Mallorca in 5 Days: everything you need to know

Mallorca is synonymous with beaches, relaxation and summer. However, there are many tourists who set out to get to know Mallorca in 5 days and give all their time to the capital, Palma de Mallorca, a city with an immense cultural heritage. However, there are many other things to see and do on the island.

Therefore, in this guide to things to see and do in Mallorca in 5 days, I propose a tour of the best places on the island. You will be able to see everything from monuments to paradisiacal beaches, passing through beautiful and charming villages.

The first stop in Majorca that I suggest is the capital of the island, Palma de Mallorca.

Despite the huge number of tourists, both national and foreign, that Palma welcomes every year, the city still preserves its Balearic spirit. This can be seen in its local architecture, with whitewashed houses and cobbled streets.

To visit the city, you can choose to hire one of the guided tours of Mallorca or do it on your own.

Get to know the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca

One of the most notable monuments in the city is the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca. It has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument and its origins date back almost a millennium.

Construction began in 1229, after King James I promised to pay homage to Saint Mary with a temple. Although construction began in that year, the truth is that it was not finished until 1601.

Since then, Palma Cathedral has undergone many remodelling works, some by great artists, including Gaudí. One of my favourite things about this Christian monument is the mural that adorns the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, created by the painter Miquel Barceló.

Also, if you travel to Mallorca in summer, you will be lucky enough to visit the terraces of the cathedral, which offer magical views of the city.

Visit the Royal Palace of the Almudaina

The Royal Palace of the Almudaina is located right next to the Cathedral, less than a minute's walk away. A different way to do this tour is with one of the Segway tours available in Mallorca.

Its geographical location by the sea is striking. It is a symbol of all the civilisations that have passed through and settled on the island. Traces of the Talayotic, Roman and, predominantly, Muslim periods come together to form its walls.

Inside, you can see the royal chambers, the great fireplace in the Salón Mayor and the kings' private baths. In addition, the famous changing of the guard of honour takes place every Saturday.

Another of the great attractions of this National Heritage site is undoubtedly the views it offers. The different terraces of the palace offer dreamlike panoramic views of the bay of Palma. The Almudaina gardens are also worth a visit.

Among them all, I would like to highlight the medieval garden of S'Hort del Rei. Strolling through its paths, you will feel as if a time machine has taken you back to another historical moment and you can perfectly imagine the king walking through the same place.

Discover Bellver Castle

Once you've seen Palma's two main monuments, you'll head a little further out of the city to see another of my favourite places: Bellver Castle, about 10 minutes' drive from the centre of Palma. You can also take bus line 4, in which case it will take you about half an hour. Another option is to use one of Mallorca's tourist buses.

It is an architectural jewel that looks like something out of a fairytale. It is located at the top of a hill once called Puig de la Mezquita. With more than 100 metres above the level of Palma and leafy pine trees providing shade, Bellver Castle is a must on your visit to Mallorca in 5 days.

Of all the areas that make up the castle, the parade ground is particularly noteworthy. Here you will find a tombstone that pays tribute to Alexandre Jaume i Rosello, the deputy who managed to ensure that the castle became municipal property and thanks to whom we can all visit it.

In addition to the parade ground, the chapel of San Marcos, patron saint of the castle, is also worth a visit. In this place, where wedding celebrations are still held today, you can see elements of its original architecture, such as the majolica tiles of the presbytery, which date from the 14th century, or the silk, silver and gold frontal from the 16th century.

Take a gastronomic tour of Mallorca

I want to end the first day in style by paying tribute to **Mallorca'**s gastronomy. The island stands out not only for its scenic and cultural heritage, but also for its culinary wealth. There are many Mallorcan dishes that will win over your palate.

For this reason, I recommend you take one of the best gastronomic tours of Mallorca. To get your mouth watering, I'll tell you about the sobrasada, the coca de Trampó or the Mallorcan-style roast suckling pig.

My advice is to avoid the typical junk food that is usually eaten on trips. Go to typical Mallorcan bars and restaurants and try typical Mallorcan dishes: cities and cultures are known and understood through the stomach.

After a visit to the main monumental sights, I would like to show you another of Mallorca's great treasures.

This time, the artist behind this place is nature itself. The Caves of Drach are located in Manacor, a fishing village that stands out on the island for its great beauty.

You can get to Manacor either by private vehicle or public transport, although perhaps the most convenient way is to hire a day trip in Mallorca that includes the caves.

Surprise yourself with the Caves of Drach

The Caves of Drach have a route of no more and no less than 1000 metres. As you enter this place, you will be able to let your imagination run wild, making sense of the different natural formations you come across along the way.

As you look up, you will see how the stalactites and stalagmites seem to fall on you, as if they were petrified rain. Between the different caves and their compartments, water flows through the caves to form various lakes, which give the place a more magical feel.

One of them is Lake Martel, which ranks as one of the longest underground lakes in the world, at 100 metres long and 27 metres deep. Classical music concerts are held at Lake Martel, where musicians travel across the water in small wooden boats.

In order to enjoy the full experience, I recommend that you hire a guided tour of the Drach Caves in which every single detail of interest in the caves is explained to you.

Visit Manacor

To get from Cuevas del Drach to Manacor, it only takes about 20 minutes by car. There are also different bus routes, which combine lines 424 and 401.

Manacor's importance is reflected, if not more so, in its size: it is the second largest town in Mallorca, second only to Palma. Manacor has an incredible tourist attraction, given its cultural heritage.

For this reason, I recommend that you take advantage of one of the days of your trip to get lost in its streets and stumble upon its different treasures as you go. However, there are a few monuments that I would like to highlight, as they are the most important.

Firstly, you cannot miss the parish church of Mare de Déu dels Dolors de Manacor, a neo-Gothic cathedral dating from the 19th century.

If you visit on a Monday, you will have the opportunity to browse the street market that is held outside the cathedral. On the other hand, another must-see in Manacor is the Museu D'historia, which has been declared a monument. The building in which the museum is located dates back to the Arab period, something that can be easily perceived in its architecture.

Discover the Museo de Nadal

In Manacor you can also visit the Nadal Museum, where you will find an exhibition with all the trophies that the tennis player has received throughout his sporting career.

As if that wasn't enough, the museum allows you to compete virtually with great international sportsmen, as well as having fun with interactive games.

As you will have seen, the beauty of Mallorca is by no means limited to Palma. Therefore, my recommendation is that you spend one day in the island's capital and spend the rest of your trip discovering the treasures scattered throughout the length and breadth of Mallorca.

Since it is impossible to see the whole of Mallorca in 5 days, I will point out two of the most beautiful villages: Valldemossa and Pollença.

Valldemossa

Valldemossa is about an hour's drive from Manacor. This village is located in the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range and stands out both for its wonderful geographical location and for the cultural richness of its historic centre.

Among the best places in the municipality is the port of Sa Marina, where you can take a dip, contemplate the boats in the harbour or eat at Es Port, one of the best restaurants on the island.

It is also advisable to take advantage of your visit to Valldemossa to visit the Real Cartuja (Royal Charterhouse), located in the centre of the municipality.

Pollença

From Alcudia to this municipality there is a distance of approximately 20 minutes by car. There are also good bus connections.

Moreover, Pollença is very close to Alcudia, so you can visit both on the same day.

As it was once the Roman capital of the Balearic Islands, Pollença has many archaeological remains, such as the Roman bridge. There are also many other monuments in the municipality. Of all of them, I recommend El Calvario, although you will have to climb a total of 365 steps to reach it.

Enjoy a unique sunset at the Cape of Formentor

In Pollença you will find the Cape of Formentor, one of the most beautiful places in the whole of Mallorca. It is home to the Faro de Formentor lighthouse, which stands at an altitude of 200 metres.

Of course, you can't miss the beach in the area, with crystal-clear waters and fine sand. You will love watching the sunset in this part of the island.

Dinner in Sa Pobla

Finally, end your day with a Balearic-style dinner in Sa Pobla. This municipality is an 18-minute drive from Pollença.

If you prefer to use public transport, you can also travel from one town to the other by bus, which will take you no more than half an hour. As for the most recommended restaurants in Sa Pobla, there is the Menestralia and the Mare Nostrum.

Alcudia is another of the most beautiful villages in Mallorca and is only a 10 minute drive from Polleça. The Natural Park of S'Albufera belongs to the bay of Alcudia, which I mentioned in the previous point.

It is the largest wetland area in the Balearic Islands, with a total surface area of 1,650 hectares. The S'Albufera Natural Park runs through the municipalities of Sa Pobla and Muro and is considered a Wetland of International Importance.

Alcudia

Your first stop will be Alcudia. Whether you are coming from Manacor or Palma, it will take you about 50 minutes by car. As far as Alcudia is concerned, this town is renowned throughout the island for its wonderful beaches. It is located in the north of Mallorca and offers a trip back in time thanks to its medieval aroma.

You cannot miss its old town, which stretches through winding cobbled streets. Here you can see the ancient walls of the town, as well as the main monuments.

Also of interest is Pollentia, an ancient Roman city and archaeological site.

Lose yourself in the nature of S'Albufera Park

From Alcudia to the park of S'Albufera, it will only take you 15 minutes by car. If you don't have a private vehicle, you can go by bus. In the latter case, the journey takes approximately 25 minutes.

To gain access to the park, you have to register as a visitor at the reception desk on arrival. Here you will be given a series of rules for the care and preservation of this natural space.

You can also ask for information about the different itineraries available in the area. For the moment, there are four routes:

• Route des Colombars
• Sa Roca route
• Enmig - Ses Puntes route
• Cibolllar route

Depending on the time you are going to dedicate to your visit, you will have to choose one route or another. All of them have their own particular charm, but some are shorter than others. For example, the d'Enmig - Ses Puntes route is the longest of them all and will take you a morning.

Dinner by the S'Albufera park

End the day in style with dinner next to S'Albufera park, in one of the restaurants in the area.

My recommendation is Figueret Restaurant, which specialises in Mediterranean cuisine. If you're more into modern cuisine, opt for Fusion19, one of the best sushi places on the island.

Another of Mallorca's best natural areas is the Cabrera National Park, which is located in the south of the island. It is an archipelago made up of a total of three islands and fifteen islets, among which the island of Cabrera stands out.

The whole archipelago has been awarded the title of National Park because of its rich ecosystems and because it has one of the best-preserved seabeds in the whole of the Mediterranean Sea.

Visit the Cabrera National Park

To get to Cabrera, you will have to hire one of the best boat trips in Mallorca, which usually takes a little over half an hour.

Depending on how much time you have set aside for the park in your travel itinerary, you can either see the castle and walk around it or tour the island and get to know it in depth.

My recommendation is to choose the second option, which will take you a morning. The reality is that Cabrera has a lot to offer, from museums to cemeteries and archaeological sites.

You will also find a bar where you can rest and stop for a drink in the port of Es Port. As for the castle, this fortress dates back to the 14th century and was once of great strategic importance.

Given its functionality, the castle has been destroyed on several occasions, so what you will see of it today are only the ruins. However, if you climb to the highest part of the castle, you will be amazed by the views of the island.

Lose yourself in the island's beaches and coves

Among all the beaches and coves of Mallorca, there are some that stand out for their breathtaking beauty. Since you are in Colonia de Sant Jordi, the starting point and destination of your excursion to Cabrera, I would like to highlight two beaches in particular: S'Amarador and d'es Trenc. The former is half an hour's drive from Sant Jordi and the latter is less than 15 minutes away.

S**'Amarador** is a cove that belongs to the Mondragó Natural Park. If you are travelling with the whole family to the island and are looking for things to do with children in Mallorca, this is one of the best.

The cove stands out for the tranquillity it offers and has a wide shore where the little ones can play in complete safety. If you still have time and desire, head for the beach of Es Trenc, an idyllic beach that belongs to the natural area of Es Salobrar.