2024-05-29 Mallorca-001 Mallorca, Spain

<<< Summary >>>

This is a 14-day and 12-night adventure on the beautiful Spainish Island, Mallorca. Mallorca, a.k.a. Majorca, is the largest island of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Mallorca is the crown jewel of Spain's Balearic Islands. This is one of the most popular destinations in the Mediterranean. Mallorca is known for its beautiful coastline, turquoise ocean views, secluded picture-perfect coves, stunning mountain ranges, wide variety of hiking trails, Spanish architecture and towns, wineries and fresh produce farms, delicious local cuisine, and gorgeous beaches with effortless charm.

The Serra de Tramuntana is a mountain range running southwest to northeast which forms the northern backbone of Mallorca. The Tramuntana Range was awarded World Heritage Status by UNESCO as an area of great physical and cultural significance. It offers remarkable trail variety ranging from coastal trails, forest trails, mountain trails, to canyon trails which attract and dazzle hikers, cyclists, and climbers worldwide.

The Balearic Islands are 50-180 miles off the coast of mainland Spain. The Balearic archipelago comprises 150 Balearic Islands of the chain, only 5 of them are inhabited. Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza are larger islands and the two smaller islands are Formentera, and Cabrera. Mallorca is the largest island among all of the 150 Balearic Islands.

The size of Mallorca is 1,405 Square Miles (3,640 Square Kilometers). In comparison to Oahu of the Hawaiian Islands which is 597 Square Miles (1,546 Square Kilometers).

Palma is the capital of Mallorca. The population of Mallorca is approximately 950,000. It takes about 6 hours driving to circumnavigate the entire island.

More info of Mallorca 

More photos of Mallorca

<<< Logistics >>>

There are 12 nights of lodging to be booked by yourselves.

12-night lodging in Mallorca: check in 5/30 (Thu), check out 6/11 (Tue)

Note: Palma, the capital city of Mallorca, is a good choice of home base. 

You can choose other towns in Mallorca as your home base for lodging, in that case, be aware of how much driving time you will need to go to our meeting place in Palma.

<<< Meeting Place and Parking >>>

In general, our meeting time is 8:15 AM. Any exception will be determined and provided the prior night using a group chat I’ll set up in WhatsApp.

Meeting Place: at the front door of Lidl Grocery Store (open from 9 AM to 10 PM, closed on Sunday)

Lidl Grocery Store address: Carrer d'Andalusia, 34, 07011 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain

This Lidl grocery store is right across the street from the Son Moix football stadium complex where free parking is available.

<<< Important Notes on Meeting Place and Parking >>>

Plaza Mayor is the town center of Palma. It has everything a tourist can possibly need from shops, stores, restaurants, lodging (hotels, vrbo, airbnb), popular sightseeing locations etc. except easy parking; and that’s the main reason I decide to stay elsewhere.

Free parking is available at Son Moix football stadium complex.

Town center: Plaza Mayor, Palma, Spain.  (Google Map: Plaça Major, Pl. Major, s/n, 07003 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain)

Note: Plaza Mayor has its own underground parking garage. But it has limited lots and they are extremely small to get around in there. Parking fee is expensive. The main concern above all is it does not guarantee a parking space when you need one.

We will drive our rental cars to various hiking locations and activities locations.

There are options to go between Plaza Mayor and our meeting place at the Lidl Grocery Store (across the football stadium complex). The distance is about 1.75 miles.

1. It takes about 30 to 35 min to walk. Walking should be the best choice in the morning.

In the afternoon when we return from hiking, you may consider options 2 or 3 if you don’t want to walk.

2. It takes about 30 min EMT city bus ride. EMT city bus is scheduled about every 12 min. Cost is about 2 euros if you buy the bus ticket ahead of time.

3. Taxi and Uber are both available in city Palma.

If your lodging is not in the town center Plaza Mayor area, and if you have convenient parking at your lodging location, then you can drive to our meeting place in the morning; and drive back to your lodging at the end of the day.

<<< Itinerary >>>

Day01 (Wed) 2025-05-29: Take a flight to Palma (PMI), Mallorca, Spain.

Day02 (Thu) 5/30 Check in your lodging. Tour around the popular Old Town area on foot on your own for sightseeing, shopping, and dining, etc.

In general, we’ll pack a simple lunch on our hiking day.  More itinerary details will be provided to the trip participants.

Day03 (Fri) 5/31 [hike1] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike the Path of the Archduke trail in the Muntanya del Voltor area. It’s about 8 miles and 2100 feet ascent. (D4)  This historical hiking path is named after Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Habsburg-Lorraine, an aristocrat and naturalist who mapped out this route in the 19th century. He spent years studying the local wildlife in Mallorca. His contributions have made him a historic figure in this region.

Valldemossa is a historical town near-by. We’ll have an optional touring there after our hiking today.

Day04 (Sat) 6/1 [hike2] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike the Puig de Galatzó standing at 3,368 feet. It’s about 7 miles and 2800 feet ascent. (D5) This is one of the most favorite hiking trails among locals.

Day05 (Sun) 6/2 Free day.

Sub-group meeting place/ time: WhatsApp group chat based on various interests.

Activity suggestion: Self driving tour; Guided tour trips; Double deck bus tour; Beach & snorkeling, etc.

Day06 (Mon) 6/3 [hike3] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike the Puig de Massanella standing at 4478 feet, the second highest mountain in Mallorca. It’s about 7 miles and 2600 feet ascent. (D5)  After hiking we’ll drive to visit the near-by highest mountain Puig Major (4711 feet) on Mallorca along several stunning vista stopping points along our way including Cúber, waters that glow in the middle of the mountains.

Sóller is a well-known vacation town on our way back. We’ll have an optional touring there after our hiking today.

Day07 (Tue) 6/4 [hike4] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike the Cala Romantica to Cala Varques. We’ll explore some of the best hidden beaches in Mallorca. It’s an out- and-back hike about 5 miles and 700 feet ascent. (D2) Trail is not directly on the beach and it’s rocky, so regular trail running/ hiking shoes are required.

After hiking we’ll take a short 10-min drive to visit the underground wonder Drach Caves, a mysterious cave system of Mallorca, including a great underground lake, Martel Lake. It’s a must-see, one of the largest in the world and a stunning sight to behold. Visitors can traverse either on foot or on boat.

We’ll visit the near-by Porto Cristo (Portocristo), a little picturesque fishing village. The port is the main attraction there. Many of its local restaurants are located right on the port. It’s an ideal place for our group meal there.

Day08 (Wed) 6/5 Free day.

Sub-group meeting place/ time: WhatsApp group chat based on various interests.

Activity suggestion: Boat tour; Dolphin watching tour; Catamaran; Kayaking; Sightseeing; Beach & snorkeling, etc.

Day09 (Thu) 6/6 [hike5] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike The Parc Natural de Mondragó in Mallorca and its three amazing beaches – Cala Mondragó, Caló des Borgit, and S’Amarador. It’s about 7 miles and 500 feet ascent. (D2)

The Mondrago Natural Park is perhaps the jewel in the crown when it comes to the Mallorcan coastline. It has a lot of natural landmarks and attractions for you to explore hidden lagoons, caves, and cliffs. Visitors can also access some of the best coves and inlets on the island. Several paths travel through the beaches and wetlands, so you can catch glimpses of local wildlife. The cliffs and vista points in the wilderness offer excellent views of the coast and the sea.

You may choose to stay in the park, and drive back later. Bring your swimming suits if you plan to jump into the ocean.

Day10 (Fri) 6/7 [hike6] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll do the Deià - Béns d'Avall – Llucalcari loop hike along the coast for the most of this route. It’s about 9 miles and 1800 feet ascent. (D4) Deià is a well-known coastal town near-by. We’ll have an optional touring there after our hiking today.

Day11 (Sat) 6/8 Free day.

Sub-group meeting place/ time: WhatsApp group chat based on various interests.

Activity suggestion: ATV tour; Zip line; Horse riding; Cycling tour; Sightseeing; Beach & snorkeling, etc.

Day12 (Sun) 6/9 [hike7] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll do the Sant Elm - La Trapa hike in the Trappe Nature Reserve. It’s about 6 miles and 1630 feet ascent. (D4)

We’ll go through the ruins of a Trappist monastery near the top of the mountain. We're going to spot the island of Dragonera rises out of the sparkling Mediterranean just off the extreme southwestern edge of the island with some dramatic coastal vistas.

Day13 (Mon) 6/10 [hike8] Meeting place/ time: Lidl/ 8:15 AM

We’ll hike in the Alcudia Bay area on the North side of Mallorca. The hiking is about 6 miles and 2000 feet ascent. (D4)

After hiking we’ll visit the near-by Cap de Formentor sitting at the most northern tip of peninsula and other vista points along the way including Mirador de El Colomer.

Pollença (Pollensa) is a well-known historical town on our way back. Some of the highlights include an ancient Roman bridge or ‘Pont Romà’, the 18th-century Mare de Deu dels Angels church with a famous rose window and the Convent de Sant Domingo. We’ll have a group dinner there, and optional tour after dinner.

Day14 (Tue) 6/11 Our group adventure ends today. You may choose to pack up and go home from here, or continue additional travel following your own plan.

<<< Difficulty Level >>>

Our event will be at the AOC D5 difficulty level. The continuous nature of daily hiking and free day activity adds another layer of difficulty which requires full preparation and training before taking this trip.

<<< How to prepare >>>

We all have to be physically prepared and trained well before taking on such an epic trip. Best physical conditions enable us to take in everything surrounding us and fully enjoy the amazing natural beauty rather than being out of breath and feeling tired every time going uphill. We must do fitness training a couple of times a week for a minimum 6 to 9 months, and also hiking the steepest mountain hills available to us. My favorite is Kennesaw Mt. which is local, beautiful, and very convenient.

Following guide books are excellent resources for the preparation of Mallorca trip.

Lonely Planet Mallorca 6 (Travel Guide) by Laura McVeigh

Mallorca Marco Polo Pocket Guide (Marco Polo Travel Guides) by Marco Polo

The Mini Rough Guide to Mallorca (Travel Guide with Free eBook) (Mini Rough Guides) by Rough Guides

<<< How to get there >>>

Take a flight to Palma (PMI), Mallorca, Spain and arrive on the next day local time.

<<< How to sign up >>>

This web page is designed so that you can only put yourself on the waiting list. Once you’re verified to be suitable for this trip, you will be moved to the participant list.

<<< How to qualify >>>

Group will be selected by:

History of social compatibility in the AOC group setting

History of participation in the AOC events

You can comfortably finish my Kennesaw 10 hike in 4 hours; or personally I know your hiking ability and fitness condition is qualified.

Couples Participants

The payment of $25 only covers AOC Service Fee. All costs (transportation, lodging, meals & drinks, and etc.) are paid by members on their own. All costs are non- refundable.

Itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the trip leader.

Transportation

Everyone is responsible for his/her own transportation the entire trip, i.e. flights, rental cars, and/or local public transportation.

<<< Important Note on rental car >>>

U.S. citizens who plan to drive in Spain must obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) prior to their arrival. There is only one provider for IDP in the United States, the American Automobile Association (AAA). You can apply either in person or by mail. There is a $20 fee. The IDP may not be issued more than six months in advance of desired effective date and is valid for one year.

If you cannot or do not want to drive manual transmission cars (stick shift), and you can only (or want to) drive automatic transmission cars, you must book your rental car as early as possible. The majority of the rental cars in Mallorca are manual transmission. Most of them offer free cancellation until 2 days before.

Typical auto insurance policies in US cover rental cars in the US and Canada. You will need to buy rental car insurance from the rental car company when you rent a car outside of US and Canada. Car insurance is offered as an add-on option when renting a car in Mallorca, and the cost is very nominal.

The most popular location for rental cars is Palma airport (PMI). It is about 6 miles from Palma town center: Plaza Mayor, Palma, Spain.

Lodging

There are plenty of lodging options to choose from. VRBO, Airbnb, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expidia.com are popular sites among many others to compare, search, and book for lodging.

I will set up a group chat in WhatsApp for our group conversation once our roster is set. You can use it to facilitate sharing lodging and rental car conversations.

Weather

A non-refundable AOC Service Fee $25 required by AOC.

If you miss the payment date, you will be removed from the list. 

There is no refund for cancellation.