Mallorca Itinerary: Perfect 5-Day & 7-Day Road Trip (2026)

Mallorca is bigger and more varied than most first-timers expect: a honey-stone capital in Palma, the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountains along the west coast, a string of beach towns in the north and east, hidden coves in the south, and a quiet green interior of vineyards and market towns. A good Mallorca itinerary strings these together as a self-drive road trip, and this guide works as a trip planner for both 5 days and one week, with a day-by-day plan you can match to your own dates.

We keep the driving sensible, cluster the sights by region, and flag where to book ahead. Below you will find the full 5-day itinerary, a 7-day version, and practical sections on where to base yourself, getting around, and the best time to go. For the bookable highlights along the way, we link to our dedicated guides, and for a broader list of ideas see our guide to the best things to do in Mallorca.

A week is the sweet spot for Mallorca. You keep the five-day route but slow it down, splitting the two big scenic drives across separate days and adding a dedicated southern beach day and an interior day of wine and markets. With seven days a two-base split (Palma or the south, then the north or Sóller) cuts the daily driving noticeably.

ℹ️ Days 1 to 5 mirror the five-day plan at a gentler pace; Days 6 and 7 are the additions. Swap the order to suit your base, and if you are staying in the north, run the Formentor and east-coast days first.

The extra days open up more of our guides: an interior Mallorca wine tour around Binissalem on Day 7, a hands-on cooking class for a rainy afternoon, or a snorkeling boat trip to the coves on your beach day.

Three days, or a long weekend, is enough for a taste of Mallorca if you focus. The trick is to pick two regions and skip the rest rather than trying to circle the whole island. Here is the short version we would run.

• Day 1: Palma. The cathedral, the old town, and the bay, easing in near the airport.
• Day 2: Serra de Tramuntana. The classic drive to Valldemossa, Deià, and Sóller, with the tram down to Port de Sóller.
• Day 3: pick one. Either the north for Cap de Formentor, the east for the Caves of Drach, or a southern beach day. Choose by what you most want to see, since there is not time for all three.

For a Mallorca long weekend, base in Palma the whole time; every option above is a comfortable day trip from the capital. If you can stretch to four days, add whichever of the Day 3 choices you had to skip.

Where you stay shapes how much you drive. Mallorca is compact, but the mountain and coastal roads are slow, so picking the right base (or two) matters more than the distance on the map. Here are the four areas we would choose between.

• Palma and the bay: The best all-round base, and our pick for a five-day trip. It is central, has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants, the easiest airport transfer, and quick access to the south and the west. Compare it with the alternatives in our Palma vs Sóller and Palma vs Alcúdia guides.
• Sóller and the Tramuntana: A beautiful mountain-and-citrus base for hikers and slow travelers, with the historic train to Palma and Port de Sóller on the doorstep. See Sóller vs Valldemossa if you are weighing the western villages.
• Alcúdia and Pollença (north): The best base for beaches and the north, with long sandy bays, an old walled town, and Cap de Formentor close by. Ideal for the second half of a seven-day split. Weighing northern towns? Compare Alcúdia vs Pollença.
• Santanyí and the east: Quiet, pretty, and closest to the Caves of Drach and the southeast coves, though further from Palma and the mountains.

For five days, we would keep one base in Palma. For seven, we would split: a few nights in or near Palma for the city and the west, then move north to Alcúdia or Pollença for the beaches, Formentor, and the east.

A rental car is the single thing that makes this itinerary work. The scenic drives, the mountain villages, the coves, and Cap de Formentor are all far easier with your own wheels, and distances between regions are short. Book your car early for summer, when demand is high.

• The Sóller train and tram: The historic wooden train from Palma to Sóller and the vintage tram down to Port de Sóller are an experience in themselves, and a good car-free way to reach the western valley.
• Sa Calobra road: The famous descent is around 13 kilometers of tight hairpins. Drive it early in the day to beat the tour buses and the heat, and take it slowly.
• Cap de Formentor: In peak summer, car access to the cape is restricted at busy times and a shuttle bus runs from Port de Pollença, so check the current rules before you set out.
• Parking in Palma: Use a car park or park outside the center and walk in; the old town is best explored on foot.

If you would rather not drive, you can still see a lot: a full-day Mallorca island tour covers the western highlights in one coach trip, and a Palma hop-on hop-off bus handles the capital. You would trade some flexibility, but a car-free version of this trip is doable.

Distances on Mallorca are short, but the mountain and coastal roads are slow, so plan by time rather than kilometers. These are the approximate drive times for the main legs of this itinerary.

ℹ️ Times are approximate and assume off-peak driving. Add a buffer in July and August, and on the Sa Calobra and Cap de Formentor roads, where traffic and hairpins slow you down.

Timing changes this trip more than anything else. Our pick is the shoulder season, when the weather is warm, the roads are quieter, and the mountain drives are at their best.

• April to June: Warm, green, and much quieter than summer, with wildflowers in the Tramuntana and comfortable driving. Late May and June are ideal all-rounders. See our Mallorca in May guide for a feel of spring.
• July and August: The hottest and busiest months, with peak prices and packed beaches and caves. Doable, but book everything ahead and start the drives early to beat the heat.
• September and October: Our favorite window: the sea is still warm, the crowds thin out, and the light is gorgeous. Our Mallorca in September guide has the details.
• November to March: Quiet and cool, with some coastal resorts closed, but Palma, the Tramuntana hikes, and the almond blossom in late winter are lovely and cheap.

How this itinerary changes in summer

In July and August, start the drives early to beat the heat and the coaches, book the Caves of Drach and any boat trips a few days ahead, and add more beach and swim time in the afternoons. Cap de Formentor may have car restrictions and a shuttle at busy times, so check before you go.

How this itinerary changes in winter

From November to March, lean into Palma, the Tramuntana hikes, and the villages rather than the beaches, since the sea is cold and some coastal resorts and boat trips close. Days are shorter, so trim the driving days, and enjoy the almond blossom and low prices in late winter.

Both lengths work; the difference is pace and how much of the island you reach. Here is how we would decide.

In short: five days is plenty for the island's greatest hits at a good clip, while seven days turns it into a proper holiday with time on the sand and less driving each day. If you can spare the week, we would take it.

A few stops on this route are worth booking ahead, especially in summer. These are the ones we would line up, each covered in its own guide.

• Palma Cathedral (La Seu): The island's landmark and the natural start to Day 1. Skip-the-line entry saves time in peak season.
• Caves of Drach: The east coast's star attraction, with a boat crossing and live music on the underground lake. Timed tickets sell out in summer, so book ahead.
• Catamaran cruise: A relaxed way to see the coast and reach coves like Sa Calobra from the water, with a swim stop.
• Mallorca wine tour: A great use of the interior day, tasting Binissalem reds and local whites at family bodegas.
• Mallorcan cooking class: A fun, weatherproof half-day for a rainy or beach-weary afternoon.
• Full-day island tour: The easiest car-free way to cover the western highlights in one trip.

A few things trip up first-time visitors more than anything else. Sidestep these and the trip runs far smoother.

• Staying somewhere different every night: Constant hotel changes eat your time and your evenings. Use one base for five days, or two for a week.
• Underestimating the mountain driving: The Tramuntana roads are slow and winding, so the map distance lies. Plan by drive time and start early.
• Visiting Sa Calobra at midday: The hairpin road and the cove are busiest and hottest in the middle of the day. Go first thing instead.
• Waiting to book Caves of Drach tickets: The popular slots sell out in summer, so reserve a day or two ahead.
• Driving into Palma's old town: It is a maze of narrow, restricted streets. Park on the edge and walk in.
• Trying to see the whole island in a day: Crisscrossing regions wastes hours in the car. Cluster each day by area.
• Only planning for peak summer: April to June and September to October are cooler, quieter, and better for the drives.

• Rent your car early: Cars sell out and prices climb in summer, so book as soon as your dates are set. Pick up at the airport to start driving straight away.
• Book the caves and boats ahead: The Caves of Drach and popular boat trips fill up in July and August; reserve a day or two in advance, especially the mid-morning slots.
• Drive the mountain roads early: Sa Calobra and the Tramuntana are quieter and cooler in the morning, before the coaches and the midday heat.
• Cluster by region: Keep each day's stops in one area (west, north, east, south) rather than crisscrossing the island, and you will spend far less time in the car.
• Pack for two climates: Beach gear for the coast, plus proper shoes and a layer for the mountains and the caves, which are cool inside.
• Eat on Spanish time: Lunch runs late and dinner later, so plan a big midday meal on driving days and book popular restaurants in the villages.
• Leave a buffer: The best moments here are often unplanned coves and viewpoints, so do not pack every hour. Build in slack, particularly on the Day 3 drives.