Things to do in Majorca

Majorca beautiful beaches are the biggest attraction for many­ visitors. Majorca’s on the map as the location of ITV’s summer Love Island show. That youthful scene is alive and well on Palma beach, where chat-up lines are flexed as much as those well-oiled pecs. And as it’s close to the island’s international airport, you can be stripped off and lying on the sand within moments of touching down.

But don’t just stay in Palma, there are 262 beaches to choose from. Port d’Alcúdia (Puerto de Alcudia in Spanish), one of the biggest resorts in the north, has an immaculately maintained 10km arc of pine-studded golden sand. Cala Deià, to the west, has a pretty pebbly beach in a hoop-shaped cove, is a great place for a swim – the water is clean and cool, and there are beach bar-restaurants to refuel at too. Many Majorca excursions culminate on a beach, offering a perfect blend of nature walk and a refreshing environment with clear waters.

Some of the prettiest can be found also near the Cap de Formentor, where the idyllic sandy beaches, lapped by clear turquoise waters and backed by picturesque cliffs, make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven. The pretty, pine-shaded Platja de Formentor is a favourite spot for a picnic and offers splendid views across the bay.

Set in a broad valley, amidst groves of oranges, lemons, almonds and olives is the lovely little town of Sóller – a busy, prosperous place that claims, like several others, to have been the birthplace of Columbus. It is full of well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century mansions, and the main square, Plaça Sa Constitució, with numerous cafés, is a good place to sit and absorb the town’s character.

Like the main street, the Gran Via, it has Moderniste (Catalan Art Nouveau) flourishes, including the church of Sant Bartomeu, and the former Banco Central Hispano (now Banco Santander) on the opposite corner, whose exteriors were designed by a pupil of Antoni Gaudí.

Visitors to Sóller should consider a trip to Port de Sóller. Just a short tram ride away, the port offers a delightful contrast to Sóller's inland beauty with its beachside promenade, seafood restaurants, and opportunities for water sports and boat trips. The blend of mountain and sea, coupled with the area's authentic Mallorcan culture, makes the journey from Sóller to its port a must-do for any traveller seeking the full essence of this enchanting island.

The highlight of any trip to Majorca is a walk or drive across the stunning Serra De Tramuntana, the mountain range that forms the northern backbone of the island. A picturesque road winds through the cliff tops, with the coast on one side and terraces planted with fruit trees and olives and some delightful little villages on the other.

Along the road stands a succession of miradors, lookout points with commanding views of the entire coast, still crowned with ancient watchtowers from which lookouts once scanned the sea for pirate ships.

Standing proudly above Palma’s city walls, spectacular when illuminated at night, is the Cathedral, a must among the top things to do in Palma. Also known as La Seu, this is one of the finest Gothic churches in the whole of Spain. Begun in 1230 by Jaume I, on the site of the Great Mosque after the Christians recaptured the island from the Moors, it took nearly four centuries to complete.

It stands out for the beauty of its mediaeval architecture, flooded with kaleidoscopic shafts of light, and for the later additions made by no less a figure than Antoni Gaudí. Its imposing exterior, seemingly rising up from the water, is perpetually bathed in golden sunshine. Densely packed flying buttresses on the south front create an extraordinary effect, especially in the glow of the setting sun, when they are reflected in the lake of the Parc de la Mar below.

This island likes to party, as seen in its special penchant for festivals. Its annual multi-day music concert in May, Mallorca Live, has taken the Balearic Islands by storm in recent years.

Previous headliners include The Prodigy, Primal Scream and Jamiroquai, the international acts mixed in with local talent and a range of music genres.

If you want to attend the Mallorca Live festival but prefer to stay outside the city, we recommend checking out Santa Ponsa, a popular beach area nearby. Be sure to read our guide on things to do in Santa Ponsa.

Wine enthusiasts should definitely not miss the opportunity to experience wine tasting in Majorca. You’ll be spoilt for local vino here, as Majorca has around 60 vineyards. In recent years, lots of those wineries have started offering tours and tastings too.

Binissalem’s Bodega José Luis Ferrer is widely regarded as Majorca’s best red. Book ahead for an hour’s tasting (€11), which comes with local crackers and Mahon cheese. Though when you’re planning what to do in Majorca's winelands, you could always let Majorca Wine Tours do the organising for you – they run everything from a VIP Finca Experience to a bike-riding vineyard and tasting tour.

It’s not all about beaches and boozing here: the mountains, crisscrossed with roads and footpaths, camouflage a string of beguiling villages where life goes at a gentle pace.

Some say Estellencs is Majorca’s prettiest, where a huddle of old stone houses cling gingerly to steep, sea-facing slopes. Fornalutx is another jewel in Majorca’s crown: its location is knock-out, with honey-coloured stone houses set in a valley perfumed by orange and lemon groves. 

If you want to have an amazing trip, check out more Majorca tips created by locals that will help you make the most of your visit.

One of the quirkier things to do in Majorca is to hop on the rattly vintage train that winds its way over the mountains from Palma to Sóller. The line was completed in 1912 on the profits of the orange and lemon trade: the railway was built to transport the fruit to Palma.

These days, the 28km journey is a tourists’ delight. With narrow carriages that look like something from an Agatha Christie novel, the train threads upwards to spend five minutes tunnelling through the mountains, where the noisy engine and dimly lit carriages give the feel of a rollercoaster ride.

Beyond, out in the bright mountain air, are the steep valleys and craggy thousand-metre peaks at the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana.

A day at the oasis-like gardens of the Jardines de Alfabia is one of the best things to do in Majorca. The watered trellises and terraces dating back to green-fingered Moors. Brightly coloured flowers cascade over narrow terraces to the sound of gurgling watercourses, and at the end of the path lies a verdant jungle of palm trees, where bulrushes crowd in on a tiny pool of water lilies.

It’s an enchanting spot, especially on a hot summer’s day. Metres from the pool is the house, a modest hacienda with a wide veranda and high-ceilinged rooms. Inside is an eccentric mix of antiques and curios, including paintings of local bigwigs and exotic animals, most memorably a particularly odd-looking elephant.