice cream. There were still plenty of other people sitting around the beach on the beautiful sunny October day as well, so I was not alone. This was my favorite of the port towns I visited in Mallorca. The views were stunning and I spent a few hours until it got dark hanging out by the seaside and walking the promenade. There is also a pier with lots of boats you can imagine are your own. Then once the sun sets you are left with the most precious night sky you have ever seen.

That completes my list of the places to see in Mallorca outside of Palma. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of other places to see in Mallorca. Each little town has its own unique charm and beauty, so don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path and see where your journey takes you. Mallorca has a lot to offer outside of clubs and beaches so I hope you discoever this and fall in love with the island the same way I did. There is also tons to see and do in Palma as well, so look out for my post about Palma.