Why am I the best person to tell you how to spend one week in Mallorca? Well, I’ve visited the island several times, stayed in various different parts of the island, and done all of the activities listed below. So, I’m writing from personal experience!
I get it, trying to decide what to do with one week in Mallorca (also spelled ‘Majorca’) can be overwhelming. This gorgeous island is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe (it attracts over 12 million tourists every year). And it’s the biggest of the Balearic Islands so as you can guess – there are loads of places to see and heaps of things to do!
And you want to pack as much in as you can – well, at least that’s what we tried to do. When I visit somewhere new, I really want to experience the place, so I try to see and do as much as I can.
Well, I’ve been to this island countless times – the first time was when I was only 7 years old. And now I’ve come full circle as I’ve just come back from a vacation to Majorca with my husband and two young daughters.
I’ve done heaps of research and come up with a detailed list of over 14 of the best things to do in Mallorca over a week. This itinerary features must-see places like Palma (the largest city on the island) and the super-famous Drach Caves. But, it also includes several hidden gem spots like the bohemian Cala Ratjada and the family-friendly Sa Coma.
Day One – Palma
Day one in Mallorca kickstarts on a high note with a visit to the island’s biggest city Palma. Or Palma de Mallorca to use its full name. We spent a full day here and honestly could have spent longer as there’s so much to do in this historic city. We were pleasantly surprised by how charming Palma was, we were expecting a big bustling city. But actually Palma is quite quaint and very photogenic.
Wander the city
Spend your morning in Palma, wandering the narrow streets with a coffee. We loved Cafésphère on Plaza de la Pescateria as the coffee was so good (and strong). My daughters loved their takeaway coffee cups as they have unicorns on them! Another great coffee spot is Surry Hills Specialty Coffee on del Carme Street. If you haven’t already guessed, it’s run by Australians.
With our takeout coffee in hand, we headed for Mercat de L’Olivar. Which is located between Plaça de Espanya and Carrer Sant Miquel. This traditional Spanish market is a good spot to get a glimpse into the daily lives of Mallorcans. It’s a hive of activity and the stalls here sell mostly food products (fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, etc). But, there’s also a shopping arcade where you can pick up some souvenirs and clothes.
This market has been in operation since 1951 and it’s a really beautiful building. Mercat de L’Olivar is open on weekdays from 7 am until 2:30 pm and on Saturdays until 3 pm. It is open some Fridays until late (8 pm).
After checking out the market, we passed by one of the most photogenic stores in Palma – English Fine Books on Carrer d’En Morei. It gave off Harry Potter vibes (it reminded me of Diagon Alley). I just had to go inside to snap some photos.
Cathedral of Mallorca
In the afternoon, we made a beeline for the Cathedral of Mallorca. It’s without a doubt one of the most popular places to visit in all of Mallorca. And it’s in fact one of the tallest cathedrals in Europe.
This stunning Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral took hundreds of years to build. Once you see the magnificence of the building up close you’ll understand why its construction took so long. Building started in 1229 and didn’t finish until 1601.
The cathedral, also called La Seu boasts a 44-meter-tall nave that’s the second tallest in the world. However, the most famous part of the cathedral is the choir stalls, which were actually designed and partly built by none other than Antony Gaudi. However, he never got to finish it as he abandoned the job after an argument with a contractor.
We spent around an hour here. You can also access the terraces at the top of the cathedral with your ticket. However, we were unable to do this as we had our young daughters with us (and you must be over 9 years old to access the terrace).
Tickets for the Cathedral of Mallorca are €25 per person. Or if you love guided tours (we do!) you can book this guided tour of the city which includes admission to the Cathedral – it’s a bargain at €28 per person. The guided tour of the city is 45 minutes long and the guided tour of the cathedral is also 45 minutes. So all in that’s 90 minutes.
Paseo Maritimo
Our next recommended stop for your day in Palma is the Mallorca Es Baluard Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art which is actually found within the old city walls. It’s such a unique museum and here you’ll find a wide collection of modern art. Interestingly, many of the artists are local.
Afterward, we advise heading for the Paseo Maritimo for dinner. One of our favorite dinner spots in the city is located here – C’an Eduardo which is well-known for its delicious paellas. And the terrace here has lovely views over the harbor.
When we finished our meal we took a long stroll along the Paseo, which as you can guess boasts glorious views of the bay. It’s around 4 km long and we caught a magnificent sunset from there.
Where to stay in Palma:
We highly recommend Helios Mallorca in nearby Can Pastillo. It scores an impressive 9/10 on booking.com and offers guests an indoor and outdoor pool. As well as other fun facilities like a mini golf course. It’s located next to Palma Aquarium and so as you can guess it’s very popular with families. It’s very reasonably priced for Palma, too – with rates at €125 per night.
Day Two – Drach Caves
The Drach Caves are a series of four interconnected, breathtakingly beautiful caves around an hour’s drive from Palma. They are located in the town of Porto Cristo. This series of caves extends to around 4 km long and sections of the cave are as deep as 25 meters. It was formed by water from the Mediterranean Sea being forced through the entrance and many researchers believe it was formed millions of years ago.
On a visit to the Drach Caves, you’ll witness massive stalactites and stalagmites and see bright blue underground lakes. To see the inside of the cave, you need to book a tour which you can do online on their website or in-person on the day. A tour of the Drach Caves typically lasts around one hour. However, we were in the caves for an hour and 15 minutes but I think this is because it was such a busy tour so it took us longer to get through the caves.
A big part of the tour is the concert which takes place in the underground amphitheater – this features classical musicians in boats and lasts around 15 minutes.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a lot from the tour. But, I was surprised at how beautiful the caves are. However, as I said, it was really busy when we visited and that was a bit of a bummer as it felt too crowded at times. Which is why I recommend visiting the caves first thing in the morning (around 10 am) to beat the crowds.
Getting to the Drach Caves:
Your best option is to drive there yourself, that is if you have a car or rental car. The Drach Caves are around an hour’s drive from Palma, an hour and 20 minutes from Soller and, 30 minutes from Cala d’Or.
You can get public transport directly to Drach Caves. For example, the 401 bus from Cala Millor, the 428 bus from Cala d’Or, and the 424 bus from Cala Rajada all pass by the caves.
Another alternative if you don’t have a set of wheels is to book a guided tour to the Drach Caves. These tours include return transfers to your hotel (anywhere on the island) and often a tour of a nearby pearl factory, too.
Day Three – Soller
Soller is one of the most beautiful towns in Majorca, located around a 40-minute drive or an hour-long train ride from Palma. I highly highly recommend getting the train here from Palma if you can as the scenery is so beautiful.
We spent half a day in this gorgeous town and some of our favorite things to do there was to catch the historic tram to Port de Soller and check out the Museum of Modernism. From Port de Soller, you can hop on a boat to Sa Calobra. The journey is an hour long and oh-so scenic. But, because this is a full-day activity we unfortunately didn’t have time to do it on this trip. But I have heard rave reviews!
I loved wandering Soller’s charming streets, despite how busy they were and I actually could imagine myself living here. FYI, we visited Soller in the afternoon – so, my recommendation is to visit in the morning when the streets will be quieter. Some other noteworthy places in the town are the iconic Church of Saint Bartomeu – you can’t miss it as it’s in the main square and the Jardí Botànic, a beautiful botanical garden showcasing native Balearic flora.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday be sure to check out the vibrant Saturday market which is held in Plaza de Sa Constitució. Here local sellers sell local produce and crafts.
Day Four – Valdemossa & Deia
Another stunning Mallorcan gem is Valldemossa a hilltop town nestled at the base of the Tramuntana mountains. It’s only a 20-minute drive from Palma and so is incredibly popular with tourists. Valldemossa is best known for being one of the most photogenic spots on the island with its cobblestone streets adorned with blooming flowers and traditional stone houses.
Some of the best things to do here include hiking the 4-hour-long El Teix hike and shopping at the famed Sunday market.
We started our morning here by exploring the Royal Charterhouse, a former monastery that once hosted the famous composer Frédéric Chopin and writer George Sand. The beautiful gardens and quaint museum here offer a fascinating insight into their time in Valldemossa.
Deia
Next door is the hilltop village of Deia – it’s under a 20-minute drive between the two towns so it makes sense to visit them both in one day. The best way to spend your afternoon in this fairy tale-esque village is to take it easy and wander the quaint streets with a coffee. If you haven’t already guessed I’m a big coffee fan and try to have at least one coffee out per day. In Deia, we loved the coffee at Cafe Social!
For the best view of Deia, head to the ‘Mirador’ – you can see the Google Maps location here.
Art lovers should pay a visit to the Robert Graves House, where the famous poet lived and worked. It’s now a museum dedicated to his life. And if you have time this afternoon, be sure to head to Cala Deià, a small pebble beach nearby.
Day Five – Beach Day (Cala S’Almonia, Calo des Moro or, Playa de Camp de Mar)
If there’s one thing Mallorca is known for it’s its beaches – especially its little turquoise coves that you’ll often find sprinkled across Instagram. Today, we recommend picking one of the below stunning beaches to spend the day.
One of the prettiest swim spots in Mallorca is Cala S’Almonia Beach, which is set in a rocky cove and surrounded by cute boat houses. The water here is so calm and warm (at least it was in September when we visited). It reminded me of swimming in a swimming pool it was that calm.
A smaller beach next door to this is Calo des Moro which is equally as pretty but a little harder to reach. As you must walk from the car park, down a steep dirt track to reach this wow-worthy beach. As you can see from the photo above it really is a slice of paradise.
Another gorgeous beach we visited was Portal Vells, a very family-friendly beach that is on the Southwest of the island (around 6 km from Magaluf). It has fine golden sand, rocky areas, and turquoise water. But, it’s quite small (just 30 meters long) so to grab a good spot on the sand here we recommend arriving before 11 am.
Finally, Playa de Camp de Mar is a more upmarket beach and it’s also located on the Southwest of the island. The water here is lovely and calm and there’s a famous restaurant called La Illeta which is located on a tiny island off-shore. It can be accessed via a footbridge. There are plenty of sun loungers which you can rent and there’s also a small playground for the little ones.
Day Six – Cala Ratjada & Cala Mesquida
We visited Cala Ratjada on the afternoon of our sixth day in Mallorca. And honestly, it turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the island. We’re thinking of staying here the next time we visit the island. Cala Ratjada has a bohemian vibe and it felt very safe. It’s renowned for its stunning beaches, such as Cala Agulla and Son Moll, both of which boast turquoise waters and golden sand.
The coastal walkway to the harbor is lined with lots of restaurants and Cafes. We stopped off for a coffee in S’Amforia Trattoria, we were gutted that we weren’t hungry at the time as the food looked delicious. We then walked the whole pedestrian walkway to the harbor and up into the town area.
On our way back to our hotel we swung into Cala Mesquida, which is around 6 km from Cala Ratjada. I’d read that it was one of the most beautiful bays on the island and I wasn’t wrong. The waves were quite big when we visited and I could see why it’s one of the best surf spots on the island.
Day Seven – Sa Coma & Cala Millor
Sa Coma was actually where we stayed during our week in Mallorca. We picked this area because it’s family-friendly and is a little off-the-beaten-path in that it’s less busy than say more popular resorts like Cala D’or or Magaluf. Anyway, we were really happy with our decision – Sa Coma town is small but has everything you need and the beach here (Platja de Sa Coma) is a big white sandy beach. So, it never feels crowded.
We recommend taking a stroll along the picturesque promenade that connects Sa Coma with the neighboring resort of Cala Millor, in the morning. It’s around an hour’s walk each way and offers stunning sea views and a big choice of cafes and restaurants to stop off for a coffee or some food.
In the afternoon you could visit the nearby Talaiot de na Pol, an ancient archaeological site that provides insight into Mallorca’s prehistoric past. Or if you’re here with young kids the Safari Zoo is a must-see. You can drive through the park (either in your own car or take the safari train) to see exotic animals up close.
Where to Stay in Mallorca
We spent a week at the Protur Safari Resort in Sa Coma and loved it! It’s so family-friendly, the staff is very helpful and there are loads of facilities. I counted 5 swimming pools, including a fab kid’s pool with a mini water park. There are also 4 additional restaurants that you can choose to dine in, besides the buffet restaurant. An Italian, an Asia, a Tex Mex, and an Indian restaurant. We dined at all of them (but we couldn’t get a booking at the Indian) and were impressed by all of them.
Our room (the family room) was spacious with a large balcony overlooking the main pool and a small kitchenette. Overall, I’d highly recommend this hotel for families visiting Mallorca. We paid around €200 per night, all-inclusive!
Some other great hotels in Mallorca, include:
In Palma:
We highly recommend Helios Mallorca in nearby Can Pastillo. It scores an impressive 9/10 on booking.com and offers guests an indoor and outdoor pool. As well as other fun facilities like a mini golf course. It’s located next to Palma Aquarium and so as you can guess it’s very popular with families. We stayed here when we spent a day in Palma recently and really rate it. It’s very reasonably priced for Palma, too – with rates at €125 per night.
In Cala d’Or:
We loved Hotel d’Or this 3-star hotel is just 8 minutes from the beach. It’s a smaller hotel with a great lovely outdoor pool. The rooms here are light-filled and spacious. Rooms start from €110 a night.
In Cala Domingos:
And one of the most stunning family-friendly hotels in Mallorca is the Iberostar Cala Domingos on the Southeast of the island. And it’s less than a 20-minute drive from the hotel to the Drach Caves. The rooms here are set in bungalows and there are loads of kids activities on offer for free. There are not one but 3 swimming pools and the gorgeous Cala Domingos (with its bright turquoise waters) is within walking distance. Expect to pay around €200 per night here.
In Cala Ratjada:
For a couples escape, Petit Hotel Ses Rotges is the perfect choice in Cale Ratjada. It’s an adults-only hotel that’s set 500 meters from San Moll Beach. And the rooms are set within a restored 18th-century mansion with stunning gardens. The rooms are luxuriously rustic and feature a balcony (many overlook the lush gardens).
Why Rent a Car in Mallorca
We rented a car via Discover Cars for our week in Mallorca and it was a brilliant choice for us. As I said, we were staying out at Sa Coma and it enabled us to go on day trips to places like Poller, Palma, Cala Ratjada, and of course the Drach Caves. It cost us around €250 for the week for a 7-seater vehicle. That included fully comprehensive insurance and two car seats.
The cost of renting a car in Mallorca can be expensive. However, there are some ways you can save money. We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars. This is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.
You should always try to rent your vehicle from the airport as this is the cheapest option. As you would expect, hiring a car in the low tourist season months of November through March will be cheaper than if you book one in the height of summer.
Thanks for Reading!
In short, spending one week in Mallorca (note it’s sometimes spelled ‘Majorca’) is sure to be a memorable vacation. After all, this is one of the most popular destinations in Europe – attracting over 12 million tourists every year!
Tell me, how did you find our guide to one week in Mallorca? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comment section below.
I’ve also written a detailed blog post about elsewhere in Spain including 13 Best Things to Do in Lanzarote With Kids, how to spend 5 days in Lanzarote, and Visiting Lanzarote in off-season, I’d love it if you could check them out!
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Last Updated on January 28, 2025 by snaphappytravel