Itinerary
What to See in Mallorca in 3 Days
Palma on foot, the Serra de Tramuntana and the north of the island by car: 22 stops in three days
Three days is enough for the essentials: a full day in Palma on foot, another exploring the World Heritage villages of the Serra de Tramuntana, and a third in the north, from the walls of Alcúdia to the Formentor lighthouse. You will need a car for the second and third days.
Before you go
- Hire a car for days 2 and 3. You won't need it on the first day: Palma is best explored on foot.
- In summer, daytime car access to the Formentor lighthouse is restricted: there is a shuttle bus from Port de Pollença and Alcúdia.
- The mountain roads are winding and full of cyclists during peak season: drive carefully and don't count every minute.
- For your day in Palma, Tuesday to Saturday is best (Es Baluard is closed on Mondays, and the Mercat de l'Olivar on Sundays). Son Marroig and, from November to March, Chopin's cell are closed on Sundays: save Sunday for the north.
Day 1
Palma: The Cathedral, the Old Town and the Sea
The day at a glance
- 10:001. Mallorca Cathedral (La Seu)
- 11:302. Banys Àrabs and the Sa Calatrava Neighbourhood
- 12:153. Basílica de Sant Francesc
- 12:504. Plaça de Cort and Plaça Major
- 13:305. Mercat de l'Olivar
- 15:006. Modernism: Gran Hotel and Plaça del Mercat
- 15:457. Passeig del Born and Sa Llotja
- 16:308. Es Baluard
- At sunset9. Santa Catalina Neighbourhood
Day 1 · Morning
1. Mallorca Cathedral (La Seu)
Paid entry
Plaça de la Seu
10:00 · 1 h 15 min
Best to book a timed ticket
Gothic by the sea: Jaume I ordered its construction after conquering the island in 1229, and its main rose window is one of the largest in the Gothic world. Inside, you'll find two unexpected signatures: Gaudí, who renovated the presbytery in the early 20th century, and Miquel Barceló, who covered the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament in ceramics.
Tip: Arrive via the Parc de la Mar: the lake offers the classic photo of the cathedral above the city walls. Visiting hours change depending on the season and the day, so check the timetable on their website before you go. Next door is the Palau de l'Almudaina, the former royal palace.
Next stop: 6 min walk (0.4 km)
2. Banys Àrabs and the Sa Calatrava Neighbourhood
Streets free; Banys Àrabs, paid entry
Carrer de Can Serra, 7
11:30 · 40 min
Sa Calatrava is the oldest corner of Palma: narrow streets, courtyards and convents built right against the city wall. The Banys Àrabs are one of the few remaining traces of the Muslim Madina Mayurqa, featuring a domed room with horseshoe arches surrounded by a garden.
Tip: Climb up to the city wall via the Dalt Murada promenade to see the bay and the cathedral from above. The Banys Àrabs are small: 15 minutes is enough.
Next stop: 5 min walk (0.3 km)
3. Basílica de Sant Francesc
Paid entry
Plaça de Sant Francesc, 7
12:15 · 30 min
A 13th and 14th-century Gothic church with one of the most beautiful cloisters in the city. Inside is the tomb of Ramon Llull, the great Mallorcan thinker, and in the square stands the statue of Fray Junípero Serra, the friar from Petra who founded the California missions.
Tip: The cloister requires a ticket; the facade and the square are free to see. If you are short on time, just take a quick look at the cloister and move on.
Next stop: 5 min walk (0.3 km)
Day 1 · Midday
4. Plaça de Cort and Plaça Major
Free
Plaça de Cort
12:50 · 30 min
In Cort you will find the Town Hall, with its carved wooden eaves, and in front of it, a centuries-old olive tree with a twisted trunk that is one of the most photographed trees in Palma. Two minutes away, in Plaça Marquès del Palmer, Can Forteza Rey showcases the city's wildest Modernist architecture, featuring faces and a ceramic dragon. The arcaded Plaça Major is the classic traditional square.
Tip: Look up: on Colom and Jaume II streets, there are Modernist facades and glass-enclosed balconies on almost every corner.
Next stop: 9 min walk (0.7 km)
5. Mercat de l'Olivar
Free entry
Plaça de l'Olivar, 4
13:30 · 1 h 15 min
The largest market in Palma: fresh fish from the exchange, sobrasada, cheeses, ensaimadas and local island fruit. Its tapas bars are the simplest and most authentic place to eat in the centre.
Tip: Closed on Sundays. From Monday to Friday it opens from 7:00 to 14:30 (some stalls stay open in the afternoon), on Saturdays until 15:00, and the food court is open from Monday to Saturday until 16:00.
Next stop: 8 min walk (0.6 km)
Day 1 · Afternoon
6. Modernism: Gran Hotel and Plaça del Mercat
Free
Plaça de Weyler, 3
15:00 · 30 min
The Gran Hotel, designed by Domènech i Montaner (1903), was the island's first major luxury hotel and is now CaixaForum, hosting temporary exhibitions. Opposite, the Forn des Teatre retains its wooden facade, and in Plaça del Mercat you can see the twin houses of Can Casasayas, with their undulating facades.
Tip: From here, walk down La Rambla or Carrer de la Unió to the Born.
Next stop: 11 min walk (0.8 km)
7. Passeig del Born and Sa Llotja
Free
Plaça de la Llotja
15:45 · 45 min
The Born is Palma's living room: a promenade lined with plane trees, benches and mansions leading down to the sea. At the end stands Sa Llotja, the old 15th-century merchants' exchange designed by Guillem Sagrera: it features corner towers and, inside, spiral columns that open up like palm trees.
Tip: The interior of Sa Llotja is only open during exhibitions: if the doors are open, go inside. The surrounding neighbourhood is full of pedestrian streets perfect for a wander.
Next stop: 5 min walk (0.4 km)
8. Es Baluard
6 €
Plaça de la Porta de Santa Catalina, 10
16:30 · 1 h 15 min
Palma's contemporary art museum, housed inside a Renaissance bastion of the city wall. The collection features Miró, Picasso and Barceló, but the best part is the building itself: terraces over the bay with views of the Cathedral, the port and Bellver Castle.
Tip: Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00. On Fridays, it is pay-what-you-wish. In winter, at this time you will catch the sunset from the terraces.
Next stop: 9 min walk (0.7 km)
Day 1 · Sunset and night
9. Santa Catalina Neighbourhood
Free
Mercat de Santa Catalina
At sunset · As long as you like
The old fishermen and sailors' neighbourhood, just outside the city walls, is now the liveliest spot for dinner: streets of low houses, its market and, just a stone's throw away, the Es Jonquet windmills overlooking the port.
Tip: For dinner, the neighbourhood has everything within a few streets; book ahead if it is the weekend. The Es Jonquet windmills are five minutes away and offer great views of the port at night.
Day 2
Serra de Tramuntana: Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller
It is a 25-minute drive from Palma to Valldemossa. Afterwards, the coastal road (Ma-10) winds through pines and cliffs: it is very curvy, so expect to drive slowly.
The day at a glance
Day 2 · Morning
1. Royal Charterhouse of Valldemossa and Chopin's Cell
Chopin's Cell: 4 €
Plaça de la Cartoixa, Valldemossa
10:00 · 1 h 15 min
Frédéric Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838 to 1839 here, in cells of the old monastery that she wrote about in "A Winter in Majorca". The cell still has the Mallorcan piano he used to compose his preludes, and the garden offers views across the whole valley.
Tip: Chopin's cell and the Charterhouse museum require separate tickets. In November, the cell is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:30; it only opens on Sundays from April to October.
Next stop: 4 min walk (0.3 km)
2. The Streets of Valldemossa
Free
Carrer de la Rectoria, Valldemossa
11:30 · 45 min
Cobbled streets, potted plants at every door and stone houses with green shutters. Almost all the facades feature a tile of Santa Catalina Thomàs, the town's patron saint, whose birthplace can be seen on Carrer de la Rectoria.
Tip: Try a coca de patata, the town's traditional sweet pastry. If you are driving, leave your car in the car parks at the entrance: the centre is pedestrianised.
Next stop: 11 min drive (7.1 km)
3. Son Marroig and Sa Foradada
4 €
Carretera Ma-10, Deià
12:30 · 45 min
The former home of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, the nobleman who fell in love with this coastline in the 19th century. Its white marble pavilion looks out over Sa Foradada, a rocky peninsula with a huge hole: one of the island's most famous views.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday. If you just want the view, the pavilion and viewpoint are on the estate grounds; half an hour is more than enough.
Next stop: 6 min drive (3.7 km)
Day 2 · Midday
4. Deià
Free
Deià
13:30 · 1 h 30 min
A stone village clinging to the mountainside that has attracted writers and painters for a century. At the top are the church and the small cemetery where the poet Robert Graves is buried, overlooking the sea. His house, at the entrance to the village, is open to visitors.
Tip: Have lunch here and then walk up to the church: it is a five-minute uphill stroll. Cala Deià is down below, about a 30-minute walk along a path through olive groves.
Next stop: 16 min drive (11 km)
Day 2 · Afternoon
5. Sóller
Free
Plaça de la Constitució, Sóller
15:45 · 1 h
The valley of oranges. In the main square, the Sant Bartomeu Church and the Banco de Sóller boast modernist facades by Joan Rubió, a disciple of Gaudí. The wooden tram runs through the square and, just a short walk away, the historic train arrives from Palma.
Tip: Without a car, the Sóller train leaves from Palma and takes 1 hour; a single ticket costs 23 € (30 € return). In winter there are few departures a day: check the timetable on their website. Try an ice cream or some fresh orange juice from the valley.
Next stop: 9 min drive (5.4 km) or the historic tram from the square (10 € each way)
Day 2 · Sunset and night
6. Port de Sóller
Free
Passeig de Es Través, Port de Sóller
At sunset · As long as you like
An almost perfectly round bay, enclosed by mountains, with a waterfront promenade and fishing boats. At sunset, the sun dips below the mouth of the harbour.
Tip: For the best view, drive or walk up to the Cap Gros lighthouse, overlooking the harbour mouth. If you are heading back to Palma at night, the Sóller tunnel saves you driving over the mountain pass.
Day 3
The North: Alcúdia, Pollença and Formentor
It is a 50-minute drive from Palma to Alcúdia on the motorway. The day ends at Cape Formentor: check the note beforehand about car access during the summer.
The day at a glance
Day 3 · Morning
1. Alcúdia and its City Walls
Free
Porta del Moll, Alcúdia
9:30 · 1 h
An entire old town enclosed by 14th-century walls, featuring monumental gates and a walkable stretch of the battlements. Inside, cobbled streets with stately homes and the Church of Sant Jaume.
Tip: On Tuesday and Sunday mornings, there is a market in the town centre streets: a great atmosphere, but also more crowded. Park outside the walls.
Next stop: 11 min walk (0.8 km)
2. Pollentia, the Roman City
Paid entry
Avinguda dels Prínceps d'Espanya, Alcúdia
10:45 · 45 min
The remains of the island's main Roman city, founded in the 2nd century BC next to the Alcúdia walls: streets, houses, and a small theatre carved into the rock overlooking the bay.
Tip: Check opening times on their website: they change depending on the season. It is about a 10-minute walk from the walls.
Next stop: 17 min drive (12 km)
Day 3 · Midday
3. Pollença and the Calvari
Free
Carrer del Calvari, Pollença
12:00 · 1 h
From Plaça Major, a 365-step staircase lined with cypress trees climbs to a small chapel with views over the entire valley and Pollença Bay. Down below, the village preserves cobbled streets and a bridge of Roman origin.
Tip: On Sunday mornings, there is a market in Plaça Major. The climb is short but steep: take it easy and do not rush back down.
Next stop: 12 min drive (8.3 km)
4. Port de Pollença
Free
Passeig Voramar, Port de Pollença
13:30 · 1 h 15 min
A quiet, open bay with a pine-lined promenade along the water starting from the marina. The ideal spot for lunch before heading up to Formentor.
Tip: The Pine Walk, north of the port, is the prettiest stretch. If you visit in summer, the shuttle bus to Formentor departs from here.
Next stop: 8 min drive (5.8 km)
Day 3 · Afternoon
5. Mirador d'es Colomer
Free
Carretera Ma-2210, Pollença
15:15 · 30 min
Cliffs dropping over 200 metres into the sea, facing the Colomer islet. It is the first great viewpoint on the Formentor road and one of the most spectacular on the island.
Tip: Climb the stairs to the very top of the viewpoint. It is almost always windy: bring some warm clothing.
Next stop: 6 min drive (3.7 km)
6. Platja de Formentor
Free
Platja de Formentor
16:00 · 45 min
A long, narrow beach with pine trees reaching the sand and crystal-clear water, facing Pollença Bay. Next door is the Hotel Formentor, opened in 1929.
Tip: Out of season, it is almost empty and perfect for a stroll. In summer, it is best to arrive early: the car park fills up quickly.
Next stop: 15 min drive (11 km)
Day 3 · Sunset and night
7. Formentor Lighthouse
Free
Cap de Formentor
At sunset · 45 min
The road ends at the northernmost tip of the island, at an 1863 lighthouse over 200 metres above the sea. At sunset, the light falls over the mountains and the sea can be seen on both sides.
Tip: From 15 May to 18 October (2026 dates), between 10:00 and 22:00, the stretch to the lighthouse is closed to private cars, and the beach is only accessible while there is space in the car park. On these days, use the shuttle bus (line 334) from Port de Pollença or Alcúdia. Outside these dates, you can drive there.
If you have time to spare
- Coves del Drach. If you have an extra day, the Porto Cristo caves, with their underground lake and boat concert, are an hour from Palma. Timed entry: buy online. 18,50 €.
- Bellver Castle. One of the few circular Gothic castles in Europe, set in a forest above Palma, overlooking the entire bay. From October to March it is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 to 18:00, Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, and Monday mornings only. 4 €.
- Fundació Miró Mallorca. The studios where Joan Miró painted for his last thirty years, in Cala Major, 15 minutes from the centre. Closed on Mondays. 6 €; free on Saturdays.
- Alfabia Gardens. Moorish gardens with fountains, pergolas and ponds, on the road from Palma to Sóller. Open from 14 February to 31 October, daily from 9:30 to 18:30. 10 €.
More itineraries in Mallorca
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Banys Àrabs and the Sa Calatrava Neighbourhood (Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0); Basílica de Sant Francesc (José Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0); Plaça de Cort and Plaça Major (Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0); Mercat de l'Olivar (Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0); Modernism: Gran Hotel and Plaça del Mercat (Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passeig del Born and Sa Llotja (Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0); Es Baluard (Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0); Santa Catalina Neighbourhood (Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0); Royal Charterhouse of Valldemossa and Chopin's Cell (Abrget47j, CC BY-SA 3.0); The Streets of Valldemossa (Isiwal, CC BY-SA 4.0); Son Marroig and Sa Foradada (mateu mulet, CC BY 3.0); Deià (Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0); Sóller (Isiwal, CC BY-SA 4.0); Port de Sóller (Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0); Alcúdia and its City Walls (H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0); Pollentia, the Roman City (Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0); Pollença and the Calvari (Adam Loader, CC BY-SA 4.0); Port de Pollença (Defisch, CC BY-SA 3.0); Mirador d'es Colomer (Mirkaah, CC BY-SA 3.0); Platja de Formentor (HejaSverige!, CC BY-SA 3.0); Formentor Lighthouse (Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 de).