The scent of wild rosemary and pine mingles with salt-sprayed sea air as the Serra de Tramuntana rises from the shimmering Mediterranean. This is Mallorca, the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands and one of the most complete holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. It offers a combination of Blue Flag beaches, the dramatic limestone peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana (a UNESCO World heritage landscape), and the sophisticated capital of Palma, a city of Gothic architecture, excellent food, and a quality of life that has drawn artists, writers, and the international set since the 19th century. The island is big enough at 3,640 square kilometres, roughly the size of Kent, to escape the package-holiday resorts of the south coast and discover a landscape of ancient olive groves, medieval villages, and the most beautiful coves in the Balearics hidden along the east coast.
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Palma: The Gothic Capital by the Sea
Palma de Mallorca is the island’s cultural and commercial heart. The cathedral, La Seu, dominates the waterfront with its immense Gothic nave, built between 1229 and 1601 on the site of a Moorish mosque. Antoni Gaudí was commissioned to renovate the interior in 1904 and added the stunning wrought-iron baldachin above the altar. The cathedral’s rose window, the largest in the world at 11 meters in diameter, dates from 1370 and floods the interior with coloured light at midday. Entry costs 8 euros as of 2026. The Almudaina Palace next door, the former residence of the Moorish governors and later the Mallorcan kings, offers a glimpse into the island’s layered history for 7 euros. The narrow streets of the old town, La Lonja and El Born, are lined with boutique shops, tapas bars, and the Miro Foundation, which holds 6,000 works by the Mallorca-based artist Joan Miro.
The Serra de Tramuntana: A UNESCO Mountain Drive
The Ma-10 road through the Tramuntana mountains from Andratx to Pollenca is 111 kilometres of pure Mediterranean drama. Hairpin bends cling to cliffs that drop sheer to the sea. The views of the coastline and the mountains stay with you for a lifetime. Stop at Valldemossa, where the Carthusian monastery hosted Chopin and George Sand during the winter of 1838. The stone alleys, flower pots, and views of the valley are as beautiful as any village in Spain. Continue to Deia, the artists’ village where the poet Robert Graves lived for 56 years. His house, Ca n’Alluny, is now a museum dedicated to his life and work. Fornalutx, often named the most beautiful village in Spain, is a cluster of honey-coloured houses on a hillside of orange and lemon groves. Each of these villages deserves at least an hour of wandering.
The Beaches and Coves of the East Coast
The east coast of Mallorca hides the island’s most beautiful coves. Cala Mondrago is a natural park with two sandy beaches backed by pine forest and dunes. Cala Santanyi is famous for its white sand the colour of sugar, framed by limestone cliffs that shelter the cove from the wind. Cala Figuera is not a beach but a narrow fishing inlet lined with boathouses, and it serves the best lobster stew, caldereta de langosta, on the island. For a truly wild experience, hike to Cala Torta on the northeast coast, accessible only by a rough track or a 45-minute walk. The water here is the clearest on the island and the crowds are thin even in August.
Cap de Formentor and the Northern Coast
The road to Cap de Formentor, the northernmost point of Mallorca, clings to the cliff edge as it winds through tunnels carved from the rock. The lighthouse at the end stands 210 metres above the sea, with views across to Menorca on the clearest days. The road is narrow and the traffic in summer can be heavy, so arrive early or late in the day. The nearby town of Pollenca, set inland from the bay, has a stunning Roman bridge, a Sunday market that draws the entire north of the island, and the Calvari steps, 365 steps up to a 18th-century chapel with views over the entire bay.
Mallorcan Food and Wine
Mallorcan cuisine is a blend of Mediterranean ingredients and local traditions. Sobrassada, a cured sausage spreadable like pate, is the island’s most famous product. Tumbet is a vegetable dish of layered aubergine, potato, and red pepper in tomato sauce, similar to a Mediterranean ratatouille. The island produces excellent wines, particularly from the Binissalem DO region. Red wines from the Manto Negro grape are light and fruity, perfect with the local lamb or sobrasada. The olive oil from the Tramuntana, made from the native Mallorquina olive, is peppery and green. Visit a finca, a traditional Mallorcan farm, for a tasting. Most offer tours for around 15 euros per person.
Have you driven the Ma-10 through the Tramuntana, swum in the coves of the east coast, or found your own hidden Mallorcan corner? Share your Balearic discoveries in the comments below.
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