Mallorca: by plane, car or ferry
An island that offers beaches, the Tramuntana switchbacks and urban Palma. Easy by air, and drivable too with a ferry from Barcelona or Valencia.
What does a trip to Mallorca cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.
You'll see these everywhere
La Seu cathedral
The Gothic cathedral above Palma's harbour, its nave among Europe's tallest, its rose window 13 metres across. Gaudí reworked it in the early 20th century, and Miquel Barceló's ceramic chapel adds the modern shock.
The Serra de Tramuntana
The range along the northwest coast, UNESCO listed since 2011 for its stone terraces, dry walls and Moorish irrigation. Olive terraces show from every switchback between Valldemossa and Sóller.
The wooden Sóller train
The narrow gauge line with wooden carriages has run from Palma through thirteen mountain tunnels since 1912; at Sóller a historic tram carries on to the port. The station sits right on Plaça d'Espanya.
The windmills
The island holds thousands, and you spot rows of them on the plain by the airport before you even land; most once pumped water. A few restored ones stand in Palma's Es Jonquet quarter.
The siurell
A white clay whistle painted with red and green strokes, born in the potters' village of Marratxí. Joan Miró loved it, and markets sell it all over the island.
The ensaïmada box
The lard spiral pastry is the island's most visible souvenir: at the airport tourists carry it as hand luggage in its trademark octagonal boxes. The classic source is Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo in Palma, trading since 1700.
Almond snow
Inland, hundreds of thousands of almond trees bloom white and pink from late January to late February. Chopin and George Sand once wintered at Valldemossa meanwhile; their charterhouse still receives visitors.
Rafael Nadal
The most famous Mallorcan comes from Manacor, where his academy with a public museum has run since 2016. You meet his face around the island more often than road maps.
Local prices
Guide prices for a typical tourist area in high season (as of 2026-07). Accommodation and rentals are sampled automatically, the basket is a curated estimate.
When to go
May, June and September are Mallorca gold: sea from 22 °C, half the prices and empty Tramuntana switchbacks. July and August belong to beaches and nightlife, with fares up tens of percent.
| Month | Daily high | Sea | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 24 °C | 20 °C | ~8 |
| June | 29 °C | 24 °C | ~5 |
| July | 33 °C | 27 °C | ~3 |
| August | 32 °C | 28 °C | ~5 |
| September | 29 °C | 26 °C | ~7 |
Averages from the last 8 years (Open-Meteo). The calculator shows your exact week in more detail.
What to taste
Ensaïmada
The lard leavened spiral under icing sugar, filled with pumpkin jam or cream. 2 to 4 € small at a café, gift sized boxes from 10 €.
Sobrassada
The soft spreadable paprika sausage, IGP protected. Eaten on bread, best baked with honey.
Pa amb oli
Country bread rubbed with ramallet tomato and olive oil, topped with cheese, ham or sobrassada. The universal folk dish, 6 to 10 €.
Tumbet
Baked layers of potato, aubergine and pepper under tomato sauce, the summer classic and a common fish side.
Arroz brut
Dirty rice: a hearty soupy rice with meat and sausage, the signature of the inland celler restaurants of Inca and Sineu.
Wine and hierbas
Two wine appellations, Binissalem with its Manto Negro grape and Pla i Llevant; a glass runs 3 to 5 €. The iced digestif is hierbas, the protected aniseed herb liqueur.
Return flights from Prague or Vienna
looking up prices…
Cheapest fares found per person (Aviasales, last ~48 h). Click a month to open the calculator with those dates.
Three trips worth taking
To Sóller by train
An hour in wooden carriages through the mountains, then the historic tram between orange groves to the port. The combined return train plus tram runs about 40 €; buy at the station, kids ride heavily discounted.
The Tramuntana by car
~30 min by car
A switchback loop: the Valldemossa charterhouse with its 12.50 € Chopin mini recital, artists' Deià with Robert Graves's grave, and the famous knotted road down to Sa Calobra. In summer reach the car parks before ten.
The Drach caves
~60 min by car
A kilometre of galleries ends at the underground Lake Martel, among Europe's largest, where the tour closes with a classical concert from rowing boats and a glide across the water. Entry 18 €, kids 11 €; online beats the ticket desk.
Beaches and the sea
Most photographed is Es Trenc in the south: kilometres of white sand and dunes, a nature park since 2017, its paid car parks full by mid morning. The east offers small coves like Cala Mondragó and wild walk in Cala Varques. Playa de Palma and Magaluf are long city beaches with full service and a party record, narrow pine backed Formentor is bus only in season, and Alcúdia bay in the north gives kilometres of shallow family water. All beaches are free to enter, you pay only for sunbeds: a standard set about 18 to 20 €, with Palma's new 2026 tariff starting at 10 € a lounger. The sea peaks at 26 to 27 °C from late July to mid September. Washed up posidonia often stays unraked by design; it marks a healthy sea, not a dirty one.
How to get there
Fly to Palma from Prague or Vienna, year round and cheap. Driving works via the Barcelona (7 h) or Valencia ferry, sensible mainly for longer stays with gear. A small rental is enough on the island.
Airports
- PMI · Palma De Mallorca Airport (Palma de Mallorca)
Car ferries
- Barcelona → Palma about 8 h at sea, car from ~115 € one way
Distance
1,489 km from Prague as the crow flies. The calculator computes the real route, tolls and fuel.
Tip
Outside peak season (May, June, September) flights and hotels drop to half price and the sea is still pleasant.
Good to know
- The tourist tax runs per person per night by lodging class, roughly 1 to 4.40 € in high season (the announced 2026 rise was withdrawn). It halves from night nine, with a reduced winter rate.
- Rental cars sell out hopelessly for July and August, book months ahead. The island has also approved a future cap on car numbers; it doesn't bite in 2026, but watch it.
- The Formentor lighthouse road bans private cars in season from mid May, 10 am to 10 pm; cameras read plates and fine automatically. A shuttle bus from Port de Pollença replaces them.
- Mallorca took over 13 million visitors last year, and July and August mean full roads and car parks. Go in May, June or September if you can.
- Palma sees recurring protests against mass tourism. They don't target individuals: just don't block resident parking, keep nights quiet and don't roam town in swimwear, which Palma actually fines.
- Tap water is safe but tastes poor from hardness and desalination; locals buy bottled. Smaller shops keep siesta from about 2 to 5 pm.
- Towns run blue zones, Palma's mornings and afternoons, at 0.70 € an hour. At Es Trenc and Formentor the car parks fill by morning in summer.
Frequently asked questions
When is the sea warmest?
The sea is typically warmest in August, around 28 °C. Daytime air averages 32 °C.
What is the place known for?
Local signatures include La Seu cathedral, The Serra de Tramuntana, The wooden Sóller train, The windmills, The siurell, The ensaïmada box, Almond snow, Rafael Nadal.
How much are food and drinks locally?
As a guide: espresso at the bar ~2 €, main dish at a casual place ~16 €, beer (0.5 l) out ~5 €, scoop of ice cream ~3 €, sunbed and parasol per day ~18 €, an hour of parking ~0.8 €, litre of petrol ~1.6 €. High-season prices as of 2026-07.
How long is the car ferry?
The shortest route is Barcelona → Palma: about 8 h at sea, car from ~115 € one way. The calculator shows exact prices for a specific day.
Which airports serve it?
Nearest airports: Palma De Mallorca Airport (Palma de Mallorca) (PMI). The calculator compares fares to all of them at once, from Prague and Vienna alike.
Car or plane, which pays off?
Flying leads: competition on the Palma route keeps fares low. The car ferry via Spain is romance for month long stays. Watch your dates, Tuesday vs Saturday can differ by a third.
What does a trip to Mallorca cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.