At 3,640 square kilometres, Mallorca is the biggest of the Ballearic islands in the Mediterranean. The stunning island receives around six million visitors a year from all over the globe who want to simply enjoy its sea, sun and sandy beaches. The northwest coast is dominated by the breathtaking Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, which is an expanse swarming with olive groves and pine woods. Mallorca’s east coast offers a seamlessly endless string of sandy bays and sunny beaches, which brought about many tourist developments and attracted mass tourism to the area. However, more recently Mallorca has reinvented itself by focusing on its private bays and hip hideaways.

Mallorca is renowned for its vibrant lifestyle and exciting nightlife, and offers a vast array of nightclubs and bars. Food caters for all taste buds and ranges from luxurious Spanish a la carte restaurants to a quick tapas.

With a population of nearly 782,000, half of which live in the capital city Palma de Mallorca, the buzzing island is also considered to be the busiest of the Ballearic islands even outside the holiday season. Mallorca’s famous caves are amongst the numerous attractions that draw in the visitors, while the islands’ dazzling scenery is perfect for cycling, hiking, sailing and any type of water sports. Its splendid marinas with its exquisite yachts and its abundance of splendour boats are second to none.

Getting there

Son Sant Joan airport is located around 8km from Palma de Mallorca and forms the key entry point to Mallorca. There are numerous flights daily from the UK and Germany. There are also a reasonable amount of direct flights from other major European cities. Those who prefer not to fly can reach the island by sea. There are daily ferries between Palma and the ports of Dénia, Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza, and Mahon.

Getting around

The bus system is effective and timely, and ties Palma to all the main towns in Mallorca. The majority of buses out of Palma depart from the Placa d’Espanya with timetables readily available from the tourist information office. Taxis are reasonably priced within Palma but are steep if taken over longer distances. Mallorca has two railway lines which connect Palma to Inca and Soller.

Local information

Language: Spanish and Mallorqui (a local dialect of Catalan)

Time: UTC +1 hour

Climate: Mallorca has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and wild winters. During July and August average temperatures peak at around 29 °C, while January and December see around 15°C. Snowfall in winter, although rare, can fall around the Tramuntana mountain area. July has the lowest rainfall at 8mm while October has the highest with a maximum of 76mm.

Currency: Euro

Tipping: Usually a tip of around 10 percent of the total bill is expected.

Duty free: For non EU nationals: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g tobacco. 1l of spirits if exceeding 22 percent volume or 2l of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 percent volume plus 2l of other wine. 250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract.

For EU nationals: 300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 75 cigars and 400g of tobacco. 1.5l exceeding 22 percent and 3l if up to 22 percent and 5l of wine. 375ml eau de toilette and 75g perfume. 1kg of coffee and 4kg of coffee extract.

Safety: Some pick-pocketing and other petty crimes are common on the island.

Laws: It is illegal to drive a moppet without a helmet in Mallorca, even over short distances, and if stopped by the police, a hefty fine will be payable.

Healthcare: Healthcare in Mallorca’s four state hospitals is of a good quality standard. EU citizens can receive free medical care with an EHIC card. Dentists are all private in Majorca and emergencies will incur a charge.

Socket type: Type C