Most Charming Towns In Mallorca
The island of Mallorca is a part of Spain’s Balearic Isles. This means you will find a cultural blend of strong Spanish influence with Mediterranean island vibes allowing you to feel the elegance of a slower pace. Though the beaches are definitely amazing, you don’t want to miss out on some of the charming towns around the island. Many are set high in the mountains which means you will likely find amazing views of the rolling valleys and stretches of vineyards. From cobblestone roads and narrow streets to fresh citrus trees and blooming flowers, Mallorca has towns you could wander through for hours.
Here are some of our favorite towns in all of Mallorca:
Selva
Fornalutx
Deia
Porto Cristo
1. Selva
This was the first place we explored upon arriving in Mallorca. We chose to stay here because of its quaint secluded atmosphere, but also because it is reasonably accessible from the airport (about 40 mins) and close to some of our favorite beach spots. We did not realize how enchanted the town was until our first morning when we watched the sunrise and listened to the church bell ring. Dating back to the early 12th century, Selva is home to several olive and citrus groves. At the center of the town is a church on a hill, along with little shops and restaurants that make you feel like you’ve gone back in time. It has everything you would want in a small Spanish village at the foothills of beautiful mountains.
WHere to Stay close by:
We decided to stay in the town itself in a recently renovated historic hotel called Petit Hotel Son Arnau. It’s a small hotel with only a limited number of rooms. They have a beautiful pool perfect for sunrise and sunset as well as a veranda overlooking the town of Selva. On the grounds, this boutique hotel has lemon, olive and loquat trees that fill the air with an incredible fragrance. The loquats ripen in early May, so if you have a chance to go then, you’ll have a real treat of fresh fruit you pick straight from the trees!
2. Fornalutx
Recently voted one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, Fornalutx did not disappoint. We explored the town right before sunset, so the restaurants were just setting up and the evening energy was starting to hum. We walked around the town for a couple hours, exploring where the winding pathways led to. There are a lot of plants that residents maintain in the alleys, which adds a special vibrancy as we walked around. It was a photographer’s dream because all the streets were narrow and curved, providing interesting angles and scenery everywhere we looked. The town is deeply set into the hills so as we walked down the main road we had amazing views out onto the roof tops and citrus groves down below. It is definitely worth making a stop if you are in the vicinity.
WHere to Stay close by:
There’s a few hotels in the town Fornalutx itself. Staying in the town allows you to enjoy the beauty of waking up in such a beautiful small town. It is on the northwestern coast tucked into the mountains, so it really emanates that secluded and quiet feeling. We just came up to Fornalutx for the afternoon while staying closer to the southwestern coast at Fergus Resort in Palmanova. After spending a few hours wandering in the streets of Fornalutx, we fell instantly in love with the town, and would definitely like to try staying here during another visit to Mallorca.
3. Deia
Deia is a quaint town nestled up into the western mountains of Mallorca. At first, we drove right through it without thinking twice. But then we looked at each other decided to turn around to go explore it more! It is a labyrinth of stairs and pathways that wander and lead to hidden alcoves flaunting citrus trees and staircases that showoff the sweeping view of the mountainside. Aside from the main road going through the heart of the town, you won’t find any cars around the streets. The paths are are narrow and perfect for walking! We found it best to park our car in the lot right on the edge of town and then walk in so we could roam the streets.
WHere to Stay close by:
Similar to Fornalutx, we decided to come to Deia on a day trip while staying at Fergus Resort in Palmanova. But you can also opt to stay in the town and soak in the quaint atmosphere of it all. There are actually quite a few luxury villas and 5 star hotels surrounding this town making it a favorite for many visiting Mallorca.
4. Porto Cristo
Porto Cristo is a higher traffic town with shops and large restaurants to accommodate the crowds that come for the beautiful beach front and views of the ocean. Of all the coasts in Mallorca, the east coast probably had some of the most beautiful ones we saw. We stopped here for a quick bite and even found a fun spot to picnic across the street from a little secret spot we located HERE. If you park across the street in the dirt lot, there is a small cliff you can walk down and have a beautiful ocean view all to yourself.
WHere to stay close by:
The east side of the island is definitely more quiet than the north or the west. You can find nice secluded places with beach front access in and around the area of Porto Cristo. On the days we visited the east coast, we stayed on the west side of the island at Castell Son Claret. It was about a 1.5 hour drive so we spent the day exploring all along the east coast, ending with the charming town of Porto Cristo. When we come to Mallorca again, we would consider staying in Port Cristo coast because of how many beautiful beaches there are on this side of the island.
Before you go:
Plan to get out and walk around: most of the towns are best seen by foot because a majority of the streets are too narrow to travel by car. If you were to just drive through you would miss a lot of the charm. All the towns have a parking lot near the outskirts (most of the times its even free) so take advantage of this and schedule for at least 30 minutes to stroll through the cobblestone streets and enjoy the fresh flowers and shops.
Stay the night in at least one small town: you don’t have to spend every night in these quaint little towns, but do yourself a favor and spend at least 1 night so you can take the evening relaxing in a small family owned restaurant, wander the cute store fronts, and wake up to the peace of chirping birds and ringing church bells.
Cycling season: what makes a lot of these towns so picturesque is that they are set into the mountain side. Mallorca is known for these amazing mountain views and switchbacks which has made it quiet popular for the the cycling community. If you are driving to the towns in the month of April/May or September/October, you may get stuck behind a pack, or have to keep a lookout for those around the bends.
Photography tip:
Explore different viewpoints: some of the best views of these towns you may actually need to drive outside of the town so you can have the whole view of it in the background.
Framing the streets: the streets had a lot of small alleyways and lush plants. We loved framing the photos to include the bends in the road or with flowers and greenery in the forefront. It can really help in capturing the overall mood of these cozy little towns.
We hope you have an amazing time on your next trip to Mallorca and enjoy your time as much as we did. As always, if you have any questions or have something to add leave a comment below! We’d love to hear from you!