The Happy Jetlagger

Category: Mallorca

Mallorca is a true gem within the Mediterranean Sea! Widely popular among German and British tourists this Balearic Islands also welcomes visitors from all over the world. Whatever you fancy on a mesmerizing summer vacation, you will find it on Mallorca. From amazing beaches to impressive sights and serene nature – Mallorca won’t disappoint you.

On my Mallorca blog, you’ll find plenty of ideas and inspiration for your trip to this magical island!

Sa Calobra & Torrent de Pareis: Day trip on Mallorca

It is essential to arrive in Sa Calobra before 10 a.m., says every guide book, so that you don’t find yourself in the middle of the big avalanche of coaches. Be sure to go again after 3 pm, otherwise you will experience the same thing back. Sa Calobra and the famous gorge Torrent de Pareis are well visited. All the more so in high summer, when Mallorca is bursting at the seams. Nevertheless, the Torrent de Pareis is always worth a trip during a Mallorca road trip! If you don’t want to drive, save yourself the journey through the Tramuntana and start with a boat trip from Port de Sóller to the bay of Sa Calobra.

In Sa Calobra there are a few restaurants, but relatively expensive and rather tourist traps. But the view is awesome!

Sa Calobra & the Torrent de Pareis: A day trip in Mallorca

On an island like Mallorca, the beach in Sa Calobra Bay isn’t particularly noteworthy: the pebbles make a day at the beach there a bit uncomfortable. But that’s not why people come here! The Torrent de Pareis is a torrential stream that flows right here through a deep gorge from the Tramuntana Mountains into the sea. However, this only happens during the colder and rainier seasons—in the summer, the Torrent de Pareis runs dry. Then you can also hike through the Torrent de Pareis gorge. However, you’ll need good hiking gear and a guide who knows the area well!

Tip: On my Mallorca blog you can find even more travel inspiration for my absolute favorite island!

Torrent de Pareis: Hiking tours and concerts

The spacious area at the end of Torrent de Pareis often hosts concerts in the summer, with shuttle service to Palma. The sound: Bose couldn’t do it better. Without a concert, the Torrent de Pareis is rather inconspicuous. If you arrive without hiking equipment and a local guide, the more exciting part of the gorge (where it gets narrow and steep and bumpy) is impassable. So there you are, standing on heated pebbles, between rocks and what feels like two hundred and fifty busloads of tourists from all over the world, who actually don’t know what they’re supposed to find so great about a parched spot between the mountains.

Tip: If you want to explore Torrent de Pareis, don’t do it without a guide!

Torrent de Pareis also often hosts open-air events.

And yet, it’s spectacular. Not only the gorge Torrent de Pareis, not only Sa Calobra and not even the turquoise blue water in the Cala de Sa Calobra.

Many serpentines and the tie knot of Mallorca

The real adventure is getting there! Coming by car from Inca, you shimmy through various mountain villages, up, down, up, down, and winding through dense forest. Until your foot cramps on the clutch from constantly shifting up and down. Until you get dizzy from the many curves and long for at least twenty meters of dead straight asphalt. Actually, that would be enough excitement, but then the last wild descent begins.

What you need for your Mallorca road trip:
➜ You can find cheap rental cars here!

In hairpin curves it goes up the last hill and then …steeply downhill. In curves, tight, tightest. No guardrails. Slopes into the deep void. No view of what’s waiting around the bend. Nothing? Oncoming traffic? A giant tour bus that fills the entire width of the street?

The view during the drive to Sa Calobra: The Tramuntana Mountains in Mallorca.

Rough and adventurous: the northeast coast of Mallorca.

Sa Calobra: The most winding approach to Mallorca

The serpentine road to Sa Calobra is not fun for every driver. But an adventure it is all the same! And once down in Sa Calobra, the Torrent de Pareis looks a lot more spectacular. You suddenly feel tiny in the face of the huge gorge.

Only something for safe drivers: The serpentines down to the Torrent de Pareis have it in themselves!

No shade, giant pebbles – but the huge rocks on the right and left make the beach of Sa Calobra unique

The winding road above is really the only way to get to Sa Calobra by land. However, if you are not so adventurous, you can take a boat from Soller. Round trip costs 30 euros together.

Without car to Sa Calobra

By Bus

If you don’t dare to go down to Sa Calobra by car, then join a bus tour! There are some operators who include Sa Calobra in really nice day trips and where you get to know many other beautiful corners of the island in just one day.

This tour, for example, also includes a ride on the legendary Red Lightning, the historic wooden train from Palma to Sóller! This ticket alone normally costs 18 euros, so the price of the tour is worth it!

Book here a day trip across the island from Palma via Sóller to Sa Calobra and further*

By boat

There are also some organized boat tours that go to the bay of Sa Calobra from surrounding ports. There you also have the opportunity to see the Torrent de Pareis during a short stay.

➜ Timetable & prices to Sa Calobra from Port de Sóller

From Soller you can take a boat to Sa Calobra.

08/08/2016
Three Dream Beaches in Mallorca
Finding the most beautiful beaches or the most amazing bays in Mallorca isn’t difficult at all. Get into the rental car, open the map or turn on the navigation system – and you will always find a beautiful beach. It’s a big island. With nothing but romantic bays and dream beaches. It’s a good thing that Mallorca is always a safe bet: quick to reach, always sunny, lots of beaches. And actually, everything is a bit like home, only more Spanish.

Book a half-day catamaran tour to dreamy beaches like Es Trenc*

The most beautiful beaches and coves in the south of Mallorca

Mallorca has so many beautiful beaches that it can be hard to decide where to spend the perfect day at the beach on the island. You could easily spend two weeks in Mallorca, visiting a different beach every day, and still not see them all! Here’s a small but excellent selection of the most beautiful beaches:

1. Es Trenc / Ses Covetes

Finest white sand like in the Caribbean. Turquoise blue water so clear that you can watch the fish around you frolicking in the water when you are standing shoulder high in the water. Framed by dunes like on Sylt. Pure nature.

Of course, Es Trenc hasn’t been a hidden gem for a long time now. But it’s still worth a visit, especially if you keep a few things in mind:
- Be sure to come early. From 10am on it gets really crowded.
- Avoid weekends. Because then you have the working local population on top of the tourist crowd.
- Don’t get excited about the prices. In Es Trenc everything is more expensive. Parking. Beach loungers. Bars.
- Don’t forget sunscreen. This is always important, but due to the extremely light sand and the clear water you will get sunburned faster. Which you don’t even notice right away due to the light wind.
Getting to Es Trenc

There are two access routes: Es Trenc/Ses Salines and Es Trenc/Ses Covetes. In Ses Salines, you’ll pass a saltworks run by Germans (tip: stop on the way back, have a coffee on the cozy patio, and buy some salt), then a really narrow gravel road leads after a while to a paid parking lot. There are no other parking options. So don’t waste time looking —just pay for the day pass with a heavy heart and park. And it’s best not to head back before the afternoon — the gravel road back to the main road turns into an adventure when you have to pass oncoming cars.

In Ses Covetes you can park in the village or on a designated parking spot a bit before the village, where a paid shuttle bus takes you to the beach entrance. Both beach sections are phenomenal, but because of the saltworks I would rather recommend Ses Salines.

Click here to get more tips for Mallorca

2. Cala Mondragó / Cala S’Amarrador

Cala S’Amarrador was once named the most beautiful beach in Europe by some website. It’s easy to see why, because Cala S’Amarrador has it all: clear water, fine sand, and pine forests all around. It’s also known as Cala Mondragó, since it’s part of the Mondragó Nature Reserve.

Looking for a place to stay on the island?
Find the best hotels in Mallorca here

3. Cala S’Almunia / Cala Moro

The insider tip for people who like it more adventurous. Cala S’Almunia is reached by descending a steep staircase. The bay itself is very rocky. You can also get into the water only after climbing halfway around the bay. Or you can just jump in from the rocks. There is no sandy beach, you lie on rocks or pebbles at the water entrance. Not for small children or people who don’t like to climb around. If you like, you can go one bay further to Cala Moro. But the water is worth every deprivation! Perfect for snorkelers and adventurers.

Here’s How to Get to the Dream Beaches

All of the beaches are located in southeastern Mallorca, near Santanyí, and are actually best reached by rental car.

Rent a car in Mallorca

Mallorca is a classic destination. It’s always a good choice. And here’s what you absolutely must have on the island: a rental car. Because Mallorca is too beautiful to spend your vacation days just sitting around in one place. No, the real fun comes from hitting the road and exploring on your own. That’s the only way to get a complete sense of Mallorca. Because this island has it all: the sea, mountains, gorgeous sandy beaches, sleepy farming villages, a charming city, secluded countryside, and rocky coves—all on this little patch of land in the Mediterranean.

Tip: Getting a rental car in Mallorca

Want to avoid the hassle of renting a car from budget providers? You won’t find any shady providers here, and excellent support in the event of damage is included!

You can find cheap rental cars in Mallorca here
29/06/2016
Visiting the Farmer’s Market in Esporles, Mallorca

Esporles is a charming little village tucked at the foot of the stunning Serra Tramuntana. It offers a genuinely authentic Mallorca experience! Not many tourists venture here, which makes it all the more special. Hopefully, you’ll be lucky enough to visit during a market day in Esporles. That’s a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the true essence of Mallorcan village life and enjoy the vibrant local atmosphere.

Colorful: The market in Esporles.

Esporles in Mallorca: The farmer’s market

A brief visit to one of the many markets on Mallorca is enough to realize that foodies get their money’s worth here. Every village, no matter how small, has its own market during the week. Often, you will find stands from local vendors who sell products from their own finca.

The weekly market in Esporles is one of the most beautiful on the island.

Typical: The spicy Sobrassada.

Mallorcan cuisine features ingredients like stockfish and pickled olives.

The fertile Mallorcan soil combined with the nearly always shining sun creates ideal growing conditions. Lemon and orange trees are found throughout the island, along with all other essentials for a healthy Mediterranean diet: olives, juicy tomatoes, dried fruits, fresh fish, and huge watermelons. The list seems endless!

Click here for more Mallorca travel inspiration

Esporles: The market as a village event

Market day is always a special occasion in remote villages. Not only can you find much fresher fruits and vegetables than at the local supermarket, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity to catch up on the latest village gossip—or simply enjoy a relaxed chat with your neighbors over a lovely café con leche. It’s such a warm and friendly way to connect, especially for the older villagers who might not get many chances to leave the village.

Also interesting: Mallorca’s largest flea market

When is market day in Esporles? When is market in Mallorca?

In Mallorca, every day is market day. There’s always some small village that’s holding a market. Large markets, like the one on Sundays in Santa Maria, are popular because of their size and variety, but it’s the small markets, like this one on Saturdays in Esporles, that are especially charming.

A quick overview of all markets in Mallorca

I really enjoy the smaller markets in the countryside the most; however, if you’re just visiting the capital, Palma, for a few days, you’ll also discover many wonderful opportunities to shop for authentic Mallorcan products there.

Here you’ll find the best markets in Palma

Everything fresh from the farmer: from cheese to vegetables there is a wide choice in Esporles.

22/08/2015
Ses Salines: The Salt Pans in Mallorca

When you travel a lot, you develop the most abstruse habits. This also affects my shopping habits. If you’re sitting in the same city for the twenty-third time and have either seen just about everything there is to see or have no desire to see anything at all, you’ll have to fill your day with something else.

Then there are the Swedish cinnamon rolls that have to be brought from the one and only trusted bakery (and only there!) in Stockholm, or the hand-rolled fresh goat cheese ravioli from Mamma Lucia’s pasta shop (and only there!) in Turin, or the summer wardrobe, which is pieced together bit by bit from favorite clothing stores around the world. And in Es Trenc, it always has to be salt!

Salt from Es Trenc: Genuine from Mallorca!

Well, and when I need salt again, I always get it from Mallorca. Decadent, yes, but that’s the way it is. White bread, butter and a little Flor de Sal from Es Trenc crumbled on top – simply delicious!

On my blog you will find many more tips for Mallorca!
Click here

Salt flats in Es Trenc & shopping at Flor de Sal

On the way to Es Trenc Beach are the Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc salt pans and their factory outlet, where I managed to snag a great deal. You can also buy the salt anywhere on the island if you can’t make it all the way to Es Trenc. But this is the only place where you can see the salt flats up close and relax in the cozy courtyard with a great cup of coffee.

Es Trenc: One of the most beautiful beaches of Mallorca

But you definitely shouldn’t miss Es Trenc Beach: It’s one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, and many people even compare it to beaches in the Caribbean! However, you should get there early during peak season, as parking spots nearby are very limited.

In this article you will learn the best way to get to Es Trenc and where to park: Es Trenc Guide

29/06/2015
Mallorca’s Dream Beach: Es Trenc

Every time I’m at Es Trenc, the famous beach in the South East of Mallorca, it feels like a trip to the Caribbean Sea. After an adventurous drive on a dirt road of several kilometres length, which is just a middle class car wide, but through which the oncoming traffic has to pass, one reaches the parking place of Es Trenc. Once past salt basins and through dunes that could be like this or similar ones in northern Germany, one is already dazzled by the whitest sand and light turquoise sea.

Like in the Carribeans

Days before there was unfortunately a heavy storm on the island. The mallorcan beach cleaners were not yet through when we arrived, so algae were still drifting on the beach. But it was no problem, the water was still crystal clear. As the water in Es Trenc is very salty, you feel at least as fluffy when swimming as the white sandy beach.

Es Trenc: A secret hotspot in Mallorca

Es Trenc has not been an insider tip for ages. Luckily, the whole area around the beach is a huge nature reserve, so touristic big buildings are not allowed. But also because of this Es Trenc attracts many people looking for a special beach – so an early arrival is a good idea. Best during the week, because many locals also come here on weekends. And then it gets cozy on the beach. Nevertheless: Es Trenc is simply hard to beat on Mallorca. If it gets too crowded on the beach, you can simply escape into the water until you grow webbed feet: you can walk forever into the water (great for kids) and at some point it gets quieter. And in midsummer the water gets so warm that you don’t want to get out anyway.

How to get to Es Trenc & Helpful information for your visit

Arrival best by car/rental car – arrive early in the morning.

Drive to Campos, from there follow the signs (Es Trenc/Ses Salines – this is my favourite corner – or Es Trenc/Ses Covetes).

Es Trenc is quite expensive.
The parking lot Ses Salines costs 6€ per day. (There is no free alternative, and ignore the first car park on the right! Follow the narrow dirt road to the end. Attention: Nothing for insecure rental car drivers or huge SUVs, the path is very narrow for a long time, and when oncoming traffic comes, it will be fun 🙂
On top of that there are rental fees for umbrellas and sunbeds, if desired. However, there are corners where you can set up your own beach equipment.
Food and drink is quite good in the Chiringuitos (beach bars), but here you can’t expect any gastronomic highlights or bargain prices either. I am always self-catering concerning the food and depending on my mood I get one or another cool drink at the bar.

26/06/2015

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