Illetas beach

Cala Comtessa: Surrounded by a pine forest, with fine white sand and transparent waters, this small cove is ideal for family tourism. Its right beside Es Fortí beach, which is shallow and has a rocky area, ideal for diving. The two islets facing the beach lend their name to the area. Its proximity to Palma allows for a day enjoying the sea without travelling too far from the island's interesting capital.
Very nearby lay the Riu Palace Bonanza Playa and Riu Bonanza Park hotels.

Playa de Palma beach

This fantastic beach stretches for 8 km. With its calm, shallow waters, it's a particularly safe place for young children to enjoy the sea. On the seafront promenade that runs parallel to the beach, you can take a stroll, cycle or simply sit down with a drink and enjoy the views of the bay of Palma. The area has all the necessary services for spending a fun day without having to go too far: bars, restaurants and a wide variety of watersports.
There are five RIU hotels in this area: Riu Bravo, Riu Concordia, Riu Festival, Riu Playa Park and Riu San Francisco.

East coast beaches

Cala Millor: This beach offers all kinds of services - no time for boredom here. In its shallow, tranquil waters you can go water skiing, sailing and canoeing and practise other water sports. On the promenade right behind the beach, you will find lively restaurants and bars. The Hotel Riu Playa Cala Millor is located on the seafront.

S´Estany d´en Mas: A beautiful cove, typical of this part of the island, narrow and with a deep inlet. Its crystalline waters are perfect for diving. In the rocky area on either side of the beach you can see plenty of fish and the odd octopus if you're lucky.
Towards the south there is a broad strip of unspoilt coast with deserted coves that you can discover on foot or by bicycle. It is very close to the famous Drac caves.
The ClubHotel Riu Romántica lies on the beachfront and offers privileged views.

Cala Domingos: This small beach is perfect for fun with the whole family. The small buildings, totally integrated into landscape, and the transparency of its waters make it an extremely pleasant place in which to pass the time. The pretty ClubHotel Riu Tropicana, set practically on the sand, will help you enjoy this delightful beauty spot.

Formentor beach

As well as being the most photographed beach on the island, it's probably the most beautiful. Surrounded by a dense pine wood that goes down to the edge of the sea, providing shade for bathers, it boasts waters of unrivalled quality. This is pure Mediterranean.

Es Trenc beach

A 3-km-long stretch of unspoilt sand, with transparent, shallow waters, this beach can stand alongside any of those in the Caribbean. The lush vegetation helps anchor the fragile dune ecosystem of the beach, which is the most important one in Mallorca. The southernmost tip is popular with nudists.

Palma old town

Its beautiful Mediterranean-style streets and buildings, which have been tastefully restored, are an invitation to stroll here. The town's architecture faithfully reflects its rich, varied cultural legacy:

Patios in stately homes: Most of the stately homes in the town have beautiful inner courtyards, or patios, with elegant staircases. Gothic, Baroque or Renaissance style, and nearly always decorated with many different kinds of plants, some of them are open to the public, and are well worth a visit.

The Cathedral: Also known as La Seu, this majestic 14th-century Gothic building overlooks the sea and dominates the old part of the city. Outstanding features on the inside are the 14 octagonal pillars standing 21 m high, 87 windows and 7 stained rose windows projecting light and colour into the spacious interior, giving it a magical atmosphere.

Cort: The seat of Palma City Council is remarkable for its spectacular Baroque façade. Just opposite, in Plaza Cort, there is a beautiful ancient olive tree with a trunk twisted and gnarled by the passage of time. The district between Cort and the cathedral is striking, with its elegant stately palaces.

Plaza Mayor: Very busy, with intense commercial activity, the square is surrounded by labyrinthine streets full of beautiful Mediterranean-style buildings. Very nearby are several of the city's most interesting modernist buildings.

Santa Catalina - Palma

This former fishermen's quarter has managed to preserve its sober, elegant Mediterranean-style buildings. The Es Jonquet area, with its one-storey houses and restored windmills, is one of the most picturesque parts of Palma.

Bellver castle in Palma

On top of a hill, surrounded by a beautiful Mediterranean wood, this singular and totally round castle presides over Palma and affords magnificent views of the city, the sea and the mountains.

Tramuntana mountain range

Spectacular mountain range with mountains that plummet down into the sea and beautiful stone villages perfectly integrated into the landscape.
The winding roads, lined with pine trees, ancient olive trees or holm-oaks, afford views that are considered by many to be the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. The range covers the whole of the west coast of the island and simply must be visited during your trip to Mallorca:

Estellencs: The steep, narrow cobbled streets of Estellencs descend to the sea and lead to a picturesque cove where a small torrent runs into the sea. The village is surrounded by lush woods of pine and olive trees and holm-oaks.

Banyalbufar: Built on the side of a mountain with impressive views of the sea, this village stands out for its stepped terraces containing flourishing vegetable and flower gardens, and the typical stone tanks used for storing water. The views of the sea from the Ses Animes viewpoint are magical.

Valldemossa: Plants and flowers decorate the stone-faced houses of this fascinating village. The monumental site of La Cartuja, the Carthusian monastery, where George Sand and Frederic Chopin stayed during the winter of 1838-1839, is one of the most visited places on the island. Chopin's piano is conserved in a small museum, along with portraits and letters that speak of the couple's stay on the island.

Deià: The road from Valldemossa to Deia, with its ancient olive trees and unbeatable views of the sea, is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the Mediterranean. From the viewpoint of the Son Marroig estate you will see how the silhouettes of the mountains appear to drop into the sea one after the other. The views from the ‘Na Foradada’ promontory are equally spectacular.
The village is remarkable for its beautiful stone houses and a heavenly cove dominated by enormous mountains and typical stone constructions.

Soller: A small town located in a valley covered with orange and olive trees. Its elegant bars and beautiful stately homes, some of which are Modernist in style, are the legacy of a prosperous era when the town was an important centre of commerce.
Very nearby are Biniaraix and Fornalutx, two stone hamlets with magical views of a green valley.

Sa Calobra: You can descend to the mouth of the Torrent de Pareis via one of the most beautiful roads on the island. The canyon, which has been carved out by the water, ends up in a spectacularly beautiful cove, dominated by immense rock formations. This place is unique indeed.

Cabo de Formentor headland

The headland of the north-western tip of the island has unbeatable scenery. The high cliffs, covered in pine woods, plunge abruptly down to the sea. On the road there are several obligatory stops where the beauty of the scenery means you simply have to take a photo. At the Formentor lighthouse, at the end of the road amongst imposing vertical cliff faces, you will have the feeling you are on the edge of the world.

Drac caves

Spectacular caves over 2.5 km in length with a maximum depth of 25 m. In Lake Martel, one of the longest subterranean lakes in the world, you can enjoy classical music concerts and boat trips on the waters of the cave-lake.

Walking

The island of Mallorca is well worth visiting on foot as it has a large variety of paths running through the mountains and along the coast:

Sierra de Tramuntana mountains: This beautiful route that goes from Soller to Fornalutx and Biniaraix passes through orange and olive groves. The walks, full of stone terraces, offer singularly beautiful panoramic views.
In the mountains you will find a great many other walks of varying levels of difficulty, enabling you to discover this wonder of nature.

Coastal walks: The Son Real route has important archaeological remains on the shores of a sea with intense tones of blue. Very close by there is a quiet, unspoilt beach where you can take a refreshing dip in crystalline waters.

In the Mondragó Natural Park you can walk along a long stretch of wild coastline surrounded by a dense Mediterranean pine forest, or discover a wetland that serves as a refuge for birds and reptiles, with a holm-oak grove containing an abundance of orchids.

Albufera de Alcudia: The walks here run amidst freshwater channels and lagoons which are the habitat of the largest number of migratory birds, amphibians and reptiles on the island. An oasis of tranquillity where you will be able to escape from all worldly noise.

Golf

Palma and surrounding area

Real Golf de Bendinat: 2 km from Illetas, with good views of the sea and the mountains of the Na Burguesa range.

Son Vida Golf: Close to the luxury residential area of the same name, set amongst beautiful hills covered in pine trees. Some holes afford beautiful views of the bay of Palma.

East coast

Son Servera Golf Club: You can admire the beautiful Mediterranean vegetation surrounding the course between swings.

Pula Golf: This internationally famous course is demanding and has hosted several professional tournaments.

Vall d’Or Golf: A beautiful course set amidst pine trees, olive trees and almond trees, with superb views of the sea. The gentle Mediterranean breezes will make it easier for you to forget any problems you may have with your swing.

Cycling

The best time for cycling here is outside the summer months, when the temperature is not so high. If you wish to cycle during the summer, we recommend you do so in the evening or the very early morning.

The Sierra de Tramuntana mountains will put even the most experienced cyclists to the test. But as well as being hard, the roads run through wonderful landscapes, and cycling is a good way of discovering them.

In the less well-known interior of the island, there are also cycling itineraries along picturesque roads lined with stone walls: Llucmajor, Sencelles, Pina, Algaida, etc. Here the routes are less demanding and the gradients are not so steep.

Specialities

Fish: Naturally, good fish and seafood are found in abundance on the island. We recommend the lobster casserole or the delicious dentex, dolphinfish and seabass.

Sopas mallorquinas: A simple, healthy dish based on fresh vegetables mixed with farmhouse bread, all lightly fried in a terracotta pan. Meat or fish may also be added to this dish.

Sobrasada: This pork-based potted meat, mixed with paprika, is one of the island's most famous products. The variety made using Mallorcan black pork is particularly outstanding.

Wines: The wine industry has undergone a renaissance over recent years. The villages in the interior of the island such as Binissalem, Consell or Santa Maria have a great wine-producing tradition and many cellars where wine can be purchased at reasonable prices.

Ensaimada: Sweet spiral-shaped cake, covered with icing sugar. There are many different varieties: large, small, with filling or plain, and they are usually eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

Hierbas: Aniseed liqueur made using country herbs. It comes in dry or sweet varieties.

Shopping

Palma: The elegant Jaime III avenue, with its arches and majestic buildings, contains a wide selection of fashion boutiques. The lively streets of Vía Sindicato and San Miguel are two very busy thoroughfares in the old town lined with all kinds of shops.

Inca: If you like leather articles, don't miss a trip to this town, where you will find jackets, trousers and elegant shoes, often at factory prices.

Manacor: Manacor is where artificial pearls, famous the world over for their beauty and quality, are manufactured.