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6 best places to stay in Mallorca without a car (2024)
Are you wondering about the best place to stay in Mallorca without a car so that you can make the most of your trip and see all the best sites without wasting too much time getting around? We got you!
Mallorca is one of the incredible Balearic Islands with beautiful beaches that is well connected to public transportation which makes it easy to get around! Caleb and I, Taylor, decided to determine if you really need a car in Mallorca by spending a few days with a car rental and without a car rental – solely getting around by public transportation. During our experiment, we also discovered the best places to stay if you don’t have a car and that is what we’re diving into today!
We think that the overall best places to stay without a car are Palma, Port Soller, Santanyi, or Valldemossa. In this travel guide, we’ll dive into why that is and we will also share a few other great places that we will break down based on what your ideal vacation style is as a couple. We’ll also share some places NOT to stay and things to consider before you make your final decision.
Let’s get right into it, shall we? Here’s a video showing the highlights of some of our recommendations!
From the author: We have personally visited Mallorca ourselves and have been to these locations while traveling around to determine the best place to stay for you. If you have questions, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you quickly!
The Too Long Didn’t Read Overview:
Here is an overview of the places that we recommend staying in Mallorca without a car based on the kind of vacation you want to have so you can make your best choice. We will go into details about each place below:
| Category | Recommended Location | Why Stay Here |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Palma | Closest to Palma airport, most historical sites, great food, lots of culture, and excellent public transportation. |
| Best for Beach Relaxation | Santanyi | Well connected to some of the best beaches on the south and southeast side of Mallorca. |
| Colonia De Sant Jordi | Also well connected to beautiful beaches without having to take a bus back to Palma. | |
| Best for Beach & Nightlife | Palma Nova | Known for its nightlife and large beach/resort areas, well connected to Palma. |
| Best for Village Exploration | Soller | Largest of the adorable village towns with many bus connections to other areas. |
| Port Soller | Also a great choice for exploring charming villages and nearby areas. | |
| Best for Couples Wanting Romance | Valldemossa | Well connected to beautiful villages, quieter, and more romantic than Soller. |
Here is a map of our main recommendations with some of the points of interest you would want to see to help you decide where to use as a base.
HOW TO READ THE MAP I CREATED:
-All the main bases are marked with a house icon and each is color-coded, if I gave two options.
-All the main points of interest are blue and they have start icons if they are something like a -village or historical site.
They have an umbrella icon if they are a beach!
Best Overall: Palma
The Vibe: City life with lots of bars, restaurants, shopping, and historical sights.
Best Months to go: April through June and September through October for fewer tourists. July and August for the hottest weather (and more tourists)
Airport Transfer Options: The A1 bus outside arrivals (around $8) or a taxi (around $30-$40)
Top Thing(s) To Do: Food Tour or Wine Tasting
Hotel Recommendations: Airbnb (Mid-budget), MHOUSE Boutique Hotel (Budget), Puro Grand Hotel (Luxury)
>> Or, click here to check out prices and photos of other places to stay in Palma <<
Palma has got to be our top pick for staying in Mallorca without a car. It might even be our top pick for staying in Mallorca period, even if you have a car. When we spent a few days in Mallorca without a car, we spent them in Palma and it was just as easy to get around without a car as Madrid is!
Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the island so it is the largest city and has so much to do and see with so much vibrant, Spanish culture! It’s also closest to the Palma airport and you can drink tap water there! Palma is where you will find all the best shopping (check out the Passeig De Born for shopping) as well as a beautiful old town, with incredible bars and restaurants like our favorite La Rosa Vermuteria.
Palma is the best place to stay without a car because it is well-connected to basically all the sites/cities that you will want to put on your Mallorca itinerary by public transportation. You can get around the city itself with the EMT bus line. Or, if you simply go to Palmas central bus station (Estacio Intermodal) which is located across from Plaça d’Espanya and right by the Antique train station, you can find buses to almost anywhere. Here you will likely be taking the TIB bus line that connects Palma with the other parts of the island.
PRO TIP:
The EMT bus lines around Palma do NOT take credit card. You need to pay in cash or get a bus card at the Estactio Intermodel. If you take the TIB bus lines around the island, you can pay by credit card. Just tap your credit card when you get on AND off the bus!
If you stay in another city or village on the island there is a good chance you may have to go back to Palma to connect to another bus and that is just a massive waste of time!
Best for Beach Relaxation: Santanyi or Colonia De Sant Jordi
The Vibe: Quiet, relaxing, and laid back with a little more romance than the beach options below.
Best months to go: May through the end of September for the best beach weather
Airport Transfer Options:
Santanyi: The A51 Bus >> 515 or 517 bus (around $15) or a taxi ($60-$75)
Colonia De Sant Jodi: The A51 Bus >> 517 bus (around $15)
Top Things To Do:
Santanyi: the Wednesday and Saturday market or Day trip to the cute fishing village, Cala Figuera
Hotel Recommendations:
Santanyi: Can Ferrereta (Mid budget), Cal Reiet Holistic Retreat (Luxury)
Colonia De Sant Jordi: Hotel Villa Chiquita (Mid Budget) Boutique Hostal Colonial (Budget), Fontsanta Hotel Thermal & Spa (Luxury)
Santanyi is one of our favorite little towns if you’re a couple who wants to get away from the mass tourism of Palma, don’t want to spend a ton of time in Palma, and really just want to spend the most time at the beach. Santanyi is a very quiet, low-key, and beautiful town, away from the resorts, that has incredible views and rock formations such as Es Pontas, which needs to be on your Mallorcan bucket list!
It also happens to be well connected by bus to many of some of the best beaches and coves in Mallorca such as Es Trenc, Cala Llombards, and Calo Des Moro, with only a short period spent on the bus. This means more time for you to turn into a Mallorcan lobster. Crispy!
>> Click here to check out all the options, prices and photos for hotels in Santanyi <<
Colonia De Sant Jordi is a great option for you beach bums who want to stay close the the beaches but want a little bit more to do when you’re not getting roasty-toasty. It’s a vibrant little resort town that is close to some amazing beaches such as the famous, beautiful sandy beach “Es Trenc” beach with its white sand and blue water. It’s bustling, especially during the summer months when you can find lots of bars and restaurants on its lively promenade.
>> Click here to check out all the options, prices and photos for hotels in Colonia De Sant Jordi <<
We will say that Santanyi is closer to more beaches by bus, so that would be our choice. But, Colonia De Sant Jordi is awesome for a little more to do. Either way, these are great options when choosing where to stay in Mallorca for best beaches! These probably aren’t so great if you’re visiting in colder months like February or the festive month of December on the island.
Best for Beach & Nightlife: Palma Nova
The Vibe: High energy, lots of partying and busyness
Best months to go: May through the end of September for the best beach weather
Airport Transfer Options: The A11 Bus We ($8ish) or a taxi ($50-$60)
Top Things To Do: Boat Trip to the Natural Reserve of Cabrera
Hotel Recommendations: Aparthotel Ponent Mar (Mid Budget) Playas Ca’s Saboners (Budget), FERGUS Style Tobago – Adults Only (Luxury)
We need to add this as a caveat: Palma Nova is known to be a place to party which is not our vibe. However, it might be yours so we want to make sure you have all the info.
Palma Nova is on the western side of the Bay of Palma and is a place solely for tourists. It has tons of beach resorts, bars, restaurants, and a beautiful promenade. It also has waterparks and even theme parks! I wasn’t lying when I said it was for tourists!
It definitely lacks the laid-back, romantic vibe of Colonia De Sant Jordi or Santanyi but, if you want to lay on the beach and be able to have a lot of nightlife, this is your spot.
Note: it is a short walk from its next-door neighbor, Magaluf, which we do not recommend staying. Magaluf is known to be full of the kind of tourists that call Mallorca, “Majorca” and is know to be the crazy kind of party vibe where you might have 20-year-olds puking on your flip-flops. No good.
If you do decide to leave Palma Nova, it is close to Palma via bus so it’s easy to get to the city center where all the buses to other parts of the island connect.
>> Click here to check out all the options, prices and reviews of hotels around Palma Nova <<
Best for Village Exploration: Soller/Port Soller
The Vibe: Relaxed and low-key with great restaurants and beautiful natural scenery and mountains
Best months to go: April through June and September through October for fewer tourists. July and August for the hottest weather (and more tourists)
Airport Transfer Options: The A1 Bus >> 204 Bus at the Intermodal station ($10ish) or a Taxi ($60ish)
Top Thing To Do: Ride the Antique Train from Port Soller to Soller Center (or vice versa).
Hotel Recommendations: Bikini Island & Mountain (Mid Budget) Hostel Soller (Budget) Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa (Luxury)
Soller and Port Soller is a gorgeous coastal town on the northwest coast of Mallorca, in the Tramuntana Mountain Range. The town itself is lively with lots of great bars and restaurants with streets to wander. Port Soller is the harbor of Soller and it has a beautiful promenade with cafes as well as a beach to relax at.
Pro Tip: You gotta check out Mr. McCoy Island ices for the best citrus ice cream and sorbet you will ever have in your life. I think we mention it in every single article we can because you just need it in your life. Strolling hand in hand with a cone might be the best thing to do as a couple in Mallorca!
Both Soller and Port Soller are highly touristy so there is a lot to do but it still has a more relaxed vibe than Palma or Palma Nova, but not AS quiet and relaxed as Santanyi or Colonia De Sant Jordi.
Soller/Port Soller is also well connected to public transport so it’s a great base if you want to really focus your time exploring the mountains or all the villages in the mountain such as Dei or Valldemossa.
>> Click here to check out all the options, prices and review for hotels in Soller <<
Best for Couples Wanting Romance: Valldemossa
The Vibe: Beautiful, dreamy streets to wander with gorgeous restaurants and paths to hike and explore
Best months to go: April through October
Airport Transfer Options: The A1 Bus >> 204 Bus at the Intermodal station ($10ish) or a Taxi ($60ish)
Top Thing To Do: Wander the streets and stop at the Pastelería Ca’n Molinas to try the famous Coca de patata (super fluffy potato bread, kinda like brioche!)
Hotel Recommendations: Hotel Sa Vall (Mid Budget) Fabulous Rustic Villa (Luxury)
Valldemossa is such a beautiful and magical little mountain town nestled in the heart of the Serra Tramuntana Mountain Range, A UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s got a great number of romantic restaurants and places to grab a glass of wine together. It’s got whimsical streets to wander down hand in hand. It’s also close to some great hiking trails if that is what you want to spend your time doing in Mallorca!
Valldemossa is relatively well connected to the other main villages and mountain towns in the north of the island, which makes it a great base for exploring this area. You may have to go through Soller to get to some of the villages which is why we have to say that Soller is slightly better connected.
While Soller does have a little bit of a romantic vibe it is much more touristy and busy than Valldemossa which is why we suggest Valldemossa as the best place to stay in Mallorca without a car for couples, if your focus is wanting to bring the romance. Oh la la!
>> Click here to check out all the options, including prices and photos, for hotels in Valldemossa <<
Places to Avoid in Mallorca If You Don’t Have a Car
This might be an unpopular opinion but Caleb and I agree that you should not be staying in the Northern part of the island if you do not have a car. We saw many others recommending staying in places like Alcúdia or Port de Pollença when we were researching our own Mallorca itinerary and we are SO glad that we did not listen (no offense to them!)
If you end up staying in the Northern part of the island, most of the buses to other parts of the island connect back through Palma, so you are going to waste so much time backtracking.
Plus, many of the buses only run once per hour, which is really going to limit the amount of freedom and flexibility you have. You will have to stay very very aware of your schedule and that could definitely take away from your vacation experience!
It’s also our personal opinion that the best beaches are on the south and southeast of the island and the must-see villages are on the west of the island. So, staying in the north doesn’t really make sense unless you really want to stay around the few villages and beaches in the north.
What to Consider When Choosing Where to Stay without a Car
Your budget
When deciding where you want to stay you really have to factor in your budget. I’ve shared some hotel recommendations here based on your budget and you can see that some areas do NOT have a budget-friendly option.
If you are on a strict budget you will likely want to stay in Palma as this has the most options for budget-friendly hotels and the easiest access to public transportation. Whereas, if you have a large budget, you may want to choose a less touristy area so you can make the most of your time together. Consider choosing one of the best times to go to Mallorca based off lower prices too!
How many days do you have
You also have to consider how many days you are spending in Mallorca when deciding where to use it as a base. If you only have a few days, we would not recommend you stay anywhere outside of Palma. Palma is the best connected by public transport and, if you’re on a time crunch, you don’t want to waste time getting from city to city.
You want to see the most things in the shortest amount of time and Palma always you to do that.
What you want to see
You also need to consider what you want to see, which is why we organized our recommendations in the way we have and made them the most helpful for you.
For example, if you are a couple who likes to see historical sites you will likely want to choose somewhere different than a couple who just wants to hang out at the beach all day long.
What kind of holiday you want to have
Similarly to what you want to see, when you’re deciding the best place to stay in Mallorca without a car, you have to consider what kind of holiday you want to have. If you’re looking to move slowly and see less because you really just want to relax, you might be okay staying somewhere a little further out with not as good public transport options.
However, if you want to go-go-go and see it all, then proximity and connectedness to all the public transport options need to be higher on your list.
FAQ
Is it easy to get around Mallorca without a car?
Yes! It is relatively easy to get around Mallorca without a car, as long as you choose to explore one or two sides of the island. It is much harder if you want to explore multiple sides of the island.
Do you need a car in Mallorca?
If you plan to stay around Palma and maybe venture up into the mountains, you do not need a car in Mallroca. If you want to see more than those things, we do recommend a car.
Where To Stay for the first time in Mallorca?
If it is your first time in Mallorca, stay in Palma. This will allow you to be connected to all the main attractions of towns very easily.
Let’s Wrap This Up: The Best Place to Stay in Mallorca Without A Car
Just like that, you have everything you need to know to make the best decision for YOU about where to stay. Ultimately, we think that Palma de Mallorca is most likely the best place to stay without a car so you can experience all the things that make Mallorca worth visiting! However: Santanyi, Soller or Valldemossa also make excellent choices!
Now that you know where to stay, you gotta know what to do! Check out our guide on our favorite romantic things to do in Mallorca for couples!
So, what do you think – where would you stay?
Other Helpful Posts When Planning Your Trip:
Hi Taylor! Fantastic information – thank you! My husband and I are going to Mallorca end of June/early July for my 40th birthday and do not plan to have a car. That being said, we were looking at 2 options that fit nicely within your recommendations and I am hoping you can advise further. We will have 9 full days (last night is in Palma so we can catch an early flight, so really 8 full days). We want to go to 2 locations in Mallorca, with Deia/Valldemossa being one of them for certain. The other location, I am torn between Port de Soller and Santanyi. From what I can tell, without a car, Port de Soller would be convenient and offer beach and fun/nightlife in contrast to Deia/Valldemossa, however I keep feeling drawn to Santanyia for a more authentic Mallorcan experience to see the calas/famous beaches. Would would be your recommendation? We would be doing 4 days in Deia/Valldemossa and then 4 in the other location. Thank you in advance!
Hi Julie!! So glad you found it helpful and yay for a birthday trip – you picked the PERFECT location I think!
So, personally I would PROBABLY choose Santanyi based on your comment but here are some thoughts and things I am thinking about with this decision:
– 4 Days in Deia/Valldemossa will be a lot! These towns are more on the sleepy/magical side with no a ton of do. However, if you are going for the type of vacation where you want to sip wine in cute restaurants and totally relax, then this will be perfect for you. Deia also has a lovely beach – cala Deia. It’s tiny and rocky, but secluded and beautiful.
– Valldemossa and Deia are very well connected by an easy bus to Soller that runs into the night so, theoretically, you could still visit Soller during one of your 4 days and even go in an evening for more nightlife/bars etc providing you don’t mind taking a 30-45-minute (ish) bus ride, depending where you stay (Deia is closer, Valldemossa is further.)
– Santanyi is definitely the more authentic if you are choosing between it and Port Soller and is easily accessible to the famous beaches, whereas the mountain towns are not (while beach at Port Soller is lovely, there is no comparison to around Santanyi!). It will be quieter though, which is something to keep in mind.
I know this wasn’t an option in your comment but it might be worth dividing your time between a couple of nights in Deia/Valldemossa a couple in Port Soller and a couple in Santanyi? This way you could really get a good blend of all the things that make Mallorca wonderful and the bus ride between Soller and Deia/Valldemossa is so easy it’s not a huge hassle to change locations. However, if you’re wanting to stick to 2, I would choose Santanyi and then check out Port Soller on one of your 4 mountain-town days.
Sorry that was a lot – What do you think? Does this help??
Thank you, Taylor! This is so very helpful! I’ve been leaning towards Santanyi anyhow for a more authentic experience and to see a different side of the island.
On Deia stay, here was my theory for 4 days – we arrive that day, so half day at hotel pool, full day at Cala Deia/see town of Deia, pool day at hotel OR sail day (or possibly Port de Soller!) and finally a day to explore Valldemossa. Does that make sense or am I being overly ambitious?
We’ll then have 4 days in Santanyi (I’m picking that for now!) and I hope to go see a different beach each day which means less hotel time, so it seems like a good balance. We want to relax but also venture on this trip.
My only other question which your article seemed to hit on is that we are not renting a car. I read that Uber came to Mallorca in June 2023 – is this an option to get from place to place you think?
I think that totally makes sense and is not overly ambitious at all! A sail day could be super fun, but could also likely be done around Santanyi if you decide to stick to a pool day! Deia and Valldemossa are VERY small and can most definitely be done in one whole day no problem at all. If you have time, a visit to the Arabian Gardens (Jardins D’Alfabia) is super beautiful as well – best visited by 9 minute bus from Soller or a taxi from Deia/Valldemossa (don’t bus from there, you just end up going back through Soller!). That does seem like a great balance of relaxation and adventure, I agree
Re: Uber. This may change by the time you go as Uber is always growing, HOWEVER, when we were there last Sept/Oct I also thought I could use Uber. Turns out “uber in Mallorca” means there are like 2 ubers on the entire island lol. We tried to take one a few times, and then ended up having to jump on a bus because there was nothing. We also tried to rely on taxis around the mountain towns but that was also a no-go (however, could be different for you as you are going in a more busy season!) and ended up having to also bus. As I said, maybe there will be more when you go but I wouldn’t plan to rely on it as I would hate for you to get stranded like we were and having to change plans on the fly!!
Does that help?
Yes this does! I hope you’ll indulge me in one more question because your feedback has been really insightful! Are you suggesting that Deia and Valledmossa could both be done in the same day? If that’s the case, I’m inclined to adjust our time there to 3 nights (2.5 days) and add more time to Santanyi for 5 nights (4.5 days) and then we’ll do our last night in Palma before flying out on travel day.
Thoughts? And thank you for your time in replying to all of my questions!
Ask away my friend! Helping people have awesome trips is why we started this blog and I love helping! 🙂
Personally, I think they could be – that is what we did. They are really close together via bus and the main beautiful part of the towns are just a couple streets. However, we are pretty fast travelers and don’t necessarily spend oodles of time just lounging. If you want to spend a good amount of time lounging at Cala Deia and see Deia and Valldemossa, that might be a little rushed! However, if you wanted to do half day pool day or half day at Cala Deia then one full day to just explore Deia/Valldemossa towns and then one day for sail/port soller, that would work great! However, it does cut out some of your pool/Cala Deia time, so it depends how badly you want to do those things!
Another option if you want to keep your current 4 nights in the mountain area is to check out Banyalbufar for a day (2 hours by bus from Deia but 30 mins by taxi.) It’s quite small but more local and less tourists go there. It’s built into the hillside that is all terraced and really pretty! We didn’t get time to go down to the beach but one of the locals said there is a less crowded beach there that is apparently AMAZING for snorkeling, if you’re into that!
Thoughts?
Thank you! Ok, so here is where I think I’ve landed. We fly in on a Monday at 9am and will go straight to Deia as our first stop/home base. Would like to spend half day settling in, pool, going into town for dinner. Then I think we can do a full day seeing Deia/Valldemossa, the following day seeing Cala Deia/pool at hotel and depart the next day. Does that seem doable? Would trying to squeeze Port de Soller into the Deia/Valldemossa day be too much? Or even the Cala Deia day? I guess what I am trying to say is….is Port de Soller a must see? Once we leave there, we’ll then be using Santanyi as a home base for a 4.5 days seeing the calas around there.
Which brings me to another question (of course!). Since we’ll be passing through Palma on our way to Santanyi, is it worth picking up a rental car then to have for that portion of the trip? Our plan was to come to Palma after Santanyi for the last full day /overnight of our trip since our flight would be early morning, but that might be wonky with logistics to drop rental car off on the way to Palma only to go back the next day to fly out. Just seems like a waste of money and likely a hassle to try and bring a car to Palma for that one day/night we’re there.
I think this sounds great! Honestly, I don’t think Port Soller is a must see at all, especially knowing you are going to the (way nicer!) calas around Santanyi. Port Soller will seem ho-hum comparatively. It feels kinda like a touristy mexico beach where all the lounge chairs are sardined together and you’re rubbing shoulders with your neighbor (and this was in September, so probs even worse in the Summer!)
I do think having a car give you more flexibility and it’s relatively affordable! However, the bus system around the Calas is pretty good, you just won’t have the freedom to pack up and go when you want as you will be relient on a bus schedule. You COULD pick your rental car up IN palma city center (not the airport) then drop it off in the morning you are in Palma and be without it or the day then take taxi/bus to the airport the net day (the bus system is actually really easy to use and cheap.). I wouldn’t recommend keeping the car in Palma – it’s a nightmare driving, hard to find parking and the garages are super pricey! If you are okay relying on bus times and not as worried about freedom and flexibility you can likely just get by on a bus! If you want freedom, it might be worth it for a couple days to rent a car.
Thoughts?
Done and done!! Thank you SO much Taylor, you have effectively helped finalize our trip itinerary! I will post mark your site as I may come back to you for recommendations (sights, food etc) at a later date. I am subscribing to your newsletter so I can stay up to date with all of your travels. This has been so incredibly helpful, from one wanderlust soul to another – thank you!
Yay! I am so glad!! Definitely come back as you have questions and need more recs! I have a few articles and I am always happy to help! Excited to see you around the blog!:)
Hi Taylor thank you for sharing your travel tips.
We are planning on coming to Mallorca in July (2 adults and 2 teens) and we didn’t want to hire a car. After reading the previous comments it sounds like Santanyi would be lovely – we like quiet beaches and enjoy local eateries.
My friend lives in Fortnalux and I wanted to know if it’s possible to travel there by bus or taxi from Santanyi?
Hey Claire! Yes, if you’re going for a more quiet and local experience then Santanyi is a great choice for you!
RE: Fornalutx. POSSIBLE? Yes. But, would I recommend it? No. The taxi ride would be over an hour which would be incredible expensive (it would be much cheaper to rent a car for the day in that scenario) and buses will take you over 3 hours and you’ll have to make many changes – take 2 buses to Palma’s main train station, then take a bus down the main highway in the mountain area, hen another bus into Fornalutx. Santanyi and Fornalutx are on opposite sides of the island so it would be quite a trek! Does that help?