5 Travel Tips for Traveling to Majorca, Spain (LifetimeTravels Blogger)
1. Plan to spend 4-5 days out here!Let’s start with actually planning the trip. For my friends and I, we originally were only going to spend 2-3 days there and thank god we didn’t. Although this destination may seem smaller on a map, there are several things you must explore while taking the 2-3 flights it takes to get out here. For example, my group traveled all the way from the northernmost point of the island while we were actually staying in a hotel at the southernmost point. Having the extended time gave us a chance to explore everything we wanted to carefree instead of rushing through these moments. The best thing I recommend doing is planning day trips for each day you are there. For example, if you are wanting to go visit Soller, then take a day trip to Northern Majorca and truly take the time to experience the culture.
2. Rent a car to see the best viewsPersonally, for me, renting a car was the only option on this adventure. My two friends in agreeance of course. Mallorca is A LOT bigger than you think it is and by renting a car, we were able to visit destinations like Soller and the rocky beaches of Santanyi. Definitely worth it in my mind. Getting the opportunity to see the clear blue waters of this beach was priceless in the experience. However, I do recommend booking this far in advance and not just hoping there is a car available when you get to the airport. Honestly, this was all of ours first time in Europe, so we had ZERO clue how busy these small airports were about to be. Therefore, every well known rental car company was, well you guessed it, completely and utterly booked. The only options we really had were to go through a 3rd party company or test our luck in one of the “sketchier” companies to say the least. But, we got through it and got a nice SUV for our travels around the island. Now, if this ends up being you at the airport, I definitely recommend taking pictures (with time stamps) of the car prior to even touching or getting in it. This way you have clear proof that any “damage” the company tries to pin on you is completely false. But, overall, even renting from one of these smaller companies wasn’t terrible, just not something I would do again on my next adventure out there.
3. If you are going ANYTIME besides the summer, pack some warmer clothes! Something my friends and I definitely enjoyed doing on our visit to Mallorca was the Catamaran boat tours, especially since none of us had been on one prior to going on this trip. This tour left out of the dock in the city of Palma and stopped at 2 different destinations in the Mediterranean sea with a chance to utilize paddle boards provided on the ship. This gave us the opportunity to explore the nearby caves at each docking point. Although, something I think the 3 of us regret was going in September because the water was much colder than you’d expect from a coastal town. This, in addition to the strong winds during the actual boat ride and you are pretty much asking to be miserable on the hour ride it takes to get back to Palma. So if you are planning on going anytime during the fall months, I HIGHLY recommend packing some warmer clothes to put back on once you get on the ship. And be prepared for that water to be COLD, it is definitely a shock when you first jump in, but the crystal clear views are so worth it.
4. Bring water shoes, or at least some very solid sandalsWhile this may be a slightly weird piece of advice to be giving, I 1000% regret not bringing some type of water shoe with me. The rocks on every beach we explored were very harsh on our feet, therefore our flimsy flip flops did NOT cut it. As you can see in the picture to the right, the rocks are super sharp and although they are pretty to look at, they’re not so pretty when they’re stabbing into the heel of your foot. So, just do yourself a favor and bring them, even though they take up space in your suitcase. And that is coming from someone who backpacked through Spain for 2 weeks with my friends, because even though those bags were filled to the brim, I still wish I would’ve taken out one less dress for some nicer shoes. Having them not only makes climbing up the rocks much easier after cliff jumping (which if you want to see me being a daredevil, I did put a few of my jumps up on my instagram, just click the handle at the top or on the home page!), but they also make just walking around and exploring a much more pleasant experience overall.
5. Take the tram in the small town of SollerOkay so maybe this one is more of a personal preference, but when you are in Soller, you will understand…trust me. The tram in this small little town is perfect for seeing some coastal views. If you’re looking for a mixture of beach, mountains and overall good vibes, then this is the place to be. Costing only 20 euros each, this 15 minute tram ride takes you through the local agricultural towns with views to die for. At the end of the ride, you find yourself in the Port de Soller which provides a number of opportunities for views of the Mediterranean coast, shopping at local small businesses and, my personal favorite part, gelato. While some people may ask, “Why not just walk between the towns"?”. I’d say, well for starters, you are not allowed to do so. This is simply because the route you would need to take would be rural and be invading on the local’s private property. And, like I said before, this trip has views of the mountains surrounding the town that take your breath away, and it gives you a moment to relax and put your feet up before starting yet another day full of adventures.So, while you may be reading this and think these 5 tips can’t be THAT helpful, just trust me they are. And of course, always remember to have fun. The locals on the island were very helpful in providing us more ideas for things to do AND they gave my friends and I the extra push we all needed to do some cliff jumping in Santanyi.
I hope you take these tips into consideration on your next trip to Majorca, Spain and always remember if you want to hear about something specific either from this adventure or my past/future ones, just fill out the information on the home page!