Best Villages in Mallorca to Visit by Car: Serra de Tramuntana Route

Mallorca has beaches in abundance. What it hides — in the mountains behind the coast — are some of the most beautiful villages in the Mediterranean. Stone houses, peaks that drop straight into the sea and village squares where the pace is slower. The best way to discover them is by car.

Public transport reaches a few of these villages, but it ties you to timetables and denies you the mountain road itself — the Serra de Tramuntana drive is half the point of the journey.

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The villages

Valldemossa

The postcard village of Mallorca. Cobbled streets with potted flowers spilling from every doorway, the Carthusian monastery where Chopin spent a winter and mountain views from every angle. Arrive early — by mid-morning it fills with coaches. Park in the signed car park at the entrance and walk in.

Deià

Perched among olive trees above the sea. Deià is small, expensive and beautiful — a long-time refuge for artists and writers. Walk or drive the narrow road down to Cala Deià for lunch with your feet almost in the water.

Sóller and Port de Sóller

Sóller sits in an orange-grove valley surrounded by mountains. A 1913 wooden tram connects the town to its port — an attraction in itself. The most spectacular roads on the island leave from here.

Fornalutx

A short drive from Sóller, Fornalutx appears regularly on lists of the most beautiful villages in Spain. It is tiny, built in stone with flower-filled staircases. An hour is enough — and every minute of it earns its keep.

Pollença

In the north, Pollença has a charming old town and the Calvari — a staircase of 365 steps up to a chapel with views across the bay. Nearby is Port de Pollença and the road to Cap de Formentor, one of the most famous drives on the island (access restrictions apply in summer — check before going).

The route: Ma-10 along the Serra de Tramuntana

The cleanest way to connect these villages is the Ma-10, the road that runs the length of the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. A logical sequence:

1. Valldemossa → Deià → Sóller/Fornalutx in the morning.
2. Lunch in Sóller or at the port.
3. Afternoon northwest along the Ma-10, with stops at viewpoints like Sa Foradada or Ses Barques.
4. End at Pollença or Port de Pollença.

The road is winding and narrow in sections, but well maintained and the views justify every curve. With your own car you stop where you want and avoid depending on the few buses that climb into the sierra.

Tips for the route

• Start early: Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller get crowded by mid-morning. Before 9 am is a different experience.
• Small car: village streets and car parks are tight. Easier with something compact.
• Viewpoints: park only in designated areas. The Ma-10 has minimal hard shoulder.
• Formentor in summer: check access restrictions before going. A shuttle bus may be in operation.

In short

Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller, Fornalutx and Pollença are the other side of Mallorca — the stone-and-mountain version. Linking them on the Ma-10 by car, starting early with a small vehicle, is one of the best days the island offers.