Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, has long been a favorite holiday destination for British and European tourists. It has practically everything that a family could want in a summer holiday; sandy beaches; sunny weather; dramatic cliffs; full-flavored Spanish food; luxury hotels and luxury private villas.
[box] Other articles you can read:
- 7 Most Visited Spots in Barcelona, Spain
- List of The Best Budget Hotels and Hostels in Barcelona, Spain – From €11!
- 7 Awesome Things To Do in Barcelona, Spain [with Suggested Tours]
- 20 Off the Beaten Honeymoon Destinations in Europe for Millennials
- Filipino Family Trip: Exploring Europe’s 7 Cities
[/box]
Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Mallorca
The island caters to pretty much everyone, with a mixture of beach resorts and party towns, like Magaluf (which we won’t be talking about), and characterful, historic towns, with old fishing ports, quiet beaches, tree-lined promenades and cafes in shaded town squares. At the far north of the island is the town of Pollenca (Pollensa), with the Port of Pollenca (Pollensa) just a few kilometers to the West.
Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Pollenca
The town itself is set up on the hill tops, safely tucked away from the pirate attacks of the 17th and 18th centuries. Narrow, medieval streets snake between compact shops and houses, finally spilling out onto the central Plaça Major, with outdoor cafes and restaurants serving fresh coffee, Mediterranean, Spanish and Italian cuisine. It’s probably the most popular holiday destinations for families on the whole island of Mallorca, within easy reach of mile upon mile of pristine beaches, a relaxed atmosphere and a strong sense of local community.
5 Reasons for a Family Holiday in Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca
1. Stay in a Luxury Villa in Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca.
With its beautiful countryside, rolling hills and panoramic scenic views of the landscape flowing down to the breaking waves of the sea, Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca is a paradise of private luxury villas, sitting on their slice of paradise. They are perfect for family holidays and groups of friends with a week or two relax in their garden, cool off in a private swimming pool and cook up meals on an outside grill. With a private luxury villa, you have all of the comforts, facilities, and luxuries of a great hotel, with the privacy and freedom of your own home.
Our Two Monkeys Travel family – Richard, Amy, and seven month-old Matthew – stayed in this beautiful luxury villa just outside of the town of Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca, rented through Travelopo, with three luxury cottage-style bedrooms, marble topped kitchen and a comfortable living room with traditional exposed ceiling beams. It had a big garden front and back, full of fruit trees and an eight-meter swimming pool commanding views of the Puig Maria Mountain. When they weren’t out exploring Pollenca (Pollensa), they spent their family holiday relaxing in the sun, floating around in the pool, playing table tennis and cooking their dinner on the outdoor brick BBQ.
2. Visit the Palma Aquarium, Mallorca
The Palma Aquarium in Mallorca is only an hour’s drive from the town on Pollenca (Pollensa). With 55 different aquariums, it contains over 8000 specimens of around 700 species from the Mediterranean, the Indian, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Built with the philosophy of “learning and understanding to appreciate and protect” the world’s underwater ecosystems, Palma Aquarium Mallorca seeks to recreate the ecosystems and habitats of the sea, to observe, appreciate and study the wealth of flora and fauna found in our oceans and seas all over the world. Palma Aquarium is a perfect day trip for a family holiday in Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca.
3. Explore the Caves of Drach, Mallorca
The Caves of Drach, which translates into Dragon Caves, are located on the coast of Mallorca, close to the town of Manacor. There are four huge caves, which could be as old as 5 to 23 million years old, formed by water from the Mediterranean Sea being forced through cavities in the rocks.
Check out some of the cool and cheap tours you could do in Cuevas del Drach
Richard and Amy took Matthew on tour through the Caves of Drach with No-Frills Excursions, where they took a small wooden boat across Lake Martel, an underground lake which stretches for 115 meters. At the end of the lake crossing, there was an amazing classical music concert performed by a quartet of musicians in another small boat. The caves were incredible, but the tour was much than that – one the way the Caves of Drach, the group stopped at a pearl factory of Mallorca to learn all about the history and the manufacturing process of this island industry.
After the boat trip through the caves was a visit to a 16th century watchtower, a lunch stop at the seaside fishing village of Porto Cristo with time for a walk and a swim at the beach and finally a last stop at local Mallorca liqueur shop where they could try all kinds of local specialty liqueurs, for free!
4. Explore the historic town of Pollenca (Pollensa), Mallorca
Pollenca (Pollensa) is a beautiful historic town at the northern-most end of the island of Mallorca. Wander through the narrow streets and relax with the locals over a coffee in the central Plaça Major. Pollenca (Pollensa) was flooded with artists at the end of the 19th century, and it retains its tradition of art today with a handful of art galleries and museums to visit. For incredible views of the Puig de Maria Mountain and its ancient monastery, the Bay of Pollenca (Pollensa) and across the rolling countryside, try climbing the 365 steps up to the Calvary Church.
5. Explore Rural Mallorca
While the main towns and beaches of Mallorca have plenty to do and see, even Pollenca, (Pollensa) which has retained its local culture and adapted well to tourism, are very touristy compared to the real local life in the countryside of Mallorca.
Richard, Amy, and Matthew took a Rural Mallorca tour through the countryside with No Frills Excursions, starting with the small Mallorca village of Maria de la Salut, with a local market in a beautiful church square, then another town called Binissalem, where they bought wine and fresh fruits and vegetables from the local stalls ready for a traditional lunch later on. They then drove up to an old farm cottage for a BBQ lunch and all the wine they could drink!
Have you ever stayed in a private villa? Tell us about it below…
Are you on Pinterest? Pin these!
