Mallorca Itinerary: 3 Days in Deià, Sóller, Valldemossa and Palma

Last Updated on 08/11/2023

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Barcelona, Spain. The island is a wonderful mix of beaches, a busy capital city, sleepy villages and charming hilltop towns.

This 3-day itinerary will cover the capital city Palma de Mallorca and three villages on the northwest side of the island. I wish we would have had enough time to see the southeast end. This area looks particularly appealing if you are focused on visiting unique beaches and swimming coves.

Since the hilltop towns were calling my name, I decided to prioritize seeing Valldemossa, Sóller and Deià. I’ll also share my travel tips on how to get around Mallorca, the best places to stay and some amazing restaurants along the way.

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Where to Stay in Mallorca

Mallorca has something to suit every budget and accommodation preference. The island is full of boutique stays, modern hotels and rural estates, called fincas.

If you’ve ever read any of my itineraries before, you’ll see I always like to split up my nights between a more countryside hotel and one in town to get a feel for both. For those that don’t want to change hotels, it is very easy to stay at the same hotel for all three days in Mallorca and still enjoy the best things to do.

If you want a full deep dive into my recommendations on the best hotels in Mallorca, read my post: Where to stay in Mallorca. For now, I’ll share a few highlights….

• Hotel Cappuccino: Perfect location in the middle of Palma de Mallorca. I was hosted here as a guest and enjoyed the rooftop pool and unique rooms with luxury details.
• Finca Hotel Rural Es Turó: Stylish base for exploring the beaches on the southeast coastline.
• Hotel Mirabó De Valldemossa: Family-run, rural hotel in Valldemossa.
• La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel: 5 star luxury resort in Deià. 

How to get around

I am all for a good road trip and I believe that often the best way to see a place is by car. However, for this three day trip I decided not to rent a car because of the expense. I usually find good deals on RentalCars.com, but the price for an automatic on a holiday weekend during peak summer season was more than I wanted to pay. I regretted this decision at times (in particular when I was about to throw up from motion sickness on the bus from Sóller to Deià).

Everyone’s needs differ on this, but if you have the budget and want flexibly, I would recommend booking a rental car. A car is essential if you want to go to more remote beaches.

Public buses are reliable and frequent. See a full schedule and routes.

Taxis in the smaller towns are just not reliable (or honest, despite a large posting of the fares at the taxi stand). Full rant about this later.

3 Days in Mallorca, Spain

Day 1: Valldemossa & Deià

This part of the island reminds me of the stone hilltop towns of Tuscany, but with the cliffs and winding roads of the Amalfi Coast. Valldemossa, Deià, and Sóller often get bundled together and seeing all three is easy to do in a day if you don’t intend to hang out for hours at the beach.

Valldemossa is very charming and one of the top places to visit in Mallorca. The town is home to a Cathusian Monastery that served as a palace, museum and former residence of Frédéric Chopin. There’s also a small garden right next door that’s free to enter.

Be sure to walk in Botiga Son Moragues that’s located right around the corner from the garden. Take home a bottle of locally produced olive oil, gin or jam.

After a stroll around town and stopping in a few shops, reserve a table at Es Taller Valldemossa for an incredible lunch. The building was a mechanic shop in its former life and they’ve kept that theme with an open garage concept and car details. They use seasonal ingredients from local producers and vegetables grown in the garden on site.

Spend the afternoon at Cala Deià. This rocky beach is perfect for a dip in the ocean and relaxing afternoon in the sun. The beach is also home to one of the more insta famous restaurants in Mallorca, Ca’s Patró March.

The town of Deià itself is a picturesque village with beautiful views and stone buildings. It has long been a hub for intellectuals, celebrities, writers and artists. Have a stroll around the small town and enjoy the boutique shops. Stop for a drink at Cafe Sa Fonda, a venue where a number of musicians have played over the decades. 

For dinner, have a memorable experience at La Residencia– part luxury hotel, part living museum with an impressive art collection. The more causal dining spot Café Miró (although there’s nothing casual about a meal in a setting with over 30 original Joan Miró paintings) features live music each night. Choose El Olivo for romantic fine dining. Make a reservation and peruse the menu. 

Insider tip (AKA don’t make my mistake): Only have dinner at La Residencia if you are staying there (lucky you), staying at a hotel that’s walking distance in Deià, or have a rental car. I know Deià is a small village, but I ASSuMEd that with a famous luxury hotel, there would be some sort of frequent taxi. There is not.

After a lovely dinner, I trotted to the taxi stand to find that there are only two. La Residencia employees were very helpful, but we still waited almost two hours for a taxi. I saw several other frustrated groups and couples run into this same situation.

Day 2: Sóller and Port de Sóller

Start the day with coffee at one of the outdoor cafes in Plaça de la Constitució, the small main square in the town center. You can’t miss Sant Bartomeu de Sóller, a church in the square with an interesting mix of Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Mallorca on a Saturday, you’ll have your choice of outdoor markets. The one in Sóller is one of the best with stalls taking over the main square to sell baskets, jewelry, clothing, local produce, olives, cheeses and more.

After a stroll around Sóller, take the historic tram through the orange groves down to Port de Sóller. Since 1913, the tram has transported goods like fish and citrus between the port and the town. Today, it mainly serves local and tourist passengers. Check prices and timetables. 

Port de Sóller is a charming town with a large bay, sandy beaches and a boat-filled marina. Spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach and end the day with a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in Port de Sóller.

Villa Luisa Sóller for a prime spot facing the marina and street tram path. Have an upscale meal at Restaurant Nautilus on the cliffside with ocean views. Neni for a trendy scene serving Israeli Mediterranean fusion specialities.

If you can linger, Port de Sóller is a special place to be at sunset.

Day 3: Palma de Mallorca

For my third day in Mallorca, I was a guest at Hotel Cappuccino and would highly recommend staying a night in Palma de Mallorca. However, you could easily take a day trip to the capital city from almost anywhere on the island.

People visit Mallorca for its resorts, rugged beaches and quaint villages, but I fell for its city scene as well. Palma de Mallorca is filled with history, design shops, restaurants and beautiful buildings.

The Cathedral of Mallorca (also known as La Seu) is undoubtedly the top thing to do in Palma and is one of the more impressive churches I have visited. Construction began in the 13th century and restorations have been made over the centuries.

For shopping, head over to Passeig del Born. For a memorable sweet treat, get ice cream and pastries at Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo. 

Read next:

My full guide on Palma de Mallorca for more places to stay and things to do.

Where to Stay in Mallorca for the best hotels and properties throughout the island.