Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain: Resorts and When to Go

Majorca, Mallorca: whichever spelling you search, this is a large island with a coastline of very different resorts, and its capital, Palma, draws more interest than any of them. Every town covered here is on or near the coast, from the busy south-west around Calvià, a municipality of nearly 52,000 people, to smaller places such as Can Picafort and Cala Ratjada.

What surprises first-time visitors is how much history is packed in. The Roman site of Pollentia sits by Alcúdia, the Son Real necropolis and the Dolmen de Son Bauló de Dalt lie near Can Picafort, and Puig de Sa Morisca overlooks Santa Ponsa. If your list of Mallorca things to see runs beyond the beach, you will not run short.

The south-west is the quickest to reach: Palmanova, Magaluf, Santa Ponsa and Peguera line the coast west of Palma, with Andratx further along. Palmanova has Marineland Mallorca and the Castle of Bendinat close by, which makes it a natural pick for families wanting short transfers. Playa de Palma lies on the other side of the capital.

In the north, Alcúdia and Port de Pollença share a long bay. Alcúdia has its old town and Pollentia, while Port de Pollença is the base for the Far de Formentor lighthouse and the Bocchoris site; Pollença itself sits just inland. Can Picafort, further round, is close to several prehistoric sites.

The east coast suits those who like sightseeing between beach days. Cala Millor borders the protected headland of Punta de n'Amer, Porto Cristo has the caves and the beach at Cala Mendia, and Cala d'Or and Cala Ratjada complete the coast. On the west side, Sóller offers the Jardí Botànic de Sóller and the Can Prunera museum.

Measured in Palma, the temp in Majorca climbs from a 15°C high in January to 32°C in July and August, when rain almost disappears: July averages just two wet days. May (24°C) and June (29°C) are the best months, warm without the full heat of high summer.

For spring, the temp in Majorca in April reaches about 20°C by day and 12°C at night, good for walking and sightseeing rather than long sunbathing. Autumn holds its warmth: the temp in Majorca in October is around 24°C by day and 17°C at night, though September and October are the wettest months, with nine or ten rainy days each. Winter, from December to February, stays mild at 15°C to 17°C.

Palma de Mallorca (PMI) is the island's airport and has direct flights from the UK. Transfers to the south-west are short: about 15 minutes to Palmanova, 16 to Magaluf, 18 to Calvià and 20 to Santa Ponsa. Resorts in the north and east, such as Alcúdia, Cala Millor or Porto Cristo, take longer, so factor that into a short break.

Most British travellers book a package, meaning flight, hotel and transfer together, with the board basis chosen at booking, from self-catering to all-inclusive. Prices rise during UK school holidays, so families with flexible dates often look at late May or June. There are also ferry ports at Palma and Alcúdia, and Ciutadella on Menorca is within reach if you fancy a second island.

On this page you can compare package holidays from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach side by side, check hotel prices across the resorts, and look at car hire if you want to explore beyond your base.

For things to do in Majorca, the tours and tickets section covers activities across all twelve towns listed here, with more than a hundred categories to browse, from cave visits near Porto Cristo to days out from Alcúdia or Sóller. It is the simplest way to see what to do in Mallorca before you fly.