How to Book a Mallorca Island Tour

The Soller railway was built in 1912. Over a century later, the same wooden carriages still rattle through 13 tunnels carved into the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, connecting Palma to the orange-scented valley town of Soller. I rode it on a Tuesday morning and spent most of the journey with my face pressed against the window, watching the landscape shift from flat farmland to proper mountain scenery in under an hour.

That train ride is the highlight of every Mallorca island tour — but it’s not the only reason to book one. These full-day guided bus tours circle the island, hitting coastal cliffs, mountain villages, and historic towns that would take you three or four separate day trips to see on your own.

Serra de Tramuntana mountain peaks rising above green slopes in Mallorca — The Serra de Tramuntana is a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape — the dry-stone terracing on these slopes dates back over a thousand years. Arab engineers built the first irrigation channels here in the 10th century.

Vintage wooden tram on the streets of Soller in Mallorca — The Soller tram has been running since 1913. Grab a seat on the left side for the best views of the harbour as you roll into Port de Soller.

Valldemossa village set against the Tramuntana mountains in Mallorca — Valldemossa sits at 400 metres above sea level — high enough that the air feels noticeably cooler than the coast. Chopin spent a miserable winter here in 1838, but the village itself is anything but miserable.

Contents

In a Hurry? My Top 3 Picks
What a Mallorca Island Tour Actually Includes
The Soller Train and Tram — The Star of the Show
The 3 Best Mallorca Island Tours to Book
1. Mallorca: Island Tour with Boat, Tram & Train from the South — 7
2. Mallorca: Scenic Full-Day Tour from the North — 5
3. Formentor & Puerto Pollensa Tour —
How to Book and What to Know Before You Go
Choosing Between the South and North Tours
A Thousand Years of Conquest on One Island
Practical Tips for Your Mallorca Island Tour
Other Tours Worth Combining

In a Hurry? My Top 3 Picks

Best overall: Island Tour with Boat, Tram & Train — $117. The full package: vintage Soller railway, seafront tram, boat ride, and a guided bus tour through the mountains. Eight hours, four modes of transport, and the best single-day overview of Mallorca you can get. Check Availability

Best from the north: Scenic Full-Day Tour from the North — $115. Same concept but starting from northern hotels. Includes Sa Calobra, the Soller train and tram, plus a boat ride. The Sa Calobra road alone — 12 kilometres of hairpin turns dropping 800 metres — makes this worth it. Check Availability

Best value: Formentor & Puerto Pollensa Tour — $69. A different route entirely. Skip the train, head straight to Cap de Formentor and its 300-metre cliffs, stop at Sineu market, and swim at Formentor Beach. Half the price of the full island tours. Check Availability

What a Mallorca Island Tour Actually Includes

The standard Mallorca island tour is an 8-to-9-hour loop that picks you up from your hotel (or a nearby meeting point) in an air-conditioned coach. The route varies depending on which operator and which direction you start from, but the core ingredients are the same: the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, at least one or two village stops, and some combination of the Soller train, tram, and a boat ride.

Serpentine pass road through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains — The mountain roads through the Tramuntana will have you reaching for your camera every thirty seconds. The bus driver handles the hairpins — you just sit back and watch.

Most tours include multilingual commentary in at least three languages (Spanish, English, German — sometimes French and Italian too). The guide points out landmarks, shares local history, and gives you practical tips for each stop. It’s structured but not rigid. At each village or viewpoint, you get free time to wander, grab lunch, or explore on your own.

Winding coastal road along steep Tramuntana cliffs in Mallorca — This is the road to Sa Calobra — 12 kilometres of switchbacks that drop 800 metres to sea level. On the bus tour, someone else does the driving. Honestly? That’s the smart move.

Here’s what’s typically on the route, depending on which tour you pick:

From the south: Palma departure, drive through the Tramuntana, Soller railway, tram to Port de Soller, boat ride along the coast, return via the mountains
From the north: Northern hotel pickup, Sa Calobra descent, Soller train and tram, boat ride, return through inland valleys
Formentor route: Northern Mallorca focus — Sineu market, El Colomer viewpoint, ferry to Formentor Beach, Puerto Pollensa

Boats moored in Port de Soller harbour with hillside houses behind — Port de Soller is the lunch stop on most island tours. The waterfront restaurants serve fresh fish and paella — skip the first tourist restaurant you see and walk five minutes further along the promenade for better options.

The Soller Train and Tram — The Star of the Show

I need to be honest about something. The Soller railway is the reason most people book these island tours in the first place. Everything else — the villages, the cliffs, the boat ride — is a bonus.

The Ferrocarril de Soller opened in 1912 to connect the isolated Soller valley to Palma. Before the train, oranges and olive oil had to go over the mountains by mule. The line runs 27 kilometres through 13 tunnels and across several viaducts, climbing from Palma’s plains into the heart of the Tramuntana. The carriages are original mahogany and brass — they’ve been maintained, not replaced.

Red tram running along the Port de Soller waterfront promenade — The connecting tram from Soller town to Port de Soller runs right along the seafront. It takes about 20 minutes and the tracks haven’t moved since 1913. Watch for it if you’re crossing the road — it doesn’t stop for anyone.

The connecting tram runs from Soller town down to Port de Soller on the coast. It’s a short ride — about five kilometres — but the tram runs along the waterfront on tracks laid in 1913, passing through the streets of Soller town where pedestrians and cars share the road with the tram in a way that would give a health and safety inspector a heart attack.

Historic tram running through Port de Soller waterfront — On the guided tours, the train and tram tickets are included in the price. If you tried to do this independently, the train alone costs around 25 euros each way.

On the guided island tours, both the train and tram are included in the ticket price. That matters because buying individual tickets for the Soller railway runs about 25 euros each way — so the tour effectively bundles it with everything else at a decent overall price.

The 3 Best Mallorca Island Tours to Book

I’ve picked these three because they each cover a different route and price point. The first is the classic full-day experience from southern hotels, the second covers the same ground from northern pickups, and the third is a totally different route focused on Cap de Formentor. Between them, you can see virtually every major sight on the island without overlapping.

1. Mallorca: Island Tour with Boat, Tram & Train from the South — $117

Mallorca island tour with boat tram and train departing from the south — This is the most booked Mallorca island tour for a reason — four modes of transport in eight hours, and the guide keeps the commentary rolling in four languages without it feeling rushed.

This is the one to book if you’re staying anywhere in southern Mallorca. Eight hours, four transport modes (bus, train, tram, boat), and a route that hits the Tramuntana mountains, Soller valley, and the western coastline. The guides are multilingual and the whole thing runs like clockwork. Our full review breaks down exactly what you’ll see at each stop, but the short version is: this is the single best way to see Mallorca in one day if you don’t want to rent a car.

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Aerial view of Mallorca landscape with Tramuntana mountain range — From the bus window, the Tramuntana mountains look impossibly steep. UNESCO gave them World Heritage status not for the geology, but for the dry-stone terracing — a thousand years of farmers turning cliffs into farmland.

2. Mallorca: Scenic Full-Day Tour from the North — $115

Scenic full-day tour of Mallorca departing from the north — Starting from the north means you hit Sa Calobra first, when the road is still relatively quiet. By midday, the coaches heading up from the south start arriving — so you get a solid head start.

Same idea as the southern tour, but designed for guests staying in Alcudia, Can Picafort, or the northern resorts. Nine hours instead of eight, and the route includes the Sa Calobra descent — arguably the most dramatic road in the Balearics. You still get the Soller train, the tram, and a boat ride. Our review covers the full itinerary, including the Sa Calobra stop where you walk through a gorge to a hidden beach. If your hotel is in the north, don’t book the southern departure — this one saves you an hour of backtracking.

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Aerial view of Cap de Formentor rugged coastline and cliffs in Mallorca — Cap de Formentor is the northernmost point of Mallorca. The cliff road was built in the 1930s and hasn’t changed much since — which is both part of its charm and the reason you want someone else driving.

3. Formentor & Puerto Pollensa Tour — $69

8-hour Formentor and Puerto Pollensa tour in Mallorca — The El Colomer viewpoint on this tour gives you 300-metre cliff drops straight into the Mediterranean. On a clear day you can see Menorca from up there.

A completely different route from the other two. No train, no tram — instead, this eight-hour tour heads to the wild northern tip of the island. You stop at the Sineu weekly market (Wednesdays only), drive the cliff road to Cap de Formentor, take a ferry to Formentor Beach, and explore Puerto Pollensa. At $69, it’s half the price of the full island tours. Check our detailed review for what the Sineu market looks like and whether the beach stop is long enough to actually swim. Good option if you’ve already done the Soller train separately or want something less structured.

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Read Our Review

How to Book and What to Know Before You Go

Booking is straightforward — you pick a date, choose your hotel pickup zone, and pay online. All three tours include hotel pickup and drop-off from most major resorts and tourist areas. You’ll get a confirmation email with the exact meeting point and time (usually early morning, around 8:30-9:00 AM depending on your location).

La Seu Cathedral on the Palma waterfront with blue sky — The southern departure tours start in Palma, and some routes pass the cathedral on the way out of the city. If you want to go inside, book a separate **Palma Cathedral visit** on a different day — the island tour doesn’t stop here.

Best time to book: At least 3-5 days ahead in summer (June through September). The most popular tours sell out, especially the boat/tram/train combo. Shoulder season (April-May, October) has smaller crowds and better prices. Winter tours run on a reduced schedule.

What’s included: Air-conditioned coach, multilingual guide, train and tram tickets (on the Soller route tours), boat ride. Lunch is NOT included on any of the three — you get free time at a village or port to eat on your own. Budget 15-20 euros for a sit-down lunch.

What to bring: Sunscreen, water, comfortable shoes (you’ll walk on cobblestones at the village stops), a light jacket if you’re going in spring or autumn (the mountains are cooler than the coast), and cash for lunch and souvenirs.

Locals and visitors outside shops in the village of Deia Mallorca — Deia is one of the prettiest villages on any Mallorca tour route. Robert Graves lived here for decades and the artistic community he attracted is still going strong.

Choosing Between the South and North Tours

This is actually the most important decision, and it comes down to where your hotel is.

If you’re staying in Palma, Magaluf, Palmanova, Santa Ponsa, Paguera, or anywhere on the south coast — book the southern departure (Tour 1). You’ll save an hour of driving and the pickup is closer.

If you’re staying in Alcudia, Can Picafort, Playa de Muro, Puerto Pollensa, or the north coast — book the northern departure (Tour 2). The route is slightly different too, including Sa Calobra, which the southern tour skips.

Cap de Formentor lighthouse perched on Mallorca dramatic cliff edge — The Formentor lighthouse sits at the very tip of the island — 210 metres above the sea. Getting here by public transport is nearly impossible, which is why the guided tour is the practical choice for most visitors.

If you’ve already done the Soller train independently (or just want something different), the Formentor tour (Tour 3) covers the northern tip of the island that the other tours miss entirely. It’s also significantly cheaper.

Can you combine two tours on different days? Absolutely. The Formentor tour and either of the full island tours complement each other perfectly because they cover completely different parts of Mallorca. You’d see the western mountains and Soller valley on one day, and the dramatic northern cliffs and beaches on another.

Turquoise bay and sandy beach on the Mallorca coast — Mallorca’s coastline shifts constantly — from sandy tourist beaches in the south to hidden coves that you’d never find without a local showing you the way. The bus tours stick to the accessible spots, but the views from the road reveal the rest.

A Thousand Years of Conquest on One Island

Mallorca doesn’t look like an island with a complicated history. The beaches, the resorts, the tourist bars — it all feels modern and built for holidays. But scratch the surface and this place has been fought over more times than almost anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Phoenician traders settled here first, followed by the Romans, who called it Balearis Major and built roads that still trace some of the routes the tour buses follow today. Then came the Vandals (yes, that’s where the word comes from), then the Byzantines, and then the Moors in the 10th century. The Arab period left the most lasting mark — the irrigation channels and terracing systems that turned the Serra de Tramuntana into productive farmland are still in use, and they’re the reason UNESCO gave the mountains heritage status.

Ancient olive grove in the Mallorca countryside — Some of the olive trees in the Tramuntana valleys are over 800 years old — planted during the Moorish period and still producing fruit. You’ll pass groves like this on every island tour route.

King James I of Aragon took Mallorca from the Moors in 1229, and the island became part of the Crown of Aragon. Palma Cathedral — the massive Gothic building you see from the harbour — was begun almost immediately after the conquest, built on the site of the main mosque. It took nearly 400 years to finish.

Palma Cathedral reflected in calm water on a sunny day — Construction started in 1229 and wasn’t finished until 1601. Gaudi added his own touches to the interior in the early 1900s — one of the few buildings where medieval Gothic and Art Nouveau exist in the same space.

The stone watchtowers you’ll spot along the coast — your guide will point them out — date from the pirate defence era, when Ottoman and Barbary raiders were a constant threat. Mallorca’s position in the middle of the western Mediterranean made it a target for centuries.

Then came the 1960s package-holiday boom, which transformed the island almost overnight. But in the last two decades, Mallorca has reinvented itself again. The Serra de Tramuntana hiking trails are now among the most popular in Europe, professional cycling teams train here through winter, and the cultural tourism scene has grown far beyond the beach-and-sangria cliche.

Tramuntana mountain landscape with green valleys in Mallorca — The Tramuntana mountains run the entire western length of Mallorca like a spine. From the bus, the terraced hillsides look like a staircase built by giants — and in a sense, that’s exactly what happened over a thousand years of dry-stone construction.

Practical Tips for Your Mallorca Island Tour

Sit on the right side of the bus (going north). Most of the best coastal views are on the right-hand side as the bus climbs through the Tramuntana. The left side gets the valley views on the return — so you win either way, but the cliff drops on the right are more dramatic.

The boat ride can get rough. The western Mallorca coast is exposed, and even on calm days there’s a swell. If you get seasick, take something beforehand. The boats are open-top and the ride lasts about 30 minutes. Nobody warns you about this in the tour description.

Aerial view of Mallorca rugged green coastline meeting clear blue sea — The boat section of the tour runs along this stretch of coast. On a calm day, it’s gorgeous. On a choppy day, it’s still gorgeous — you’re just holding on tighter.

Wednesdays are best for the Formentor tour. That’s when the Sineu market runs — one of the oldest and most genuine weekly markets in Mallorca. On other days, the tour still runs but you miss the market atmosphere.

Charge your phone. You’ll take more photos than you expect. The buses don’t have USB ports. A portable charger is worth its weight in gold on these full-day tours.

Cap de Formentor cliffs glowing at sunset over the Mediterranean — The cliff road to Cap de Formentor was built in the 1930s and remains one of the most scenic drives in the Mediterranean. On the bus tour, you can actually look at the view instead of white-knuckling the steering wheel.

Lunch spots: Port de Soller is the lunch stop on the train/tram tours. Walk past the first row of restaurants on the harbour — they’re the tourist traps. Head five minutes along the promenade toward the lighthouse end and the food improves noticeably. On the Formentor tour, Puerto Pollensa is your best lunch option.

Soller port harbour with boats and tram tracks along the waterfront — The tram tracks run right through the middle of Port de Soller’s waterfront restaurants. Some of the outdoor tables are close enough to touch the tram as it passes — which sounds alarming, but it moves slowly enough that it’s actually charming.

Children: These tours work well with kids aged 6 and up. The train and tram are exciting for children, and the boat ride keeps energy levels up. Under-6s will find eight hours on a bus tough, though — for younger children, consider the Palma hop-on hop-off bus instead, which is shorter and more flexible.

Other Tours Worth Combining

If you’re spending a full week in Mallorca (and you should — it rewards a longer stay), the island tour is just the starting point. The island’s cave systems are something else entirely, and they make a perfect second-day excursion. The Caves of Drach include an underground boat ride across Lake Martel — one of the largest underground lakes in Europe — plus a live classical music concert played from a boat in the darkness. The nearby Caves of Hams are less crowded and have their own audiovisual show inside the caverns.

Panoramic view of Cap de Formentor road and lighthouse from above — If you book the Formentor tour on one day and the full island tour on another, you’ll cover almost every major sight on Mallorca without any overlap. Two days, two completely different sides of the island.

For a day on the water rather than the road, Mallorca’s catamaran cruises take you along the coastline with swimming stops in coves that are inaccessible by land. And if you want to explore Palma itself, the Palma Cathedral deserves a proper visit — the island tours pass it but never stop.

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