Day 1: Arrive Palma — The Mediterranean Jewel
Arrive Palma de Mallorca Airport. Transfer to Hotel ARA Alcudia (9.5/10 rating, 70m from the medieval walls of Alcúdia). Afternoon visit to Palma: stand in awe before La Seu Cathedral — Mallorca’s crowning glory, a sandstone Gothic masterpiece rising from the old city walls, its interior transformed by Antoni Gaudí’s 1904-1914 renovations (the iron crown-of-thorns canopy over the altar is pure Gaudí genius). Walk the Parc de la Mar artificial lake at the cathedral’s feet, explore the Almudaina Palace and the maze-like medieval quarter behind the cathedral. Evening welcome drink on the hotel terrace overlooking Alcúdia’s illuminated walls. Overnight Hotel ARA Alcudia.
Day 2: Sóller Valley Adventure — Trams, Oranges & Mountains
Drive west into the Serra de Tramuntana (UNESCO). Morning: board the iconic Ferrocarril de Sóller — a vintage 1913 wooden tram rattling through citrus groves between Sóller town and Port de Sóller, with the mountains rising dramatically on either side. Sóller’s ‘Valley of Gold’ earned its nickname from the orange and lemon orchards that fill the valley floor — here the oranges are famous across Spain. Explore Sóller’s Plaça Constitució, the modernist Can Prunera, and taste fresh-squeezed orange juice at a harborside cafe in Port de Sóller’s sheltered horseshoe bay. Afternoon: optional hike to the 17th-century Torre Picada watchtower or swim at Platja d’en Repic. Overnight Hotel ARA Alcudia.
Day 3: Cap de Formentor & Pollença — Mallorca’s Northern Edge
Drive the legendary Cap de Formentor road — 20km of twisting tarmac clinging to cliffs that plunge to turquoise water, widely considered one of Europe’s most dramatic coastal drives. Stop at Mirador de Sa Creueta and Mirador d’Es Colomer for heart-stopping views of the 200m cliffs and the Formentor peninsula stretching into the Mediterranean. At road’s end: the white Cap de Formentor Lighthouse (1892), where on clear days you can see Menorca shimmering on the horizon. Watch for the wild goats that inhabit these cliffs. Afternoon: Pollença — one of Mallorca’s most atmospheric towns. Climb the 365 Calvari steps (one for each day of the year) to the hilltop chapel with panoramic views, wander the cobbled Plaça Major, and photograph the 2,000-year-old Pont Romà (Roman bridge). Evening: dinner in a traditional Pollença restaurant. Overnight Hotel ARA Alcudia.
Day 4: Alcúdia & Can Picafort — Medieval Walls & Coastal Beaches
Morning: delve into Alcúdia — walk the complete 14th-century wall circuit (one of the best-preserved in Mallorca), enter through the Porta del Moll (Xara Gate), and climb the Renaissance-era walls for rooftop views across the bay. Visit the Roman city of Pollentia (founded 123 BC) with its small theater carved into the bedrock, forum, and residential district — the most important Roman archaeological site in the Balearics. Browse Alcúdia’s boutiques and cafes in the warren of stone lanes. Afternoon: drive to Can Picafort — a laid-back beach town with a 3km sandy bay and a palm-lined promenade perfect for a seaside lunch. Swim in the shallow, crystal-clear waters of Badia d’Alcúdia. Return to Hotel ARA Alcudia for sunset views from the roof terrace. Overnight Hotel ARA Alcudia.
Day 5: Cuevas del Drach — Underground Wonderland
Morning drive east to Porto Cristo. The day’s centerpiece: Cuevas del Drach (Dragon Caves) — a 1,200m-long subterranean system of four interconnected chambers. Descend through forests of stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years, past crystalline columns and frozen waterfalls of limestone. The climax is Lake Martel — one of the world’s largest underground lakes at 177m long and up to 12m deep. Lights dim, and a classical music quartet drifts across the illuminated lake on boats — musicians playing Chopin, Bach, and Mozart in this natural concert hall with perfect acoustics. After the concert, cross the lake by boat. Afternoon: explore Porto Cristo’s fishing harbor and the pristine Cala Mandia beach. Evening drive along the 310km coastline back to Alcúdia. Farewell dinner. Overnight Hotel ARA Alcudia.
Day 6: Departure
Transfer to Palma de Mallorca Airport for departure.
