July 29 - August 9, 2022 (11D11N): When the office announced that we could work remotely during August, we decided to visit Mallorca as we had heard so much about this beautiful island. The setup was perfect as we enjoyed the beaches during the day and logged on between 3 pm and midnight to work the east coast hours. We visited Ibiza on the weekend, given it was a short flight away. Renting a car in Mallorca is a must so you can easily tour the island. While the island is best to be visited during the summer seasons, hikers will find many beautiful trails to enjoy without the crowds during the low season.

*Highly recommended food & hotel

^ A low T2K ratio is meant to represent a family-friendly beach with lots of kids

Day 1 (Palma de Mallorca):

• Afternoon arrival at PMI from JFK (via MAD)

• Taxi (~€20; 20 mins) or bus (€5pp; 30 mins) to Palma

• Check-in @ Hotel Almudaina*

• Welcome drinks @ SKYBAR at Hotel Almudaina

• Royal Palace of La Almudaina (€7 T-S 10-7 pm)

• 7-8:15 pm: Palma old town with Iberian Ham/Cheese & Wine from the Island; free walking tour*

  • La Rambla

  • Passeig des Born

  • Edifici Casasayas (Two symmetrical buildings inspired by the Art Nouveau movement)

  • Jardins de s’Hort del Rei

  • Sangria @ Café Maura

  • Garden of Royal Palace of La Almudaina

  • Cathedral of Palma (pic only)

  • Placa Major

  • Can Forteza Rey (Famous work of Gaudí, see photo below)

  • Dinner @ Lo DiVino*

Day 2 (Palma/Ibiza)

• Breakfast @ Mercat de L’Olivar (7 am-2:30 pm, closed Sunday)

• Casal Solleric (I visited when it was hosting an art exhibition; free, 10 am-8 pm)

• Llotja de Palma monument (free)

• Pic of the cathedral from Parque del Mar

• 1:20-2pm: Flight to Ibiza (Sala VIP Valldemossa Lounge*)

• Rental car @ Hertz

• Ibiza Town (Park @ Parking Es Pratet €0.04 per min during daytime)

• Ibiza Walled City (Dalt Vila):

  • Portal de ses Taules

  • Drinks/snack @ S’escalinata*

  • The wall full of famous Handprints

  • Cathedral of Ibiza

  • Beautiful view @ Mirador de la Muralla Dalt Vila

• Mercat vell (Small market right outside the walled city)

• Port d’Eivissa

• Check-in @ The Purple Hotel by Ibiza Feeling*

• Watch the sunset @ Puesta de sol:

  • Sunset drinks @ Café del Mar (Skip!! Overpriced drinks)

• Dinner @ Es Gerret*

• Party @ Pikes Hotel*

Day 3 (Ibiza)

• Cala Comete (Skip if you plan to visit Cala Escondida)

• Cala Escondida (Right next to Cala Comete; cute little cove; good for snorkeling)

• Cala Codolar (Skip if short on time)

• Cala d’Hort:

  • Lunch @ El Carmen* (Amazing fish stew)

• Drinks @ Ushuaia Beach Club

• Platja d’En Bossa (Good for jumping waves; skip if short on time)

• Cala Nova (Good for jumping waves)

• Shop & enjoy music @ Mercado Hippy Las Dalias* (Opens all year-round starting @ 7 pm; a must!)

  • Watermelon Cocktail @ the bar

• Dinner @ Bar Costa* (The best jamon sandwich; sit by the bar to skip the line)

• Ibiza Global Festival @ Platja de S’Arenal

Day 4 (Ibiza/Southern coast of Mallorca)

• 7:30am-8:10am: Flight to PMI

• Rental car @ Hertz

• Cala Pi Beach (For a nice view of the beach, turn left at the top of the stairs and walk about thirty meters; great for snorkeling)

• Patissiere Pomar (Known for the best Ensaimada on the island)

• Lunch @ Cassai gran Café in Ses Salines

• Check-in @ Hotel Monsuau* (Adults only! Get the half board that includes dinner buffet - delicious!)

• Swim @ Hotel Monsuau

• Dinner & live music @ Hotel Monsuau

Day 5 (Southern coast of Mallorca)

• Breakfast @ Hotel Monsuau

• Cala s’Almunia (Amazing snorkeling spot; get there early to find parking by the entrance)

• Calo del Moro (So pretty! Take the dirt path right at the top of the stairs leading to s’Almunia - see photo below)

• Platja Cala Llombards^ (Skip)

  • Mijotos @ Chiringuito Pure

• Cala Figuera (Picturesque fishing village):

  • Port

  • Cliff jumping @ Cala Figuera

• Swim @ Hotel Monsuau

• Dinner @ Hotel Monsuau

• Drinks @ Hotel Monsuau Sky Bar

Day 6 (Cala D’Or/Santanyi)

• Breakfast @ Hotel Monsuau

• Cala d’Or:

  • Marina d’Or

  • Cala Gran^ (Skip)

  • Cala Esmeralda^ (Skip)

• Cala Santanyi (drive through S’Alqueria Blanca)

  • Es Pontas viewpoint (Beautiful and quiet)

  • Drinks @ Hostal Playa

  • Cala Santanyi Beach (Decent snorkeling on the left side of the beach)

• Sanctuary of Sant Salvador

• Swim @ Hotel Monsuau

• Dinner @ Hotel Monsuau

Day 7 (Cala Ratjada/Pollenca)

• Breakfast @ Hotel Monsuau

• Drach Caves (Buy tix online for €16)

• Cala Ferrera^ (Skip)

• Cala Agulla (Great for snorkeling)

• Cala Molto (A must! You can reach here by walking from Cala Agulla, secluded and shallow water)

• Santuari de Sant Salvador (8am-6pm; free)

• Puerto de Pollenca

  • Plaza Miquel Capllonch

  • Drinks @ Cappuccino & Tecun*

  • Dinner @ Dhaka Express*

Day 8 (Formentor/Alcudia):

• Formentor:

  • Albercutx Watchtower (Park right below the hill and walk up; amazing views)

  • Mirador Es Colomer (Skip if you can make it to the Watchtower)

• Alcudia beach^ (Skip - too crowded)      

• Sa Canova Beach (Park on the streets by Platja de Son Serra de Marina, then walk from there; nudist beach)

• Pollenca:

  • Drinks @ Ca n’Olesa* (Great wine selections)

  • Placa Major

  • Shop for leather sandals @ Brechia

• Check-in @ Es Picarol Sineu* (Amazing hotel & hospitality; highly recommended)

• Alcudia Old Town (A charming walled city)

  • Placa De La Constitucio

  • Port d’Alcudia

  • Dinner @ Can punyetes* (Amazing razor clams)

  • Ice cream @ Dolcevita

  • Drinks @ La Previa (Decent cocktails but very slow services)

Day 9 (Santa Ponsa/Palma)

• Breakfast @ Es Picarol Sineu

• 10:30 am-5:30 pm: Boat rental from Embark (Our experience was just okay; you can also consider Seashore Boats Mallorca):

  • Club Nautic Santa Ponca

  • Mirador de less Illes Malgrats

  • Cala Fornells

  • Cala Noelia

  • Playa de Palmira

  • Platja de Tora

  • Cala Blanca

• Playa del Mago (Park at the top of the hill; high T2K ratio):

  • Drinks @ Ventuno Bar Italiano

• Dinner @ Bar Espana

• 10pm: Bath @ Hammam Al Andalus Banos Arabes

Day 10 (Serra de Tramuntana)

• Breakfast @ Es Picarol Sineu

• Sineu:

  • Placa de Sant Marc

• Scenic drive along the northern coast - Serra de Tramuntana

  • Nus de Sa Corbata/Coll dels reis (Admire the famous 8 Road)

  • Fornalutx (Known as the prettiest village in Spain)

  • Soller:

    • Plaça de la Constitució

    • Sant Bartomeu de Sóller (€1 entrance fee)

    • Lunch @ Sa Granja

  • Cool off @ Platja d’en Repic for a view of Port of Sóller (Low T2K ratio)

  • Cala Deià (Great for snorkeling; high T2K ratio; bring water shoes; super windy roads down to the beach)

  • Deià (UNESCO World Heritage Site):

    • Monument A William Waldren

    • Cimetiere Deia

    • Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (Go for the view)

    • Dinner @ Restaurant sa Vinya

  • Check-in @ La Posada del Marques*

Day 11

• Valldemossa (Get there by 10 am for parking - bring coins)

  • Breakfast @ Forn i Pastisseria Ca’n Molinas* (Try cabell d’àngel & sandwich)

  • Walk around town

• Wine tour & lunch @ Bodega Ribas* (Platter Selection 1711 - €46pp)

• Cala Banyalbufar* (Great for snorkeling; high T2K ratio; bring water shoes)

• Palma:

  • Dinner @ La Botana*

  • Ice cream @ Claudio

Day 12

• Morning flight to JFK via MAD (Sala VIP Formentor Lounge)

Other points of interest:

• Palma de Mallorca:

  • Visit the inside of Catedral de Mallorca (€9 regular M-S 10 am-5:15 pm or €20 with the tower; M-F 10 am-4:30 pm; or free on Sunday at 11:50 am before the mass starts)

  • Basilica de Sant Francesc

  • Sa Dragonera Natural Park (10 am-5 pm from April 1 to September 30 and from 10 am - 2:30 pm the rest of the year. Free Saturday, otherwise 1 euro; Ferry)

• Southern Coast of Mallorca:

  • Mercat Setmanal Santanyí (Opens Wednesday & Saturday)

  • Cuevas de Arta

• Formentor:

  • Hike @ Vall de Bóquer

• Serra de Tramuntana:

  • Jardins d'Alfàbia

  • Sa Calobra

  • Son Marroig

• Wineries in Mallorca:

  • Bodegas Macià Batle

  • Miquel Oliver Vinyes i Bodegues

• Ibiza:

  • Snorkeling @ Cala Xarraca

Other Food & Drinks:

• Ibiza:

  • Breakfast @ The Skinny Kitchen

• Palma

  • Burger @ Hamburgueseria Alaska

• Alcudia

  • Lunch @ Basico Gastrobar

Tips:

• Take advantage of Amex Centurion Loung and visit the speakeasy (1850) if flying out of JFK T4.

• Avoid withdrawing euros from the Mallorca airport. The ATMs there are operated by Euronet, which charges a very unfavorable exchange rate and fees.

• American rental car companies (i.e., Hertz) have a large fleet of vehicles at PMI.

• The big stores do not close during siesta, but small shops do close for siesta, usually between 1 pm - 4 pm; but all stores are closed on Sunday.

• Double-check for mask policy when boarding flights in Spain. Mask was required in August 2022.

• Pack your snorkeling gear for the beaches in Mallorca.