Palma de Mallorca - Fun island in the Balearic sea
The largest island of Spain lies in the Balearic Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean. Some call it Mallorca while others call it Majorca.
When a cruise ship sails toward the island of Mallorca, everyone rushes to the deck to admire the breathtaking sight of the Mallorca Cathedral, standing dramatically at the edge of the sea.
We didn’t arrive on the island by cruise ship—we flew in from Malaga. A cruise ship only docks for a few hours, and in that short time, it’s impossible to do justice to an island as diverse and rich as Mallorca. The views of the cathedral from the ship were described to us by a friend who had done a Mediterranean cruise last year. He spent a few hours strolling through the main areas of Palma before it was time to return to the ship. He and his family could only experience a very tiny part of this exotic island.
We, however, decided to spend four days here—and the best way to explore the island is by driving around. I had pre-booked a SUV and had to collect the car from the airport. There were quite a few people at the rental company ‘Record Go’ for the same thing so it took some time to do paperwork and get the vehicle. They did ask me for international driving license so luckily I had this with me.
While Palma de Mallorca is the capital and main city, the island is fairly large. From the airport, we drove straight to our hotel on the northern edge of the island, in a town called Alcudia. It was an hours drive and driving on the highway acclimatised me to driving on the right side of the road. There wasn’t a specific reason we chose Alcudia—some reviews had mentioned that the north was a beautiful part of the island, and luckily, that turned out to be true.
Mallorca is famous for its extensive sandy beaches and sheltered coves, attracting visitors with crystal-clear waters perfect for swimming and sunbathing. This is something similar to what we experienced and enjoyed at Algarve in Portugal. The island’s coastline offers high cliffs, Cuevas del Drach caves, and opportunities for sailing, catamaran rides and water sports. So we were going to spend 4 days on an island with beautiful beaches, rich history, beach & nightclubs and unique geological formations. As you drive around you realise that this place is going to be very different from Andalucía which we had just left behind. https://rohinarora.com/2025/07/04/andalusia-a-spanish-delight/
Alcudia & Pollentia
Hotel Moré in Alcudia was well located—just 3–4 km from Alcudia Beach, the Port of Alcudia, and the Port of Pollentia. Pollentia was especially charming, with a pleasant seaside promenade lined with shops and restaurants. There were plenty of places to swim and sunbathe as well. Water was too tempting and it was quite warm so I didn’t mind jumping in from the promenade itself while Devicka browsed through the shops. The next stop was Alcudia beach which had a considerable number of people. We had lunch there and once again I enjoyed swimming in the Mediterranean sea.
We visited all these places during the day, and in the evening, relaxed by our hotel’s pool. The hotel restaurant only served buffet dinners, but thankfully there was a fantastic restaurant nearby that attracted guests from several hotels in the area. Otherwise we would have had to go to the Old town for dinner. The old town was again a fortified township with shops, restaurants and narrow lanes. Quite a few tourists would come from other parts of the island as the fort and old town has special significance and is on tourist map. There had been many invasions so fortification of this northern part had become necessary just we had seen fortifications in other parts of coastal Spain.
Alcudia is a laid-back town. That’s why the young British tourists and partygoers usually head to the more vibrant beaches of Magaluf and Playa de Palma—areas known for their loud music, nightclubs, and buzzing bars that stay open until the early hours. I have specifically mentioned British tourists as flights from UK to Portugal and Spain are very cheap. Even in our hotel there were quite a few British tourists but they were not the nightclubbing types. Magaluf and Playa de Palma were quite far from Alcudia so we decided not to go there and enjoy the tranquility of this quiet North. We didn’t come across many Indian tourists here in Mallorca; most either visit Barcelona or are drawn to the party island of Ibiza.
Valldemossa and Deià
Frédéric Chopin, the renowned composer, and his lover, writer George Sand, famously spent a winter in Valldemossa in 1838–1839. Today, a museum dedicated to Chopin is located in this charming town, which we visited on a day trip. The main attraction here is a 13th century monastery which was originally a palace.
Valldemossa is about an hour’s drive from Alcudia and sits nestled in the mountains. The biggest challenge we faced was parking—after circling around several times and nearly giving up, we luckily found a spot just as we were about to leave. It was a Sunday morning so there was a farmers market in full flow. Much of the area is pedestrian only and you can stroll around or sit in one of the quaint cafes and have a drink. The town was absolutely lovely, with stunning views. I’m glad we got to spend time here.
After a leisurely lunch, we continued our drive further up into the mountains toward Deià. These mountains are the part of Serra de Tramuntana range which is very popular for hiking. By the time we arrived in the late afternoon, the town had quieted down for siesta, with only a few restaurants and art galleries open.
The road was steep and narrow, hugging the coastline, but the views of the rugged mountains and sparkling sea were so spectacular that I kept stopping the car wherever I could to soak it all in. I must confess that I was a bit nervous driving a biggish car on the narrow, winding and sloped roads. The homes in Deià were of the old world charm . The village overlooked the sea and it’s no surprise that Deià is considered the prettiest village in Mallorca.
The town has long attracted artists, writers, and other creative spirits, and is home to several art galleries. The most notable resident was the famous English writer Robert Graves. Acclaimed author Helen Walsh’s 2014 novel The Lemon Grove was also inspired by and set in Deià.
Palma – the city centre
We decided to spend our last day in Spain in Palma, the main city of Mallorca. This made sense not just because Palma is the island’s cultural and economic hub, but also because it’s very close to the airport—and we had an early morning flight to catch. I am always very nervous when I have to return the car on the last day. Our hotel ‘Innside by Melia Palma Centre’ was well located as you could walk to the main areas from there.
Palma was vibrant and full of life. A walk to the sea led us through a lively, pedestrian only street, lined with shops and restaurants. We spent an hour around the Cathedral and admiring its architecture and beauty. It really does have a great presence. The sea adds to its aura. The Cathedral and the Bellvar castle are the main attractions here. The markets are good to stroll around and there are some good restaurants and rooftop bars. Going to a rooftop bar with a view of the Mediterranean is something really special for people like us who live in landlocked cities.
Our Spain holiday came to an end and now it was time to move from warm Spain to the cooler climes of Scandinavia. Our next flight was to Copenhagen, capital of Denmark.
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