Mallorca: One of a Kind

Mallorca is a small island in Spain's Balearic archipelago filled with beach resorts, limestone mountains and turquoise coves around every corner. It offers a wide variety of travel choices; you can enjoy Palma's nightlife or retreat to such of the smaller coastal towns and enjoy a slower paced trip.

Getting There: To get to Mallorca, you fly into Palma de Mallorca (PMI) airport. It's only about a 10 minute drive from the airport to the center of Palma. I would recommend renting a car at the airport, but make sure that you have parking options at your hotels (parking can be tricky in Palma). A car definitely comes in handy to explore the island outside of the main city of Palma.

Rest Your Head in Palma:

If you are renting a car and see going to explore the beaches, which I'd recommend, then a hotel with a pool is not necessary. We stayed at at the Gran Melia Victoria and while or was a really lovely hotel, with a fantastic pool overlooking the harbor and spacious and nice rooms, it was a 15-20 minute walk down to the old town area. I would recommend finding a place closer to old town and the main Cathedral if you want to stay in Palma for part of your stay.

I would suggest staying in Palma for 1 night and then move on to smaller, charming towns around the island.

Culinary Delights:

We had a fantastic dinner at a place in old town called Forn de Sant Joan on Calle Sant Joan. It appeared to be a converted old house and had multiple separate dining spaces on different floors. The food was excellent and the waiters all speak English.

Cocktail Hour:

The bar across the street from Forn de Sant Joan is called Abaco. They have extraordinary drinks.

Port d'Andrax

Port d'Andrax is among the most charming and lovely coastal towns I've ever explored. There are dozens of restaurants, shops and cafés that line the lively harbor town. It is quite easy to navigate, as the road signs are everywhere and parking is ample. You will need a rental car to get here, but with car navigation, GPS or a map, it's not too difficult to make the 45 minute drive from Palma. I believe there is also public transportation and I am sure you could hire a driver if you do not want to rent a car.

Culinary Delights:

Port d'Andrax is situated along a harbor and many of the restaurants line the bay. Many of them also have patio seating that looks right out to the water, and if you're lucky, you can catch the sunset. We loved our dinner at Riskal Restaurant. You must try the tuna tartare, watermelon gazpacho and goat cheese salad.

Cocktail Hour:

We ran across some live music on the water at Tim's Bar and grabbed cocktails to enjoy the music. Sunset is a great time to find a spot along the water to enjoy the view and music.

Adventure:

Before or after dinner, you must stop into the cutest shop right on along the harbor called Pareoconnection. I have now stopped into Pareoconnection on two separate visits to Port d'Andrax because they have great summer clothing for women and girls. They make the cutest hand made dresses out of notable patterns and even offer mother-daughter matching outfits. You must stop in.

Just a few miles from Port d'Andratx is Gran Folies Beach Club. This magnificent beach club is essentially an adult water playground. There are different levels (and prices) for lounge chairs. We paid 30€ per bed to be in the "special zone." I personally thought this was the best option because not only was it the cheapest but was right along the water's edge in the first row overlooking the gorgeous view. The price includes a bottle of water, towels and a plate of fresh fruit (which was delicious). A great menu is also available for not too outrageous of prices. We paid 16€ for a bottle of rose.

Warning: Do not use Okay rental car company!!! Long lines. Long waits. Try to get a car from a company in the airport- Enterprise, Avis, Europcar. Saves a lot of time and hassle and those companies are more reputable.

Hidden Gems & Not to Be Missed: Gran Folies Beach Club, Port d'Andrax, Tim's Bar, Forn de Sant Joan, Pareoconnection

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