The Best Weekend Getaways From Mallorca

For a super-easy weekend trip, Menorca is a mere 30-minute flight away, or alternatively you can drive straight onto the ferry and get there in under two hours. The second largest of the Balearic islands, Menorca has a huge amount to offer, and not just in terms of its many stunning beaches. The two cities, Mahon and Ciutadella, are both incredibly beautiful and perfect for a short break (even when the weather is a bit cooler) and for those who want something more than a city or beach break, the island has an impressive 1,500 megalithic sites.

To escape the big resorts and tacky tourists traps, Formentera’s white sand beaches and turquoise seas make for the perfect break. Even without an airport, Formentera is pretty easy to get to from Mallorca – a short flight to Ibiza and then a 35-minute boat ride and you’re in paradise. Blissful beaches, great food and an abundance of Italians are the main things you will find on the island, and relaxing, eating and drinking are the only things you need concern yourself with while there. This tiny, laid-back island is not cheap, and almost everywhere closes at the end of the summer season, but it has everything you need for a blissfully relaxed beach getaway.

If you find yourself craving some time in a big city, Barcelona is undoubtedly your best bet from Mallorca. For those who don’t mind a journey that takes over seven hours, you can jump on a ferry direct from Palma – but the easiest option by far is a quick, cheap flight. A buzzing destination that has everything from great restaurants and bars, a vibrant art and design scene, incredible architecture, decent shopping, markets, museums and much more, you may find that a quick weekend just isn’t enough. Gaudi fans will be in their element with Parc Güell, La Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló all easily do-able in a short trip. For music lovers, the epic Primavera Sound Festival at the end of May is one of the best times to visit the city.

Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, is under an hour away from Mallorca by plane, and is well worth a visit, with its buzzing dining scene and beautiful old town. The Turia river, which used to run through Valencia, was prone to flooding and subsequently diverted away from the centre; the dry riverbed was then made into a park, creating a lush spine of green running through the city. Also located in this former riverbed is the spectacular Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) with its iconic, futuristic buildings. This science and culture complex is one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions featuring museums, Europe’s biggest aquarium and an opera house.

A quick weekend of culture in Spain’s capital city is more than achievable, with regular flights of only an hour and a half departing to and from Mallorca. This sprawling and lively city has a lot to offer, day and night, and there are many interesting neighbourhoods to explore and much to take in. You’ll be spoiled for choice in terms of museums, galleries, impressive architecture and nice hotels in the Atocha area, while the whole city is alive with great bars and restaurants, so whatever you fancy eating you are likely to find it. If you need a moment’s peace during a frantic weekend of shopping, partying or sight-seeing, Madrid famously has lots of green parks, one of which (Casa de Campo) is five times bigger than Central Park in New York City.

There’s a certainly a whole lot more to this southern Spanish town than oranges. A 90 minute flight from Mallorca will take you to the Andalusian capital and a fabulous city brimming with historic buildings, vibrant culture and buzzing street life. It’s very bike-friendly, so its stunning Moorish palaces, medieval churches and ancient towers are all easily accessible without a car. Head there in April for the annual Feria de Abril – a week-long party of drinking, eating and dancing throughout day and night – and you’ll discover Sevillians really know how to have fun. Oh, and Lonely Planet just named it the Best City in the World to visit in 2018, so what more reasons do you need?