Is Mallorca, Spain really kid-friendly? Steal our 4 day itinerary to change your mind
We recently went on a 4 night, 5 day trip to Mallorca. If you are not familiar with Mallorca - it is an island off the coast of Spain and is the largest of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for its beautiful Calas (coves) that have beautiful crystal-clear turquoise waters, sandy beaches and historic towns.
Mallorca (which you may also see spelled Majorca) is an island I don’t feel like much of the U.S is as familiar with compared to the islands of Capri (Italy) or Mykonos (Greece). Mallorca is about an 8 hour flight from the east coast of the United States.
Since we are currently living in London, the direct flight from here is a little under 2 hours so this is an easy long weekend trip for us. When thinking of Mallorca some only think of the lively nightlife in areas like Magaluf and Palma but don’t really how family friendly this island really is!
Day 1
Land in Palma. Grab your rental car, drive to Iberostar Waves Alcudia Park. This is about a little over an hour from the airport. We grabbed soft drinks, coffee and small snack to take in the car to hold my kids over till we got to the hotel. Checked in and then changed into swimsuits and did the pool, lunch, and beach - just a relaxing day around the resort after full travel day.
Day 2
After breakfast at the hotel (always included whether you get the full all inclusive or not) explore Alcudia Old Town. This is only a 20 minute drive from the resort.
Head to Alcudia Old Town and walk around the ruins of this once thriving roman city. Many tourists come to stay in the resort of Port de Alcudia and they never visit this jewel of the area. Alcúdia was once a Roman town named Pollentia. It was also strengthened by the Moors and Christians. The old town is surrounded by impressive medieval walls from the 14th century, which are mostly well-preserved. You can walk along parts of the wall for stunning views of the town.
Then after, stop and have lunch - we loved Sa Caseta pizzeria restaurant in the old town square of Placeta de Ses Verdures. Shop for authentic Mallorcan goods and souvenirs. Make sure to take time to stop and pet the cats! If you want to explore further, you can drive from Alcudia Old Town to the Port De Pollenca and do the famous Pine Walk or drive to the Port de Alcúdia – A modern beach resort area with a long sandy beach, is just a short distance away!
Day 3
Today we woke up and again, had breakfast and coffee at the hotel. The kids did some fun activities that the hotel was putting on. Riding a bull and a foam party LOL. Then, you'll explore one of the famous "Calas" (coves) that Mallorca is known for. So pack your bathing suits, sun screen and beach towels (we just took ours from the hotel) and hit up Cala Molins, one of the 3 "Calas" or "coves" that make up the Cala Sant Vicenc area. We chose Cala Molins because it has an actual sand beach instead of a rocky beach - which proved to be much more kid friendly.
We packed a few light snacks (apples and chips) and just a couple water bottles but we didn’t have a cooler or anything. Obviously, with it being 80 degrees(F) outside after about an hour in the sun my kids(and my mom, sister and I) were ready for a cold drink. Luckily, right across from the beach there is the cutest little bar/restaurant - Bar Mallorca - that serves cold drinks, ice cream and even to go alcoholic beverages. This cute shack is also a restaurant and you can grab lunch here or take it to go back to the beach. There is also a hotel - Grupotel Molins that overlooks the cove and has restaurants and a rooftop bars if you wanted to bring a change of clothes and go there.
The water is so extremely clear this is a great place for the kids to snorkel! The water is only 2ft deep for the first 400m. We recommend bringing nets because the kids had SO MUCH FUN trying to catch little fish and sea creatures. My kids were up and playing doing this the ENTIRE time we were there. You can also rent paddle boards or kayaks and we really wanted to do this but didn't have enough time!
If you didn't get to visit Pollenca the day before, you can add it to this day and head there after! Or, you can go to Panoràmica cap al de Cap Formentor to watch the famous sunset! (just be forewarned that parking can be very difficult in this area)
Day 4
Have a beach/pool day in the morning, but plan to leave the hotel around 1PM for a 1 hour drive to the town of Sóller. Here, you'll park your car in the old town and catch the famous vintage train (Tren De Soller) to Port De Sóller. You can book your tickets ahead of time! That way you don’t get there and have to wait another hour for the next tram. The tram leaves Soller on the hour (see timetable below) and leaves to return on the half hour. You will see orange groves and lemon trees and get to see some of the most beautiful sights in Mallorca!
Then head to one of these amazing places for dinner and drinks and watch the sunset.
Our top recommendations:
NENI Mallorca
Restaurant Nautilus
Jumeirah Mallorca's restaurant
Cap Roig or their Sunset Lounge (small bites and cocktails)
Some things we didn’t get to do but came highly recommended:
- Dolphin watching boat tour (Kid-friendly for kids of all ages)
- Half day boast cruise with lunch and swimming (Best for older kids as its a long time on the boat and swimming)
- Sea Cave and Snokeling Expedition (Would be for a not kids trip or older kids)
- Cathedral of Mallorca Tour (Good for all ages)
FAQ
Q: Do you need to rent a car when visiting Mallorca?
A: Yes, we recommend you get one unless you are just staying in Palma
Q: What is the best Cala to visit with little Kids in Mallorca?
A: We recommend this Cala that we visited Cala Sant Vicenc, because of the sandy beaches and shallow water for kids. Some of the Cala’s can be rocky and have deeper water so they would not be as friendly for young kids.
Q: Where is the best place to catch the sunset in Mallorca?
A: We went other Nautilus, a cliffside restaurant in Port de Sóller. We showed up around 7pm and they were able to give us a table for 6 just before sunset. They were extremely accommodating to the kids and the food and service was amazing!
But, depending on what part of the island you are on here are some other options:
- Sa Foradada (West Mallorca, Deià)
-Cap De Formentor (northernmost viewpoint of Mallorca, on the Formentor peninsula)
-Sunset Lounge in Jumeriah Hotel and Spa
-Es Princep (rooftop bar)
Q: How difficult is parking in Mallorca?
A: The streets can be quite narrow and some roads are one lanes but we rented a van and it was tight but we didn’t have problems. We found parking everywhere we went with little issues. We went to restaurants, historic sites, and to Cala’s and always found parking but it could take a little bit of driving around depending on what season you go.
Q: Do you suggest staying at an all inclusive in Mallorca?
A: Yes! Especially with kids, it was so worth it for us to do the all-inclusive option. This included soft-drinks, all our meals, snacks and alcoholic beverges. They even have had a Gelato stand the kids could get for free!
Q: Is Mallorca kid friendly?
A: Yes, they have lots of kid-friendly resorts, beaches and activities.
Q: What is the best hotel to stay at with kids in Mallorca?
A: Ibeurostar’s are amazing and have many family friendly options. We stayed at the Iberostar Waves Alcudia Park and it was THE BEST family friendly resort i’ve ever been to! See our full review of the Iberostar Waves Alcudia Park.
