A week in Mallorca works well as a progression from Palma through the mountains to the north. This route uses three nights in Palma or its surroundings, then four in the north, with the middle days organised as outings rather than a different hotel every evening. It assumes you are comfortable driving winding roads and will shorten the plan when conditions require it.
Collect a car when you begin leaving Palma, not necessarily when you land. Book parking with your accommodation and treat the suggested days as geographic groupings rather than promises about driving times.
Day 1: arrive and settle into Palma
Keep arrival day local. Store luggage, walk through part of the old town and find a comfortable first meal. If flight times permit, continue towards the cathedral waterfront, but save a substantial interior visit for tomorrow.
Avoid adding a mountain drive after a tiring journey simply to make full use of the rental day. A relaxed start gives you more attention for unfamiliar roads later in the week.
Day 2: Palma on foot
Use the morning for the cathedral district and one cultural visit that interests you. Leave time for the streets behind the major buildings, where the scale becomes smaller and a café stop fits naturally.
After lunch, choose a market or a different neighbourhood such as Santa Catalina, depending on trading hours and your interests. Finish with a waterfront walk or dinner near your room. This is a complete city day without needing the car.
Day 3: Valldemossa and Deià
Collect the vehicle before setting out, allowing time for the handover. Drive towards Valldemossa and choose between a cultural visit and a shorter town walk. Have lunch before continuing towards Deià, rather than treating every stop as a rushed photograph.
Use designated parking and avoid roadside stops on narrow bends. Return to your Palma base if that is your arrangement; alternatively, a planned mountain overnight can replace one Palma night. Do not improvise the accommodation change after a long day.
Day 4: Sóller valley, then move north
Travel to Sóller for time around the centre, then choose whether Port de Sóller belongs in the same day’s plan. If you are transferring accommodation, keep the visit selective so you are not arriving at the next property tired and late.
Decide your onward route according to confidence and conditions. The most scenic mountain option is not automatically the right one with carsick passengers or limited daylight. There is no requirement to drive every famous road to make this a road trip.
Check in at the northern base and keep dinner nearby. Our Mallorca accommodation guide explains the difference between Alcúdia’s old town and coastal properties.
Day 5: Alcúdia and a beach afternoon
Explore the walled old town in the morning, then move to the coast for lunch and a slower afternoon. This creates a useful contrast after several driving days.
Choose the beach by practical needs: access, available space and facilities matter more than a photograph. Keep valuables attended when swimming and follow local flags. If conditions are poor, extend the town visit or return for a rest instead of driving from bay to bay searching for perfect weather.
Day 6: Pollença and an optional coastal outing
Spend the morning in Pollença, choosing a short walk and meal rather than adding every nearby attraction. If you want a more exposed viewpoint outing, check road access and weather before deciding.
Formentor can involve seasonal traffic controls. Verify the current arrangements and use permitted transport where required; do not assume a rental car guarantees access. If the logistics are awkward, another northern beach or a longer lunch makes a worthwhile alternative.
Leave the evening open. This is also the best place to absorb an outing moved by weather earlier in the week.
Day 7: return without a final marathon
Allow for packing, fuel, the drive back and the rental return procedure. Add airport check-in and security separately rather than treating the road journey as the whole departure process.
If your flight is late, choose one modest stop compatible with luggage and parking. Do not leave cases visible in the vehicle while spending hours elsewhere. A final meal close to your route is often easier than one more scenic detour.
Keep the route adaptable
For walkers, replace a beach afternoon with a properly selected route suited to the group’s experience. For families, shorten the mountain days and protect the northern beach time. Our village and scenic-drive guide helps choose alternatives.
Before booking the car, review insurance, parking and driver requirements in our rental advice. The road trip should let you linger in places you enjoy, not commit you to a schedule that makes stopping feel inconvenient.
