Overview
An eight day, self-guided walking holiday in north-west Mallorca, between Valldemossa in the Serra Tramuntana and the ancient town of Pollença. With the Serra Tramuntana range as your backdrop, this moderate level tour, hiking in Mallorca, takes on cultural and littoral highlights rather than high peaks, as you saunter along ancient mule tracks, lemon and orange groves and the protected Camí de s’Arxiduc. As well as the iconic and idyllic Cúber Lake to Lluc Monastery trek. In between you have either spectacular views of or a chance to swim in the Mediterranean, with no shortage of coastal gems on this Balearic beauty of an island’s trails.
If you have less time, we recommend our shorter six day Walking in Mallorca holiday.
- Serra Tramuntana
- Valldemossa
- Pollença, Deià and Cala Tuent beaches
- Port de Sóller
- Cuber Lake
- Lluc Monastery
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Valldemossa
Arrive in Valldemossa, a small hillside town, located a short distance from Palma de Mallorca. If time allows, visit Cartoixa de Valldemossa, the town’s former royal residence turned Carthusian monastery or take a stroll around the Jardins Rei Joan Carle. Be sure to try a coca de patata, a typical sweet originating from Valldemossa, accompanied by horchata (a traditional drink made with rice and cinnamon) in summer
- Accommodation: Hotel Ca’s Papa or similar in Valldemossa
Day 2: Valldemossa loop | 12.8/15.3km
Leaving Valldemossa, follow the route along stony paths, through holm oak woodland. The route reaches an area of land with restricted access, where a limited number of permits are issued each day to walk the Camí de s’Arxiduc (Archduke’s Trail). Your permit is arranged in advance, however, in the event that no permits are available, an alternative route is possible. Both routes also include an optional extension to the summit of El Teix (1,064m).
- Walking for the day: 12.8/15.3km, 5-6.5h, ↑550m ↓685m
- Accommodation: Hotel Ca’s Papa or similar in Valldemossa
Day 3: Deià – Port de Sóller | 14km
Take a transfer to Deià, a former artists’ colony perched on a cliff. From there, head along the rocky coastline towards Port de Sóller. The route is diverse, with several quiet spots to take a relaxing break, as the trail winds through woodland of pine, oak and madrone trees. Follow the trail to Finca Son Mico, a bakery located high above the Sóller Valley, where there is the chance to refuel with some freshly squeezed orange juice and coca, a traditional Mallorcan pastry. Continue on towards Port de Sóller’s promenade, where today’s walk ends.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 5.5h, ↑280m ↓440m
- Accommodation: Hotel Los Geranios or similar in Port de Sóller
Day 4: Cala Tuent – Sóller | 14.8km
Take a transfer to Cala Tuent (1h), the starting point of today’s walk, where there is the opportunity to start the day with a quick dip in the sea. Follow the route along the coastline, before heading inland. Pass a farm at Balitx d’Avall, located among orange and olive groves, in one of Mallorca’s most remote valleys. Today’s walk ends in Sóller, with plenty of time to explore the lively town centre, full of shops, bars and restaurants. Take the tram back to Port de Sóller (payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 14.8km, 6h, ↑650m ↓610m
- Accommodation: Hotel Los Geranios or similar in Port de Sóller
Day 5: Port de Sóller loop | 7.2km
Today’s walk is shorter, though starts with a steep ascent from the port to the cliffs, which form a natural breakwater overlooking the bay. The climb is worth it for the views from Torre Picada at the top, out along the rocky coastline to the tiny island of S’Illeta just offshore. Descend along the ravine to the promontory of Sa Punta Llarga. Return via a similar route to explore the opposite side of the breakwater back to the hotel.
- Walking for the day: 7.2km, 3h, ↑270m ↓270m
- Accommodation: Hotel Los Geranios or similar in Port de Sóller
Day 6: Lake Cúber – Lluc or Lluc – Pollença | 13-20km
Today’s walk has two options depending on the level of challenge you fancy.
Option one: Lake Cúber – Lluc. Transfer to Lake Cúber to start the day and begin one of the most beautiful stages of the GR221, which takes you via the pass of Coll des Prat (1,195m) to the remote Monastery of Lluc. Begin along the lake, to ascend in the shade of the dense holm forest to the pass below Picu Massanell. Continue on to descend along the restored stone footpath known as Las Vueltas del Galileu to the popular pilgrimage site at Lluc Abbey. Take the time to see the Black Madonna (patron saint of Mallorca) before your taxi transfer to Pollenca in the late afternoon.
Option two: Lluc – Pollença. Begin the walk from the Monastery of Lluc and follow the Cami Vell de Lluc, a historic footpath leading to the centre of Pollença. The last 6km of this route feature multiple asphalt sections, to avoid this a taxi can be arranged (payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 15.4km, 6-7h, ↑575m ↓845m/option 2: 13.3-19.6km, 4-6h, ↑200m ↓630m
- Accommodation Son Sant Jordi or similar in Pollença
Day 7: Valle Boquer or Cala Sant Vicenç | 7-9.6km
After yesterday’s demanding route, today you can choose between two short walks in coastal areas.
Option one: visit Valle Boquer, a small nature reserve for birds with a private beach. End the day with a stroll along Port Pollença’s promenade.
Option two: start in Cala ses Barques and follow a wide gravel track west to Puig d’Aguila to take in views of Formentor Peninsula and the coves of Sant Vicenç and Port Pollença. Retrace the route back to Cala ses Barques and Cala Sant Vicenç and cross over to Port Pollença via Siller Pass
Both walks offer the opportunity to stop for a rest on the beach, and end in Port Pollença. Take the time to explore the port or relax on the beach before catching the bus back to Pollença (payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 7km, 2h, ↑175m ↓175 or 9.6km, 3-4h, ↑330m ↓330m
- Accommodation Son Sant Jordi or similar in Pollença
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Ca’s Papa (Valldemossa)
- Hotel Los Geranios (Port de Sóller)
- Son Sant Jordi (Pollença)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You have plenty of options for dinner in villages and towns.
Difficulty and terrain
This trip is graded as moderate, with daily distances ranging from 7-16km and many of the walks are optional or have shorter alternatives. Most routes follow gravel and paved tracks with the occasional minor road (read more about difficulty grades). Some of the walks are way-marked with signs for the GR221 or other local paths.
We strongly advise you to follow the trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from February to November. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The weather in Mallorca is mild throughout the year. The months of June, July, and August are the warmest, with average temperatures between 21-25C, and some days as hot as 30C. If you prefer slightly cooler temperatures, the best months to travel are May and September, with the island’s wild flowers also being in full bloom in May. For more information, see our blogs, Ultimate guide to the Balearics and Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI).
By train or bus
- Palma de Mallorca can be reached by ferry from Valencia, Barcelona, Denia or ports in France. For more information and timetables see Mallorca Ferries.
- Arrival in Valldemossa: there are regular buses from both the airport and the port to Palma de Mallorca bus station, from here take the 210 bus to Valldemossa (30mins). For more information please see the local operator TIB or use the Omio planner above.
- Departure from Pollença: take the 340 bus to Palma de Mallorca then one of the regular buses to the airport or port. For more information please see the local operator TIB or use the Omio planner above.
- Private taxi transfers can be arranged upon request.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site
- Transfers on days three, four, six and seven as listed in the itinerary
- Luggage transfers on days three and six (one piece per person, up to 20kg)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
