As the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Mallorca is not a place you can cover in one day and with its laid-back character and calm calas, that’s not exactly something most vacationing there aspire to do. But with Mallorca’s long, fascinating history, darling towns and scenic roads, you’d be missing out without at least one day trip around the island. It’s hard to pull yourself away from a view teal seas and white sands, but we promise, it’ll be worth it once you see these four island locations.
Inca Market
In operation since the 13th century, every Thursday from 8:00AM – 1:30PM, hundreds of local artisans, farmers and more open up shop in the streets of Inca. The town of Inca is the third largest on Mallorca and is known for its leather. Handmade leather purses, coats and more dominate the market, but you can find everything from dried chili’s, to soaps to knock-off Rolexes here. Walking through the tiny, alley ways and streets, live music gives you a beat to keep you shopping. It’s a great place to work on your Spanish and your bargaining skills. It’s not exactly known for its made-to-order food stalls, so grab lunch or breakfast at a cafe before diving in.
Valldemossa
Driving along the hill of Mallorca’s Tramuntana range, it feels as though a veil of green shrubbery is lifted to reveal this town in the hills. Blond stone homes with green shutters layer the side of these hills as you make your way to the town center. The town’s most famous resident in history is Frederic Chopin who spent the winter of 1839 with his lover at the town’s The Royal Carthusian Monastery. On top of amazing architecture, museums and buildings, Valldemossa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a lot to see and do in this island town, but we recommend making your way to to the Village Square to sit at one of its local cafes and take it this surreal place. Walking along the town’s cobblestone streets, it’s easy to drift away to a different time and place.
Deia
We know Deia is often referred to in addition to the nearby Valldemossa and that they two towns offer a similar atmosphere and style, but there is something special, something out of reach in Deia Mallorcan vacations cannot miss. Though we would not consider Valldemossa touristy, Deia is definitely off any tourist route you might come by in Spain and that may be why the likes of Richard Branson like to retreat here. The town is known for the many artists who have lived there from Robert Graves to Mick Jagger. Walking up its quiet, stony streets and stumbling upon a lemonade and tea stand where the fruits and spices have been served by the same family for centuries, you really start to feel like you are apart of something special.
Cala Mondrago
Pretty much every visitor to Mallorca finds a Cala to call their own during the duration of their stay on the island, but every one of those people set aside a special day to visit Cala Mondrago. The National Park curves around to offer two sandy beaches for its many visitors and its rocky borders allow people to go exploring long emerald seas. It’s easy to spend all day here and with a tapas restaurant as well as a kiosk bar located right on the beach here, there really is no reason to leave.
Stretching across the island on a tour like this is a full day experience, so set aside at least eight hours for it. Beyond land, we recommend renting a boat and discovering new coves on your own, some of which you might not be able to reach on land.
Have you been to Mallorca, share the places you recommend visiting below. We’d love to hear from you!
Cala Mondrago photo courtesy of Viagallica.