Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Mallorca's international airport, Son Sant Joan Airport, is 8km (5mi) from Palma. The island is such a popular destination that most airlines fly direct. If you want to go via the mainland, it will invariably up the price of your journey. The cheapest flights tend to go from Barcelona and Valencia; you can get particularly good deals in low season. Cheap flights on airlines such as Air Europa are also available from Malaga and Madrid. Ferries to Mallorca also run from these cities, and from Dénia on the coast between Valencia and Alicante; you can buy tickets in advance or at the ports. A departure tax applies when flying out of Spain, but this is included in the price of the ticket.

Getting around

The best way to get around the island is by car or bike, and there are several rental companies in Palma. If you'd rather use public transport, a regular bus service connects the airport with Palma, where you can get buses to the rest of the island. There are also two train lines running from Plaça de Espanya in Palma: one goes to Sóller on the northwest coast; the other inland to Inca. A third train connects Inca with Sa Pobla and Manacor. You can get boats and water-taxis between the different resorts.

If you want to island-hop around the Balearics, there are (costly) inter-island flights, and ferries, which operate from Palma, Port d'Alcúdia and Cala Ratjada.