Spain

Solo Trip to Mallorca: A Budget Travel Guide

Solo trip to Mallorca (on a budget), is it worth it? Absolutely!

A trip to Mallorca lands you on a stunning Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea, with a climate to be desired. Sun-kissed shores are more than likely to be your welcome, alongside turquoise waters, picture perfect calas ‘coves’, countless beaches, mountains, and beautiful towns. The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands shouldn’t be missed.

I travelled to Mallorca (‘Majorca’) for eight days as a solo female on a budget travel trip and loved it! I felt safe and found exploring Mallorca solo and on a budget easy to do. So, don’t let the fact you may have no one to go with put you off! I recommend to any solo (and non solo!) travelers to visit this beautiful island.

Once you start exploring Mallorca, you don’t want to stop. So many places and never enough time. In my 8 days (9 nights – I arrived late and left early, giving me 8 full days) on the island, I managed to hit up each coast. In this time I was able to get a good grasp of the island as a whole, without rushing and trying to do too much each day. Many people visit for much shorter periods of time too, you can still cover a lot in a 4/5 day trip!

In this post I’ll give an insight into how I went about a budget solo trip, with a guide on where to stay, how to get around, and where to visit in Mallorca. Even if you’re not solo or on a budget, there are some tips in here for you, too!

Quick links:

How to Get to Mallorca?

By Air

Fly into Palma de Mallorca (PMI) Airport.

Flights are readily available from most places in Europe, especially going into spring/summer.

I always check for the best deals on Skyscanner.

From the airport, a public bus is available to take you into the city of Palma for only €5. The bus leaves from just outside the terminal building – you won’t miss it.

The bus runs until the early hours of the morning, meaning even with a late flight you don’t need to worry about how you will then reach the city. An important factor for a solo (female) traveler.

By Sea

If coming from elsewhere in Spain, you just may have the option to reach Mallorca by ferry. Ferries run to/from destinations such as Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza and Menorca. I recommend heading over to Ferryscanner to see the options available and for the best ferry deals.

If on a longer ‘no plans’ trip, you might even want to consider taking the ferry to your next destination to continue on a Spanish adventure.

Where to Stay in Mallorca on a Budget Solo Trip?

First of, what city/town to base yourself in on a solo trip to Mallorca?

Palma, Mallorca’s main city. Why? Travelling around the island is easy, convenient and cheap from Palma. So by staying in Palma, you can really make the most of a solo budget trip to Mallorca.

Moreover, affordable accommodation is available in Palma even for those on a solo trip. By this, you might have guessed, I mean there are ample hostels in Palma. Hostels are of course the cheapest accommodation when travelling solo, the best way to not feel ‘alone’ and a good way to save money on eating out by using the kitchen facilities. Luckily, Palma has ample hostels to choose from, and most are good options.

Some of the best hostel options in Palma are:

Out of these hostels, those which are within closest walking distance to Palma’s bus station (to be able to explore the island conveniently) are The Boc Hostels – City, El Josemari Youth Hostel, The Boc Hostels – Palma.

If hostels aren’t quite your scene and your budget is a little higher, don’t worry, there are plenty more options available for you too. I’d recommend searching on Booking.com or Agoda and you will also have hotels and apartments to choose from. There are usually some good deals on these sites!

The Boc Hostels – City was my hostel of choice. I definitely recommend a stay here. It isn’t the most budget option available, but it’s kind of worth it. For a nice, comfortable, well-located hostel with all the amenities you might need, The Boc Hostels – City is excellent. I spent 8 nights there in total and would go back on another visit.

Boc City was full one night so I did spend a night in Palma Port Hostel – this was the only option available (I didn’t book my whole stay before arriving, in case I wanted to move from Palma, I didn’t!). I did much prefer Boc City, so headed straight back there the next day!

Here are some positives of staying at:

The Boc Hostels – City

  • Location – Excellent location in Palma
    • 3 minute walk to the supermarket (Mercadona)
    • 10 minute walk to the beach (Platja de Can Pere Antoni)
    • 16 minute walk to Palma Cathedral
    • 16 minute walk to the bus station – Estació Intermodal
  • 24 hour reception – no hassle to check in if arriving late
  • Rooms
    • Curtain for privacy and which very much keeps the light out.
    • Your own lights you can easily put on at any hour without disturbing anyone, and which are actually super useful – not one small light.
    • Plus and USB sockets by each bed.
    • Big lockers to keep your belongings in. However, do be aware that these operate with your key card, therefore be careful not to leave your key lying around just in case.
    • Sinks in the room.
    • Female only dorms available.
  • Good sized, well-equipped kitchen – I never hesitated to cook food here, there was always enough space to comfortably cook a meal. Perfect for the budget travellers!
  • Digital nomad friendly hostel
    • A lot of common area space (indoor and outdoor) to comfortably work from.
    • Strong Wi-Fi
  • Bathrooms
    • Located on each floor.
    • Very good size, in particular the showers – biggest hostel shower cubicles I’ve ever been in – that’s the shower itself and the area to get changed in. Plenty places to hang your belongings and frankly comfortably shower and get ready.
    • Hairdryer in the bathroom.
  • Rooftop Pool
  • Gym

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For a comparison, since I did also experience Palma Port Hostel briefly, lets take a little look at this hostel too. It is more affordable than Boc City and has good reviews, however does have more downsides.

Palma Port Hostel

  • Located at Palma Port.
    • A good, lovely location which, however, is not as good as that of Boc City.
    • Further from the main city action. You could apply this also if considering a different hostel in the area of the port – how far it is from the likes of the main bus station and the beach.
    • 46 minute walk to the main bus station (you can take the city bus and easily then catch a regional bus so it’s not like you always have to have such a big walk, but it’s just a bit more inconvenient (and adds on those extra euros you thought you were saving by staying there!)).
    • 50 minute walk to the beach (Platja de Can Pere Antoni)
  • Relatively small hostel, which can be viewed as a positive, as it does have more of a friendly/homely vibe than the likes of the bigger Boc Hostels.
  • Kitchen area very welcoming to cook in albeit if it’s busy in the hostel you may have to wait a bit as there is not a lot of cooking space.
  • Shared bathrooms – shower cubicles are very small, no where to really put your stuff.
  • Big under bed lockers to easily store your belongings.

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How to Travel Around Mallorca on a Solo Budget Trip?

Mallorca is easy to get around, meaning there’s no need to worry about travelling the island on a solo trip, while knowing you won’t get bored as you can easily explore new places each day, even when on a budget.

On a solo trip to Mallorca, the easiest, most budget way to travel around is by bus.

Travelling around Mallorca by public bus

The bus station in Palma is the main bus station for the island – why being based in Palma is best. Buses generally leave from and return here. For example, if you want to get from, say, the west to the north of the island, you would have to return to Palma before heading north.

There are two main buses you will encounter:

  • EMT buses
    • Run in Palma city
    • Blue and white buses
    • Accept cash (you cannot tap on and off with a bank card)
    • Single ticket in the city €2
    • To/from airport €5
  • TIB buses
    • Regional bus service
    • Red and yellow buses
    • Can easily tap on and off with bank card
    • Can buy a single ticket with cash on board, however you will be charged more
    • You can switch buses (or take a train/metro) within a 60 minute window of leaving the previous transport and have it tack onto the same fare.
    • Zone based fares – range from €1.80 – €5.40. So a return trip will never be more than €10.80. Take a look on the TIB website here for a closer look at the fares for the trips you may wish to make.

Travel Mallorca by car

Undoubtedly, an even better way to discover the island would be to rent a car.

If you are short on time, are willing to pay a little more, and don’t mind driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road (I’m from the UK!), Mallorca is best explored by car. This is also a good option if you meet some people in a hostel (or elsewhere) wanting to explore similar areas for one or more days. You could see a lot more in one day this way, while reaching more remote areas. Rental cars are available to pick up in Palma.

What to Do on a Solo Trip to Mallorca?

I made the most of my trip by going on multiple day trips, which was easily done from the hostel I was staying in in Palma. All of the places I visited I would recommend going to on a budget solo trip, so I’ll give you a little insight into them to help with your Mallorca itinerary.

Palma

Palma, the main city (and likely your base), can’t be missed.

  • Parc de la Mar, a beautiful area which sits with the cathedral on one side and the sea on the other. It is the perfect chill out spot with an artificial lake, palm trees, grassy area and benches. The best view of Palma Cathedral is from here.
  • Royal Palace of La Almudaina – sits next to Palma Cathedral
  • Palma Old Town – found just behind the cathedral. Wander the narrow streets of the old town and take in this beautiful area of the city.
  • Palma Port – walk east and you head along Palma Port (perhaps you’ll even be staying that way, hello Palma Port Hostel). A lovely flat walkway perfect for a stroll at any time of day.
  • Platja de Can Pere Antoni – the main, closest beach to Palma city. Not the most beautiful beach on the island, but the location in the city is perfect.
  • Enjoy the coast-line – take a scenic walk/run – head west from the beach and enjoy the palm tree lined promenade that extends for miles. Essentially a lovely, scenic flat walkway that allows you to stumble upon more beaches and places to take in the sea air.
  • Shopping – being a city, all major shops are here in the centre of the city. If looking for something to do on a (usually rare) rainy day (even us budget travelers like to shop sometimes, right?), I’d recommend heading to Porto Pi Centro Comercial. This is a big indoor shopping centre located round from Palma Port.

Cala d’Or

One of the best aspects of Mallorca is its many beautiful ‘cala’s’, aka coves. You should definitely dedicated at least a day to exploring some of these. It’s really the perfect Mallorca experience and easily done on a solo budget travel trip. There are many calas to choose from but I headed to Cala d’Or and was not disappointed.

  • Located on the southeast of Mallorca
  • 1 hour 15 minutes on buses from Palma – note there is no direct bus so you must take 2 buses. They link easily so don’t let that put you off. Switch buses at La Verge 2 – you will leave the bus then go onto the next from the same place. Most other people are doing the same so no stress! Take bus 501 which is heading to Campos (of course descend at La Verge 2), then jump on bus 515 to Cala d’Or. The bus fare carries on from the first bus as long as you get on the second bus within 60 minutes of leaving the first.
  • Cala d’Or is not simply one cala, but a village from where you can easily wander around and take in multiple calas. I made it to: Cala Esmerelda, Cala Gran, Cala Ferrera, Cala Serena, Calo de ses Dones.
  • Turquoise, crystal clear water that once you get into, you don’t want to get out of.
  • Avoid some of the crowds on the beaches by perching yourself on some of the rocks nearby. You get an even better view of the cala on a whole this way too!

Alcúdia (Port d’Alcúdia)

Port d’Alcúdia is beautiful. When I got off the bus and saw Alcúdia Bay, I loved it straight away. It felt to me like somewhere you can come and fully chill out at – exactly what I wanted to do (and did do) the day I was there. I would have gone back or even spent a few nights here had I been staying longer.

  • Located in the north of the island
  • 55 minute bus ride from Palma, bus 302 goes direct
  • Beautiful sandy beaches at Port d’Alcúdia – Platja d’Alcúdia and Platja de Muro which sit on Alcúdia Bay.

There are also various activities on offer from Port d’Alcúdia if you want to add a little adventure and exploring to a visit here. For example, you can:

For even more activity options in this area, you can take a look here: on GetYourGuide – Alcudia

Port de Pollença (Puerto Pollensa)

  • In the northern part of Mallorca. Port de Pollença is the town next to Alcúdia.
  • 1 hour 5 minute bus from Palma, bus 301 goes direct
  • Beautiful beaches, beautiful scenery in general. I would have liked to have spent more time in this area – I really loved the north of the island!
  • Fitness hub’ of the island – many cyclists, walkers, runners around this area.
    • For the walkers/hikers, I definitely recommend walkig to Cala Bóquer. You can check out my post: Camí de Cala Bóquer – must do hike in Mallorca for more information on this walk.
    • For the cyclists, this area seems to be pretty dreamy. Cap de Fermentor is a very popular cycling route from Port de Pollença. Lots of incline on this one so you do have to be a pretty keen cyclist.

Sóller + Port de Sóller

Visiting both the charming town of Sóller and beautiful Port de Sóller is a great way to spend a day. I’d recommend heading to Sóller town first (it can be seen relatively quickly), before spending the rest of the day on the coast.

Sóller

  • West coast
  • 30 minute bus ride from Palma to Sóller, 40 minutes if you continue onto Port de Sóller – bus 204. There is the option to also ride the historic train from Palma to Sóller (bus is much cheaper for the budget travellers, but perhaps you would want that historic train experience).
  • Enjoy the small but bustling main square – Plaza de la Constitución.
  • Watch the historic tram run through the main square.
  • Explore the cute narrow streets surrounding Plaza de la Constitución – I was so surprised, in a good way, by the town of Sóller. It is just so cute!

Port de Sóller

  • Head to Port de Sóller by walking/bus/train/historic tram.
    • Walking gives more of an adventure and is of course also free. There is a trail that goes from Sóller to Port de Sóller. It is only around 4km, and makes that feeling of reaching the coast for some relaxing time even better!
  • In Port de Sóller you get to experience the beautiful scenery of sea and mountains, feeling somewhat secluded from the rest of the island.
  • Stroll the promenade, relax on the beach, simply enjoy yet another beautiful coastline of Mallorca.

If you want to go on another little adventure once you reach Port de Sóller, you can even opt to take a boat trip. This can be an amazing way to see this stunning coastline from a different viewpoint, while having the chance to explore some hidden caves and swim in more secluded spots. A couple of good and not too expensive options for this are:

Boat Trip to Torrent de Pareis and Sa Calobra

Puerto de Sóller – Cala Tuent Return Boat Trip

Illetes

Illetes (Ses Illetes) is a lovely beach resort lying on the southern coast, just 9km west from Palma. I spent only 2-3 hours here, deciding one afternoon to go and check out a beach area not far from Palma. It’s a great spot, but can get very busy, especially if you go on a public holiday as I did!

  • Can be reached by Palma city (EMT) bus – just €2 each way – pay by cash. Around a 30-40 minute ride. Short distance but it stops at many stops since it is the city bus.
  • Playa de Illetes is the main beach. This is could easily be the most beautiful cala closest to Palma city. Very popular and therefore busy spot.
  • Cala Xinxell – another beach area on the peninsula just round from Playa de Illetes. Likely to be somewhat quieter than the main beach.
  • Take a walk further along the coastline. After my time on the beach I headed back up from Playa de Illetes and started walking along the main road in the direction of Palma. You don’t need to go far but there are some lovely views since you are higher up and you can see a little more of the coastline. There are bus stops all along the route so you can then hop back on the bus to Palma from any of them.

Overall, Mallorca is great for solo budget travel trip. Or, any kind of travel trip! There is something to suit all budgets. That’s to say, there is so much more you can do in Mallorca too, and plenty of activities on offer if you are willing to spend a little more. Take a look on GetYourGuide if you want some extra adventures!

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