Mallorca is still beautiful in summer. The trick is knowing where not to drive.
The heat is on, high season is officially here, and let’s be honest: the thought of fighting for a square meter of sand at Caló des Moro or getting stuck in an endless traffic jam trying to reach the Formentor lighthouse is enough to put anyone off. The secret to enjoying the island is a change of perspective. When everyone else is looking toward the coast, our suggestion is to signal and head inland.
If you already have a car rental in Mallorca, you have the ultimate advantage of being able to escape mass tourism. Today, we propose a different kind of road trip through Mallorca, cruising along those secondary roads where summer is lived at a completely different pace.
It’s a perfect half-day excursion that requires barely an hour and a half of total driving time—ideal for those days when the beaches are packed and you are looking for a logistically more relaxed plan.
The Heart of the Island: A Journey to Es Pla de Mallorca
Our recommendation is to head straight for the center of the island. Es Pla de Mallorca is a lowland dotted with traditional windmills, almond orchards, and less-touristy inland villages where it is still much easier to find a local neighborhood bar than a souvenir shop.
From Palma or from our Mallorca Airport car rental pickup point, getting here takes barely 30 minutes by road, but the change of pace is instant.
- Sineu: If your getaway happens to fall on a Wednesday, you’ll catch its traditional market, one of the oldest on the island. If you go any other day, the charm lies in strolling quietly through its medieval stone alleyways and eating at a celler (ancient underground wine cellars converted into restaurants serving homemade Mallorcan cuisine).
- Petra: A town made of golden sandstone that seems frozen in time. It’s a great place to park hassle-free around the main square, walk around for a bit, and stop for a coffee and a freshly baked artisan ensaimada at any of its local bakeries.
The Sunset Trick: Goodbye Formentor, Hello Ermita de Bonany
Watching the sunset in the north of the island has become an odyssey of traffic restrictions, mandatory shuttle buses, and hundreds of phone screens blocking your view. Fortunately, there are spots in Mallorca where the experience remains peaceful.
Just a 10-minute drive from Petra lies the Ermita de Bonany. The climb is a narrow road that gradually gains altitude among pine forests and Mediterranean greenery. Awaiting you at the top is a 17th-century sanctuary and a natural terrace known locally as “the viewpoint of Mallorca.”
On clear days, the views stretch across a large part of the island as the sun hides behind the Serra de Tramuntana. The atmosphere up here is much quieter than at the coastal viewpoints—plus, parking is free and significantly easier.
Driver-to-Driver Tips for This Summer
If you are planning a road trip around the island over the coming weeks, we suggest keeping these three practical details from our guide to driving in Mallorca in mind (Note: link to driving tips post if available):
- Manage the peak heat hours: The central hours of the day (from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM) are the most sweltering. This is the ideal time for a smooth drive between villages with the AC blasting, or for enjoying a leisurely lunch in the shade.
- Take advantage of secondary roads: Highways are useful for getting somewhere fast, but the roads connecting municipalities like Algaida, Sencelles, or Llubí tend to be much quieter and far more pleasant to drive in summer.
- Car size matters: If you plan on venturing into the historic centers of these towns, you’ll be glad you chose a manageable model. The streets are narrow, cobbled, and originally designed for horse carts. For this type of itinerary, we recommend opting for an economy and compact car rental (Note: link to small cars/fleet category), as an agile vehicle makes maneuvering much easier and saves time when looking for parking near the town entrances.
📍 Staying on the east coast of the island? You don’t need to go all the way to the airport to start your route. You can pick up your vehicle directly at our Cala d’Or car rental offices and cut across to the interior in just a few minutes.
Discovering the other side of Mallorca this summer simply requires stepping off the beaten path. While the coast absorbs most of the traffic, the interior offers the chance to drive through quiet villages, pull over whenever you feel like it, and enjoy a stress-free drive.
