Which side of the island decides the trip?
The southwest, in most cases. Deià, Valldemossa and Port d'Andratx sit under the Serra de Tramuntana with the cliffside villas and the agroturismo estates, and that is the Mallorca people picture. The north around Pollença and Alcúdia is quieter, flatter and better for families; Palma itself repays two nights in the old town by the cathedral. Choosing one and staying put beats trying to hold both — the mountain roads are slow by design.
Can you still drive to Cap de Formentor?
No, not in your own car in season. The Ma-2210 is closed to private vehicles from 10:00 to 22:00 daily between 15 May and 18 October 2026. On the first stretch, to Formentor beach, taxis, VTC and coaches are authorised and there is a car park that fills; beyond kilometre 8.7 a barrier admits only the TIB shuttle (line 334), residents, bicycles and emergency vehicles. So the lighthouse is reachable — early, late, by bus, or by bicycle — but not on a whim at noon. We plan it for first light.
When is the sea warm and the island not full?
May, June and September, with the season holding comfortably into early October. August is when the roads and the coves saturate. Late January and February bring the almond blossom and empty Tramuntana walking, which is a real trip in its own right if you accept that the sea is out of the question. Five to seven nights suits the island, usually in a private villa or a restored finca.
What does the sustainable tourism tax add?
Less than you would think, if you stay put. The Balearic ITS is charged per person, per night, and it falls by 75% between 1 November and 30 April and by half from the ninth consecutive night in the same establishment. One ten-night villa is therefore taxed differently from two five-night stays — a small point that changes how we sequence a two-island route.
Why a boat rather than a car?
Because the west coast was not built for cars. Cala Deià and Sa Calobra are reached by narrow switchbacks with almost no parking, and a skippered day charter puts you in the same water an hour earlier and without the descent. Anchoring is regulated in places to protect the posidonia meadows, so the crew, not the guest, deals with where the boat may legally sit.
Who is Mallorca not for?
Anyone who wants one beach, no driving and no season. This is a large island with real distances, and in August it is a busy one. If calm is the point, Menorca does it better; if the sea is the point, Formentera does. Pair it with Ibiza for contrast, arrive through Barcelona, and see Spain for how the Balearic leg fits the whole.