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What to see in Mallorca
Mallorca Attractions
Mallorca is a famous beach resort destination and the main attractions for many visitors are the lovely beaches and beautiful jewel-coloured water. Sun-worshippers will adore the endless stretches of coastline that feature fantastic beaches, with Palma Nova, Illetes, and Es Trenc, on the southeast coast being the most popular.
Mallorca is, however, also steeped in a rich and wonderful Mediterranean history and has some fascinating attractions that will appeal to all kinds of travellers and provide an intriguing insight into the history of the island.
Visitors will love the Catedral El Seo, Castell del Bellver and the Museo d'Art Espanyol Contemporani in Palma, while the Banys Arabs, the only surviving Moorish building in the city, is a fascinating attraction.
History buffs should take a trip to Santa Margalida, which boasts more than 150 archaeological sites, to visit the Son Real Necropolis, where Phoenicians were buried from the Iran Age to Roman times. Fascinating historic towns like Valldemossa, Lluc, Pollensa, Arta and Alcudia leave tourists spoilt for choice.
Those looking for a taste of the outdoors as well as some history will love the Castell d'Alaro, Mallorca's most popular hiking trail, beginning from the town of Alaro and winding up to a ruined 15th-century castle and hilltop chapel and offering breathtaking views over the island and sea. The Mallorca Caves are also worth a visit for nature lovers, with impressive underground lakes, stalactites, and stalagmites.
Alcudia (Old Town)
The ancient town of Alcudia, not to be confused with the popular modern resort two miles (3km) to its south, has a fascinating and turbulent history. The Phoenicians and Greeks settled here…
Arta
An ancient hilltop town close to the east coast of Mallorca, Arta has been occupied for about 3,000 years and today welcomes visitors to the remains of its Bronze Age settlement. The ruins…
Banys Àrabs
The only surviving Moorish building in Palma is the bathhouse of Banys Àrabs, located in the city's medieval quarter. It contains an elegant horseshoe-arched dome chamber supported by 12 columns,…
Beaches near Palma
There are several good, though usually crowded, beaches accessible by bus from Palma. El Arenal, seven miles (11km) to the southeast of the city, attracts many German visitors to its waterfront restaurants,…
Castell d'Alaro
Mallorca's most popular hiking trail is the climb from the town of Alaro up to a ruined castle and hilltop chapel, which offers panoramic views of the sea and plains as far as Palma. From Alaro the…
Castell de Bellver
Built in the 14th century and surrounded by a double moat, this round hilltop castle was the summer residence of the kings of Mallorca. While once serving as a prison, it today contains Palma's Municipal…
La Seo Cathedral
Palma's magnificent Catalonian Gothic cathedral is a landmark of the city, standing in the old town overlooking the ocean. The cathedral is actually called the Cathedral of the Saviour (Catedral…
Palau de l'Almudaina
Opposite the cathedral in Palma stands an austere fortress palace that was erected by the Moors and later became the residence of the kings of Mallorca. The Moors built the fortress in 1281 and it…
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is a lively cosmopolitan city, its centre forming a bustling maze of shopping centres, narrow lanes, and restored buildings surrounded by ruined ancient city walls and modern boulevards.…
Pollensa
Situated in the hills towards the northeast of Mallorca, Pollensa is a peaceful old town that has been largely unaffected by tourism. It was established a few miles inland to protect against sudden…
Santuari de Lluc
About 20 miles (32km) beyond Soller, after a drive through the Serra de Tramuntana in the north of the island, is the remote mountain village of Lluc, in a valley that has been an important…
Soller
Soller is set in a lush valley of orange groves between the mountains and the sea halfway along the northwest coast of Mallorca. It's a popular daytrip destination because it can be reached…
Valldemossa
In 1838, Frederic Chopin arrived in the small town of Valldemossa with his lover, George Sand, to stay in a former monk's cell in the Cartoixa Reial monastery and carry on their affair away from the…
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