I will be traveling to Mallorca for 3 full days as a side trip from Barcelona. I will be there with 2 other people (all in our mid-30's). We will be there from January 1 - 4. I have been reading some of the other posts to get some ideas of what to see, but am looking for MUST SEES and for hotel recommendations.

Right now we are flying into Palma de Mallorca on January 1 and were thinking of doing the following, but not sure how to work everything in...

Train to and/or from Palma to Soller
Tour Palma
Visit Valdemossa
Hiking (but not sure where)

Are there any suggestions on what we should definitely do and see in each of the places we're thinking of staying, or other MUST SEE places on the island that we have not included.

Also, if people have recommendations for hotels or restaurants, that would be great.

Thanks in advance Fodorites!!!

I'd also do the historic streetcar from Soller to Port de Soller.

I would get a rental car for one day and combine Valldemossa with a drive along the coastal highway through the Serra de Tramuntana (Valldemossa - Deia - Soller -Fornalutx - Sa Calobra- Lluc monastery)

Thank you for your suggestions. Would you recommend making a "base" in Palma and do day trips? Or should we plan to stay overnight in other locations? I'm not sure how far things are and if we should stay in one location and day trip for 3 days, or stay in various locations.

I agree with Cowboy1968 do take the tram from Soller to Puerto de Soller. A restaurant in Puerto de Soller that we really enjoyed during our holiday this summer was Lua:-
Lua
Santa Catalina 1
07108
Puerto de Sóller
Telephone: +34 971 634 745
Re hiking do have a look at the Sunflower guide to Majorca, think its called Landscapes of Majorca, for hiking ideas. Also by Sunflower is a fab little book called Walk and Eat in Majorca, has about 10 varied walks also hotel and restaurant recommendations in it. Thats how we found out about Lua! Enjoy.

if you write "mallorca" in the search field above.. you will get 100´s of posts with the same questions and LOTS of good travel suggestions for this island.

also google "best of mallorca" and

www.mallorcaonline.com

there are many fabulous converted 17th centruy farmhouses that are now rural hotels.

www.toprural.com is a good site for country places.

also, www.chicretreats.com

Hi - You definitely need a hire car to see the best of Majorca IMO.

Take a day for a leisurely drive up the west coast to Formentor peninsular - spectacular!

Steve

D'ont miss the Coves(caves) D'Andratx.Astinishing scenery.Rent a car and drive,the island is just 50 km long.An be prepared to not surpass 30 km/hr on many winding routes.

Thank you for the great information. Based on your feedback and other posts, I am thinking the following, and would love your input:

Make Palma our "home base".
Arrive Jan 1: Find hotel and tour around the city (any hotel reco's would be great)

Jan 2: Rent car and drive to Deia, Valdemossa and Soller. Take the tram to Port de Soller for dinner. Drive back to Palma.

Jan 3: Drive to Coves del Drac and Fronatix. Have dinner somewhere out there and then drive back to Palma.

Jan 4: Fly back to BCN at 10:30 am.

I would also like to see La Reserva, but have not been able to locate exactly where that is.

Do you think my planned agenda is do-able?? Do you think it's a good idea to stay in Palma and day trip? Do you have a hotel recommendation that would be a good central spot??

Thanks again for your continued help and suggestions.

Re: Palma as the base

After you have stayed in BCN, you might wish to stay out of town. Why not staying in a hotel on the west coast?

Distances do not matter that much.

For hiking: Hiking on Mallorca is not quite easy, because all the ground is private and you will face many gates and fences. But there is one very recommendable hike up to Castell d'Alaro. You hike up the moutain, and on top you find the ruins of a castle and an inn.

A short hike would start in Alaro, a longer hike in Orient (a picturesque little town with 50 houses and a restaurant that serves excellent suckling pig).

Make sure you take the coastal road to Valdemosa/Soller - rather than the inland route. The drive north from Andratx is beautiful ...

I'd also urge you to find time for the spectacular Cap de Formentor peninsular. Nearby Pollensa is also worth a visit.

Steve

You will get a better choice of restaurants in Soller than Port de Soller. The latter is more resorty and maybe largely closed down in January. Also Soller is just nicer - IMO

Diz01

You guys are awesome!! So, here's the revised plan:

Get rental car at aiport (assuming they'll have kiosks??). Drive along the coast to Soller and make Soller the base for 2 nights.

Jan 1: arrive at 4:30 pm and drive along the coast to Soller.

Jan 2: take the tram to Port de Soller. Drive to Deia, Valdemossa and Cap de Formentor. Eat dinner at Lau in Soller.

Jan 3: drive from Soller to Castell d'Alaro for hiking, then stop at Coves del Drac and Frontatix on the way back to Palma. Sleep in Palma as our flight out is at 10:30 am.

Does this itinerary sound reasonable and do-able??

The drive from Soller to Formentor is torture unless you go back to Palma to get on the motorway - you could stay on night in Pollensa -

Monnaber Nou is a great country house hotel in outside Pollensa - or try "the other mallorca"'s website - all their hotels are great Finca family run affairs.

ps the beaches on the SE corner of the island are beautiful and make for good walking in winter - we have been in February and it was 18oC.

Don't pass over Palma too quickly there is lots to see - in particular try to get the Bar Abaco - you will NEVER have seen anything like it - parrots fly round, there is fresh fruit everywhere and the drinks are served in goldfish bowls - a lifetime experience! think pirates of the carribean.

It doesn't look quite right to me.

Firstly there's no point in doing the coastal drive on the day you arrive. It'll be dark by the time you hit the road - you won't see anything

And - although I haven't actually visited the caves of Drach - that area is not the most scenic part of Majorca. Personally I'd drop it.

With only 2 full days your original idea of basing in Palma is probably best in winter IMO - especially with your late afternoon arrival and early morning departure.

If you want to spend a day sightseeing in Palma that leaves only one day to hire a car.

I'd recommend either:

Palma-Porta Pollensa-Formentor-Pollensa-Soller-Deia-Valdemosa -Palma ... OR

Palma-Peguera-Camp de Mar-Andratx-Valdemosa-Deia-Soller-Palma.

Both very scenic

Unless you sacrifice your sightseeing in Palma - and have a car for 2 days, you really don't have time to see the east of the island, I think.

Just my opinion ...

Steve

Steve - the first route ask a big ask in one day - but I would totally agree with the second.

Have you ever been to Colonia San Jordi on the SE tip ? - I only discovered it in February and have been back twice this year - there's an almost French feel to the port and the beaches either side are ranked amongst the best in Europe.

La Reserva is near Puigpunyent. We were there in early October. A visit consists of a walk, on fairly rough and steep paths, through woodland. There are animals and plants to see, waterfalls, etc. It was pleasant enough, but I am not sure I would choose if if I was only in Mallorca for 3 days.

The approach to La Reserva is along twisting narrow roads with many steep gradients.

We enjoyed a visit to La Granja near Esporles. It is an old farmstead with lots of interesting furniture and old agricultural and other implements. It is more easily accessible than La Reserva.

Towns we liked included Pollenca and Alcudia. These were the old towns, as opposed to the neighbouring ports.

Mark - You're right. Maybe the first one's too long - especially in winter with short daylight hours.

[We did it in summer (- excluding Valdemosa/Deia) returning from Soller].

But it seems a pity to miss Cap de Formentor ...

I'd probably have the car for 2 days and do the whole of the west coast - but that doesn't leave any time for Palma.

Colonia San Jordi sounds lovely - no I've never been. The nearest we got was Cala Llombards/ Cala Figuera en route to Cala d'Or.

Steve

Steve - I think thats what most people do - we have started to deal in property in the area - Cala Llombards is very profitable but not the most charismatic place. Its very easy to buy cheap 1970s villas spend a little on them to restyle them and sell on for a considerable profit even in todays market.

If you ever want a "The Beach" type adventure try Cala Varques. Its about 15 miles north of Cala D'Or - you have to park at the end of a farmers lane - go through a locked gate - yomp through a mile of heavily wooded paths and then come out of a beautiful deserted beach.

Have you been to Soller recently? - we have been to the island 3 times this year but haven't been over there for 4 years - I have heard that its becoming the Boden wearing(clothes) centre of the universe with lots of new restaurants and boutique hotels opeing - may try it in Feb 2008.

PS had anyone been to a bigger single terminal airport in the world than Palma - I have been to many bigger airports but they all seem to have 3 terminals - I have lost count of the number of times we have sat in Duty Free and let our flight be called only to remember that it is a 2 mile walk to the plane. Good footwear is required!