The best Mallorca beaches won’t be near your hotel. While the chances are that your accommodation is a stone’s throw from a decent beach, if you’re seeking a stunning stretch of sand to spread out your towel, you’re going to have to go further afield. But trust us, these beaches are worth it.
Boasting some 262 or so beaches, most of which are absolutely stunning, it’s a no-brainer as to why Spain‘s Balearic island of Mallorca is one of the most popular European summer spots in the Mediterranean. The Catalan island is also one of our favourite spots.
We’ve criss-crossed the island in a hire car to photograph and update travel guidebooks to Mallorca, which took us to many of Mallorca’s best beaches and the stylish boutique hotels and atmospheric fincas near them.
Yet when people think of a sun and sand holiday in Mallorca, the first destinations to come to mind are generally the over-developed beach resorts. We recommend getting off the beaten track instead to the more secluded, wild, windswept beaches or the tranquil, aquamarine coves, bobbing with fishing boats.
These are our favourites of the best Mallorca beaches and our picks of accommodation a short drive from these stunning stretches of sad, all tried and tested.
Best Mallorca Beaches – Our Guide to the Most Beautiful Stretches of Sand
Here’s our guide to the most beautiful beaches on Mallorca and where to stay to experience them.
Off the Beaten Track Mallorca Beaches
The best Mallorca beaches are the most off-the-beaten track beaches. They’re also the most unspoilt stretches of sand, obviously, because they are the least accessible.
Reached by a rough road through a mountain range, some of the most undeveloped and most alluring beaches on the island are Cala Torta, Cala Mitjana and Cala Estreta. Cala Torta is the most beautiful, with a tiny beach bar. Snorkelling is a must-do at all.
While only a short distance northwest of the lovely Cala Mesquida, the only way to access these lesser-visited beaches is by car from a sign-posted track off the beginning of the Artà to Capdepera road which travels through the Parc Natural de la Peninsula de Llevant.
Slightly easier to get to, in the south not far from Santanyi, Cala Mondrago boasts two sandy coves with clear water, surrounded by fragrant pine forest. Protected by sand dunes, the second cove is quite a walk from the first but is obviously more tranquil.
We also love Es Trenc, a 5km-long stretch of snowy sand, also backed by dunes, that feels more tropical than Mediterranean.
Where to Stay
With a jaw-dropping cliff-top setting overlooking the ocean and a gorgeous swimming pool, Can Simoneta in Capdepera makes a great base for exploring these off-the-beaten-track beaches. Rooms have terraces, decks and balconies for relaxing after a day in the sun and there’s a restaurant on site if you don’t feel like heading out.
There may be closer accommodation to the beach, but it’s hard to beat Finca Sant Blai in the countryside outside of Campos and a short drive to the beaches of Cala Mondrago and Es Trenc. There’s a renovated farm house and self-catering casitas (cottages) lovingly decorated with traditional furnishings and loads of rustic charm, along with a pool, horse-riding, cycling, and sailing.
Most Beautiful Mallorca Beaches
Far from deserted like the Capdepera beaches, but nowhere near as crowded as the beaches around Palma di Mallorca, Calvia and Pollença, these sandy coves are simply so charismatic that they warrant the extra bit of effort to get to.
Expect slow-going drives along narrow, winding roads, and sweaty walks from the car park to the sand to reach Cala de Deià, Cala de Sa Calobra, Platja Formentor, and Cala Sant Vicenç, four of Mallorca’s most enchanting beaches. All of these beaches can be visited if you do our Mallorca road trip through the Tramuntana.
Their crystal clear waters and spectacular settings make the sticky hikes to these lovelies worthwhile, but note that these beaches can still get busy in summer. Travellers to Mallorca don’t seem to mind a bit of exertion if their efforts are rewarded with such breathtakingly beautiful beaches.
Where to Stay
High on a hilltop between Soller and Deia, Ca’s Xorc is set in a splendidly restored stone farmhouse surrounded by olive groves, with breathtaking mountain and sea views. The rooms are delightful but it’s the garden and pool, atmospheric sitting areas, library, private dining rooms, restaurant in a former olive press, enormous open kitchen, and an alfresco terrace that really make this property special.
Set on the seafront at Puerto de Sóller, Hotel Espléndido oozes retro-charm, from the vintage wallpaper in the rooms to the funky lounge with turntable and record collection, it’s the simple things that make Espléndido shine: fantastic staff, great food, and fabulous views, and you don’t have far to drive to several stunning stretches of sand.
A favourite of royalty and the rich and famous, the luxurious Belmond La Residencia is one of Mallorca’s most exclusive hotels. The spacious rooms and suites are set within two 16th and 17th century stone manor houses, located amidst lush gardens, overlooking the charming village of Deià. There are two large swimming pools, bars and a fine restaurant.
The beautiful boutique hotel of Son Brull lies in the countryside near Pollença, just a 15-minute drive from Cala Sant Vicenç. In a splendid former monastery, expect traditional stone architecture, sleek contemporary design, spacious light-filled rooms, a stunning swimming pool, and an atmospheric bar and brilliant restaurant.
Located on a lovely square, a short stroll from the old centre of Pollença, Son Sant Jordi is an intimate family-owned boutique hotel with elegant rooms with canopied and four-poster beds, solid wooden country-style furniture, and big bathrooms. There’s a swimming pool in the lush garden that’s perfect for cooling off after a day at the beach.
Laidback and Charming Mallorca Beaches
These stretches of sand may not be the best Mallorca beaches and certainly aren’t as beautiful as some of the beaches above. However, these beaches are easier to access and have a laid-back atmosphere year-round, even when busy. They also have a certain character that comes from their low-key style and charming settings.
Cala Santanyí near Cala Figuera, a whitewashed fishing village, is lined with fishermen’s cottages and boathouses, while the bay at another picturesque fishing village, Porto Colom, is dotted with diminutive pine-backed beaches frequented by foreigners renting beach houses here.
The beach at Porto Cristo, near Coves del Drac, gets crowded in summer and has a few fast-food places and souvenir shops on the road above it, but its delightful setting within a small shimmering bay with swimming pontoons surrounded by cliffs is one of Mallorca’s loveliest.
Published 18 August 2016; Updated 13 June 2023
Have you been to Mallorca? Which stretches of sand do you think are the best Mallorca beaches? Heading to Mallorca? These are our picks of the island’s best hotels, from antique and atmospheric to sleek and chic.
Book Mallorca Activities and Tours
