Things to Do in Mallorca 2026 — Best Activities

Palma's Big Three: Culture, History and a Shark Tank

If you only have a day in Palma, the Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca — known locally as La Seu — is the one non-negotiable stop. Construction began in 1229 on the site of a former mosque after King James I of Aragon vowed to build a cathedral if he survived a storm at sea, and the building took centuries to complete. What makes it unusual is the layer of early 20th-century work by Antoni Gaudí: between 1904 and 1915 he relocated the Gothic choir, reopened bricked-up windows to flood the nave with light, and designed a crown-of-thorns canopy above the main altar. In 2026 the cathedral is running a dedicated Gaudí Year programme — lectures, theatrical tours, a temporary exhibition, and the reopening of the panoramic roof terraces — making this a particularly good moment to visit. Tickets are around €10 and include the museum; plan for at least an hour. Go early morning or late afternoon when the light through the great rose window is at its best, and make sure shoulders and knees are covered or you won't get through the door.

Fifteen minutes' walk uphill from the old town, the Castillo de Bellver sits on a wooded hillside and earns its reviews mainly for two things: a genuinely unusual circular Gothic design (one of the very few circular castles in Europe) and panoramic views across the bay of Palma and out to sea. The on-site history museum gives you solid context on Mallorcan history without overwhelming you, and the walk up through the pine forest is pleasant enough that you don't need to drive. Allow around 90 minutes. It works well combined with a morning at La Seu — take a taxi or a leisurely uphill walk.

For families or anyone who wants a change of pace from the historic centre, Palma Aquarium is a reliable half-day option on the eastern edge of Palma near the airport. The main draw is the large shark tank — big enough that you can stand under it — and the variety of themed zones covering different ocean ecosystems. Reviewers consistently mention it as a good rainy-day plan and a solid option for keeping kids engaged for two to three hours without anyone getting restless.

Day Trips Worth the Drive: Caves, a Historic Train, and the East Coast

The Cuevas del Drach near Porto Cristo is Mallorca's most visited single attraction outside Palma, and the reason is straightforward: it delivers something you genuinely cannot get anywhere else. The cave system runs for about 1.2 kilometres through four interconnected galleries, down to 25 metres below the surface, and ends at Lake Martel — one of the largest underground lakes in the world. The highlight of every visit is the live classical music concert that has been held here since 1935: a quartet of musicians plays from illuminated boats on the lake before visitors can take a short rowboat crossing to the exit. It is unapologetically touristy, and groups at peak times can be 200 people or more, so arrive early for your time slot. Book tickets online in advance — the site is about 65 km from Palma, tickets are around €18 for adults, and comfortable shoes are essential as there are around 119 steps. Early morning weekday visits in spring or autumn are noticeably calmer.

For a completely different underground experience, the Cuevas de Artà near Canyamel on the northeast coast is a smaller, less-trafficked alternative that regularly wins praise for the quality of its guided tours — multilingual, unhurried, genuinely informative, with guides who clearly know the geology well. The cave formations are dramatic and the wait times between tour departures are reasonable. If you're driving the northeast coast road anyway (and it's worth doing), this pairs well with a stop at the medieval town of Artà itself.

The Tren de Sóller is a different kind of day trip — less about a destination and more about the journey itself. The narrow-gauge wooden train has been running since 1912, originally built to transport citrus fruits from the Sóller valley to Palma, and the original carriages with their mahogany panels and brass fittings are still in service. The 27-kilometre route from Palma's Plaza d'Espanya crosses the Serra de Tramuntana — a UNESCO World Heritage mountain range — through 13 tunnels and over the Cinc-Ponts viaduct, taking about an hour each way. A one-way ticket costs around €22. At Sóller station you can pick up a vintage tram down to the port, or simply walk the town's Art Nouveau streets and have lunch. The 10:40 departure from Palma is the designated tourist ride and sometimes stops for photos. In July and August, book seats in advance — the train sells out.

At the other end of the island, Puerto de Alcúdia offers a completely low-key afternoon: a long, well-kept marina promenade good for a walk, easy access to the bay, calm water, and a pleasant atmosphere in the early evening. It is not an attraction so much as a place to simply be at the end of a driving day around the north coast. Families with younger children particularly appreciate the flat, safe walking environment.

Active Tours, Cala Hopping and a Night at the Pirates: Experiences That Deliver

If you're visiting without a car and want to get to Mallorca's best coves — the ones that require 4WD tracks or long walks to reach independently — GoFurgo.tours solves the problem neatly. The format is small-group van tours (8-seater maximum) with hotel pick-up included, covering paddleboarding, snorkelling and cliff jumping at spots like Cala del Moro and Caló des Moro in the south. All equipment is provided — boards, snorkel masks, water shoes, GoPro for photos — and guides adjust the day's stops based on sea conditions and crowd levels, so you're not stuck at a cove that's already packed. Reviews consistently flag the guides by name (Lucas, Theo, Nabil and others appear repeatedly) and praise the relaxed small-group atmosphere. It suits couples, families with older children, and solo travellers who want company. Book ahead in summer — these tours fill up quickly.

Mallorquad in Santa Ponça runs guided quad-bike routes through the southwest of the island, and the consistent feedback covers two things: guides who keep the pace manageable even for first-timers, and routes that include viewpoints and stops that you'd never find independently. It's an active option that works for groups, couples, or families with teenagers, and the routes are set up so that no prior off-road experience is needed. For those who prefer their adventure guided and cultural rather than motorised, Evasion Authentic based in Palma offers multilingual guided excursions with a notably strong reputation for patience with international visitors, clear explanations, and a relaxed pace that doesn't feel rushed. Reviewers specifically mention the quality of the information and the accessible, unhurried approach — it's a good fit for visitors who want to understand what they're looking at, not just see it.

The Cuevas dels Hams near Manacor offers a third cave option if you're doing a dedicated cave day in the east — slightly shorter than Drach and differently formatted, with artistic lighting in the cave formations and a music and projection show at the underground lake. Well-organised, around an hour per visit, good for families who found Drach too crowded. And for a very different kind of evening — particularly worth considering for groups or families — Pirates Adventure in Magaluf puts on a dinner-show with live acrobatics, stage effects, and a warm meal served during the performance. The production is genuinely professional rather than novelty-act level, and the logistics are well-organised. It's not subtle, but it's a solid three-hour evening plan for mixed-age groups who want entertainment included with dinner.