Cheap Holidays to Palma: When to Go and How to Save

Palma's shoulder season is long. It runs from February to April and again from September to December, and these are the months when cheap deals to Palma are easier to find than in the July and August peak. The trade-off is weather, and in Palma it is a gentle one. April averages around 20°C, October 24°C and November 19°C. Even January and February reach 15 to 16°C, which is comfortable for walking between the cathedral, the museums and the waterfront.

Autumn is the wetter half of the year. September has around ten rain days and October and November about nine each, so pack a light layer and plan a museum day or two. The Museu Fundació Juan March, the Museu de Mallorca and Es Baluard are all good for that. If you want warm, dry days on a shoulder budget, April is the sweet spot, and late May sits just outside it with 24°C and only seven rain days.

Palma itself is the main base here. It is a city of more than 430,000 people on the coast, with by far the largest choice of places to stay in this part of the island. More hotel stock means more competition, and with the airport so close the transfer is about as short as it gets in Spain. Staying central also saves on getting about, because the cathedral, La Almudaina, the Basilica of St. Michael and the Consolat de Mar are all within a short walk.

Marratxí lies around six miles inland and about seven minutes from the airport. It is a quieter, residential town, so it suits travellers who have car hire and don't mind trading a sea view for a short drive into the city. For most people booking cheap Palma city holidays, though, a central or waterfront address in Palma is the simpler and better-value choice.

The usual rules apply, and they work well for Palma. Midweek flights tend to cost less than weekend departures. Flying from a regional UK airport rather than a London one can make a difference, and booking well ahead of the school holidays helps, because family demand pushes prices up at half-term and through the summer. Self-catering apartments let you shop at local markets and eat out when you choose, rather than paying for every meal.

Package deals to Palma bundle the flight, hotel and transfer into one booking, often with a choice of room only, bed and breakfast or half board. On this page you can compare Palma holiday deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach side by side, alongside hotel prices, tours and tickets, and car hire. Many of Palma's best sights cost little to enjoy from the outside. A walk up to Bellver Castle, the seafront near the Portopí Lighthouse or a stroll round the old town costs nothing.

Palma de Mallorca airport (PMI) has direct flights from the United Kingdom and is about seven minutes by road from both Palma and Marratxí. On a package holiday the transfer is included and short, and if you prefer independence you can compare car hire at the airport here.

Palma also has a ferry port a little over a mile from the centre, and Alcúdia's port is around 27 miles away on the north of the island. Both are useful if you plan to combine your stay with island-hopping. For cheap breaks to Palma lasting a long weekend, though, flying straight into PMI is the quickest option.