Overview
North-West Mallorca offers the island’s best walking – it is where the Tramuntana Sierra’s rugged mountains plunge into the sea, and picturesque villages perch on the slopes. You will walk on old paved mule tracks winding through wooded valleys, between olive and citrus groves terraces, and along the high trails above the coast. This spectacular walk follows well-signposted trails that link some of the island’s most picturesque towns and villages – Sóller, Pollença and Valldemossa – where you stay at charming hand-picked hotels and enjoy time for long dinners of tapas and wine.
If you have less time, we recommend our Mallorca Walking Break.
- Walking through the Tramuntana Sierra in North-West Mallorca
- Amazing views over the Mediterranean Sea
- Nice country hotels full of character
- Valldemossa, where Frederic Chopin and George Sand spent a winter together back in 1838
- Freshly squeezed orange juice served at the estates, especially for walkers
- The lovely beaches of Puerto Pollença, Deia and Cala Tuent
- Lovely terraces and small shops in Port de Sóller
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Valldemossa
Arrival at Valldemossa, a small town built around an old Carthusian monastery that proudly remembers the year Frederic Chopin and George Sand wintered here. Valldemossa can easily be reached by public bus from Palma de Mallorca.
- Accommodation in Valldemossa (Es Petit Hotel or similar)
Day 2: Archduke’s Trail (Camí de s’Arxiduco) | 13-15km
Your first walk starts directly from your hotel. Leaving the village of Valldemossa, you traverse public land at the edge of a private estate, where access is limited to protect a black vulture nesting site. You pass the entrance gate to this private estate, though your walking route does NOT enter the protected area. You might be asked to show your ID at the checkpoint, so make sure to have your passport with you. You should NOT be denied access to the public grounds. Alternatively, you can ascend peak El Teix.
- Walking for the day: 13/15km, 5/7h, ↑550m ↓685m
- Accommodation in Valldemossa (Es Petit Hotel or similar)
Day 3: Deia to Port de Soller | 13km
Transfer to the artists’ village – Deia. You will start today’s walk from Deia Bay, and you will head along the wildly romantic rocky coastline towards Sóller. You can expect a diverse route with great views and numerous quiet places to sit back and relax. In Finca’s flourishing garden, high above the Sóller valley, you can refuel with some freshly squeezed orange juice and a tasty piece of cake before you end your day’s walk by walking along Port de Sóller’s promenade.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 5h, ↑300m ↓430m
- Accommodation in Puerto Soller (Los Gerranios or similar)
Day 4: Cala Tuent to Port de Soller | 15km
After a taxi transfer to Cala Tuent, a village with a lovely beach, you begin your walk. Your first follow the coastline to Port Soller and then pass the farm at Balitx d’Avall, situated among orange groves and olive orchards in one of the most remote valleys of Mallorca.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 6h, ↑650m ↓610m
- Accommodation in Puerto Soller (Los Gerranios or similar)
Day 5: Port de Soller Circular Walk | 8km
You will make a steep ascent to the cliffs from the port, which form a natural breakwater overlooking the bay. At the top, you have lovely views from Torre Picada along the rocky coastline to the tiny island of S’Illeta just offshore. You make a steep descent along a ravine from the peak to reach Sa Punta Llarga, a promontory that offers a lovely vista point back from sea level.
- Walking for the day: 8km, 3h, ↑270m ↓270m
- Accommodation in Puerto Soller (Los Gerranios or similar)
Day 6: GR 221: Lake Cuber to Pollença | 13-20km
Transfer to Lake Cuber in the morning. Today’s route is, without a doubt, the most beautiful stage of the GR-221, which takes you via the pass of Coll des Prat (1,195m) to the remote Monastery of Lluc. The walk begins along the lake, and once in the dense holm oak forest, the ascent starts: quite tough at first (but luckily still in the shade), later gentler once you have passed the treeline. You’ll enjoy spectacular views over the island as you ascend. You reach the pass below Picu Massanella (the second-highest peak in Mallorca). Next, you do an equally panoramic section behind Galileu Peak, followed by a descent along the restored stone footpath known as Las Vueltas del Galileu. The final section traverses a holm oak forest on your way to the popular pilgrimage site at Lluc Abbey. You’ll have time to see the Black Madonna (patron saint of Majorca) before your taxi transfer you to Pollenca in the late afternoon for a short journey to your charming accommodation in the town centre of Pollença.
A shorter option is to start walking from the monastery of Lluc and from there walk to Pollença.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 6-7h, ↑575m ↓845m OR shorter option: 13km, 4h, ↑200m ↓630m
- Accommodation in Pollença (Hotel Son Sant Jordi or similar)
Day 7: Valle Boquer or Cala Sant Vicenç | 7-10km
After yesterday’s demanding route, today, you can choose between two short walks in coastal areas.
- The easier walk enters Boquer Valley, a small nature reserve for birds with a private beach. As a bonus, you will end your walk with a stroll along Port Pollença’s beautiful seaside promenade.
- The longer walk starts in Cala ses Barques. First, you follow a wide gravel track west to a peak, Puig d’Aguila, with splendid views of Formentor Peninsula and the coves of Sant Vicenç and Port Pollença. Then you retrace your 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 at lovely beaches, and both routes end in Port Pollença, where you get the bus back to Pollença. At the end of the day, you may wish to explore the town of Pollença or enjoy the hotel’s beautiful grounds, including a swimming pool and lovely gardens.
- Walking for the day: 7 or 10km, 2 or 4h, ↑175m ↓330m
- Accommodation in Pollença (Hotel Son Sant Jordi or similar)
Day 8: Departure
Your trip comes to an end today after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in charming 3 and 4-star hotels, some of them with swimming pools. All of them have private en-suite rooms and offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Es Petit Hotel de Valldemossa: Family-run hotel located in the centre of the town of Valldemossa, 15min away from Palma de Mallorca. Built over the base of an antique traditional house and renovated with everything the visitor needs to enjoy some relaxing and nice holidays. The location offers the unparalleled landscape of the town surrounded by high and lush mountains.
- Hotel Los Geránios: Small 4-star hotel located in a privileged part of the Puerto de Sóller bay, just separated from the seafront by a promenade, away from the traffic, noise and stress. With spacious and modern rooms, comfortable and elegant in style, most of them offering sea views.
- Hotel Son Sant Jordi: Charming rural hotel located in the centre of Pollensa. The hotel comprises several 17th-century houses, fully renovated and ready to be the best option of rest and comfort for a holiday.
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher 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 overall, and many of the walks are optional or have shorter alternatives. Most of the walks follow gravel and paved tracks, and you occasionally follow minor roads (read more about difficulty grades). Some of the walks are way-marked with signs for the GR 221 or other local paths, and we will provide you with detailed road notes, GPS tracks and maps. 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 between mid-February and mid-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 is very pleasant and spring-like for most of the year. The months of June, July, and August are the hottest, and it is important to keep hydrated and bring plenty of sunscreens. The best months to travel are May and September when the temperatures are nice and pleasant for walking. Flowers will also be in full bloom in May.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Palma de Mallorca (PMI). It is the main airport in Mallorca and has direct flights from most major airports in the UK, and flying time is just over two hours from London.
By train or bus
- If you fly to Barcelona Airport (BCN), you can travel by ferry to Palma de Mallorca.
- Arrival in Valldemossa: Arriving by plane at Palma de Mallorca airport, a shuttle bus (line 01 or line 21) runs from the airport to the bus/train station Palma de Mallorca every 15min. From Palma city centre there is a regular bus line 210 to Valldemossa (travel time: 30min). If you arrive by ferry from Barcelona: from the Transmediterranea Terminal, take a city bus (Line 1) to the bus station near Plaça de Espanya. From there, you travel by bus to Valldemossa (Line 210).
- Departure from Pollença to Palma de Mallorca airport: You can take the bus from Pollença to Palma de Mallorca (Line 340). You can go from Palma de Mallorca to the airport by shuttle bus from Plaza de España. Check the timetables shuttle bus here. A private transfer by taxi from Port Sóller to Palma de Mallorca costs around €80. If travelling by boat, you can get a taxi from your hotel to the ferry terminal.
- Direct taxi transfers from the last accommodation to the airport or harbour can be arranged in advance.
- Important: If you are travelling to and from Barcelona by private or rental car, you can take the ferry to Palma de Mallorca. However, taking your car over to the island is not convenient, as the cost is quite high. Also, at the end of the trip, it is faster and easier to get back to the ferry terminal by public transport or taxi than by car.
- For more information, visit this site or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in charming hand-picked 3 and 4-star hotels
- 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 walking days as listed in the itinerary (days 3, 4, 6 and 7)
- Luggage transfers when changing hotels on days 3 and 6 (1 piece up to 20kg per person)
- 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 on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers
Gallery
