By Laura Kemp • Updated: 14 Dec 2023 • 17:12
Moving to Mallorca: The essential guide
Mallorca is one of the most stunning islands in Spain, famous for its Mediterranean lifestyle, sparkling beaches, abundance of golf courses, beautiful marinas, celebrity visits and exciting nightlife, it’s no surprise it is one of the most popular places considered when travelling or moving to Spain.
To make moving to Mallorca a bit easier, the Euro Weekly News has put together this handy guide to everything you need to know before heading over.
Contents
The island of Mallorca is located off the coast of Spain, east of Ibiza and is part of the Balearic Islands.
You can take a plane or ferry to get to the island of Mallorca. The most common way to get there is to fly into Palma de Mallorca airport from anywhere in Europe.
Alternatively, you can travel to Mallorca via the island by ferry. It will take around seven hours to take the ferry from Barcelona, Denia or Valencia.
Our recommendation Whites Moving & Storage SL Whether you are considering a new life or planning your retirement, Whites Moving & Storage SL should be your first choice to help you with your removals to Mallorca. With the combined facilities of Whites Moving & Storage SL, based in Mallorca and with a partner in the UK, White & Company, the team have been successfully providing removals and shipping services to destinations across the globe since 1871 and was the first company to develop a regular service to Mallorca in the 1970s. White & Company are founding members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI, meaning your move will be conducted with the utmost professionalism, helping your belongings arrive safely in Mallorca. With a facility near the capital, Palma, they offer convenient weekly removals services both to and from the Balearic Island. Their dedicated team of professionals in Mallorca will ensure all the relevant paperwork and customs clearance is processed correctly, and they will also arrange the unloading and unpacking of your household goods upon arrival. To find out more about getting your dream move to Mallorca underway, don’t hesitate to give the friendly and professional team a call today on +34 971 707 631. Visit the website: Click here Find out more: Click here Sponsored
Our recommendation
Whether you are considering a new life or planning your retirement, Whites Moving & Storage SL should be your first choice to help you with your removals to Mallorca.
With the combined facilities of Whites Moving & Storage SL, based in Mallorca and with a partner in the UK, White & Company, the team have been successfully providing removals and shipping services to destinations across the globe since 1871 and was the first company to develop a regular service to Mallorca in the 1970s.
White & Company are founding members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI, meaning your move will be conducted with the utmost professionalism, helping your belongings arrive safely in Mallorca.
With a facility near the capital, Palma, they offer convenient weekly removals services both to and from the Balearic Island. Their dedicated team of professionals in Mallorca will ensure all the relevant paperwork and customs clearance is processed correctly, and they will also arrange the unloading and unpacking of your household goods upon arrival.
To find out more about getting your dream move to Mallorca underway, don’t hesitate to give the friendly and professional team a call today on +34 971 707 631.
Visit the website: Click here
Find out more: Click here
Our top pick Moya&Emery Founded in 1991, Moya&Emery is a law and business advisory firm with a solid reputation built over decades of experience. The trust placed in the firm by its clients over the years has led to the growth of the firm’s service areas in order to be able to offer comprehensive business advice. Specialists in legal, financial, tax, accounting and employment advice, Moya&Emery’s client portfolio is international, with clients in the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong and other countries. Nicolás Emery, an expert economist and lawyer specialising in tax law, has extensive experience in immigration and taxation matters. Charo Moyá, lawyer, is an expert in labour and administrative law – a perfect tandem between Charo Moyá’s knowledge of national regulations and Londoner Nicolás Emery’s knowledge of taxation. Find out more about how Moya&Emery can help you when moving to Mallorca. Website: Click here Palma de Mallorca office Address: Calle Pere Dezcallar i Net, nº11 local 1 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Fridays from 9am to 3pm Telephone: 971 728 010 Palmanova, Calvia office Address: Carrer de Cordova, nº5 local 5 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Fridays from 9am to 2pm Telephone: 971 132 359 Sponsored
Our top pick
Founded in 1991, Moya&Emery is a law and business advisory firm with a solid reputation built over decades of experience. The trust placed in the firm by its clients over the years has led to the growth of the firm’s service areas in order to be able to offer comprehensive business advice.
Specialists in legal, financial, tax, accounting and employment advice, Moya&Emery’s client portfolio is international, with clients in the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong and other countries.
Nicolás Emery, an expert economist and lawyer specialising in tax law, has extensive experience in immigration and taxation matters. Charo Moyá, lawyer, is an expert in labour and administrative law – a perfect tandem between Charo Moyá’s knowledge of national regulations and Londoner Nicolás Emery’s knowledge of taxation.
Find out more about how Moya&Emery can help you when moving to Mallorca.
Website: Click here
Palma de Mallorca office
Address: Calle Pere Dezcallar i Net, nº11 local 1
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Fridays from 9am to 3pm
Telephone: 971 728 010
Palmanova, Calvia office
Address: Carrer de Cordova, nº5 local 5
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Fridays from 9am to 2pm
Telephone: 971 132 359
The historic city of Palma is the capital of Mallorca and is popular with celebrities and travellers from all over the world. It is located in the bay and has an excellent year-round climate. Palma has a buzzing and varied nightlife as well as incredible restaurants, rooftop bars, stunning architecture and plenty to see and do. Palma is the perfect mix of a modern Mediterranean city steeped in history.
Alcudia is a town in the north of the Spanish island of Mallorca and is extremely popular with British tourists. It’s known for its Mediterranean beaches, which include the busy Platja d’Alcudia and Platja de Muro on the sweeping Alcudia Bay. Aluúdia is one of the places in Mallorca with the most unique history, geography and social dynamics. It is a city where history is alive: the archaeological remains of the Roman city of Pol Lentia are very important, the two walled enclosures, one medieval and the other Renaissance, make Alcudia especially attractive due to its historical character.
Pollença is a charming town and municipality situated in the north of the island, close to Alcudia and Cap de Formentor. It has a small but beautiful port and meandering narrow streets leading to the main square full of cafes, restaurants and bars. The surroundings of Pollença also offer many options for lovers of nature and the outdoors and off-the-beaten-track coves boast some of the most transparent blue waters in the Mediterranean.
Located in the centre of the island, Sineu is a town steeped in history and full of interesting architecture. The weekly market is visited by thousands of locals and tourists and, for lovers of golf, Sineu is home to Golf Park Puntiro. There are plenty of shops and amenities in Sineu, as well as exceptional restaurants to enjoy and an excellent health centre.
This beautiful town in the central region known as Pla de Mallorca is a traditional town with a laid-back feel that makes it a pleasure to explore. The surrounding areas are popular with walkers, hikers and cycling enthusiasts and there are over 40 archaeological sites in the area. Petra has a popular weekly market where locals stock up on fresh produce as well as a variety of casual cafés, relaxed authentic bars and charming restaurants.
Locates in the heart of Mallorca, Porreras is a quiet and historical town with many hidden charms. Although the local market isn’t as big as some in other areas, it is a great place to pick up authentic local produce with an excellent selection of fruit, vegetables, wine and honey. There is a winery in the town as well as several Bronze Age settlements, relaxing restaurants serving authentic dishes, typical Spanish festivals and perfectly situated to easily travel to other popular areas in Mallorca.
Our top pick Angels Nursing Agency Established since 1990, Angels Nursing Agency in Mallorca is the most highly recommended organisation for providing care services on the island. Created by qualified nurse Sally Luxmore, who is registered both in the UK and Spain, Angels Nursing and Babysitting Agency provides health care workers across Mallorca who offer the absolute highest levels of care. Beginning with a free personalised visit to find out exactly what the client needs, this company is able to provide highly customised and flexible care, even at short notice. Better still, they offer an out of hours calls service with a registered nurse, who is available 365 days a year to deal with any queries. Their services include antenatal nursing and midwifery, disabled care, home and hospital visits and live-in care. The company´s child care services also offer babysitting and nannying. For more information about their services, click here or call 0034 971 69 11 87 or 0034 619 070 100 Angels Nursing Agency is now looking for new carers to join its hardworking and professional team. If you have the skills and passion to provide the highest levels of care across the Balearics, the company wants to hear from you. To apply, please fill in their online application form here or call 0034 971 104 289 or 0034 619 070 100 Sponsored
Established since 1990, Angels Nursing Agency in Mallorca is the most highly recommended organisation for providing care services on the island.
Created by qualified nurse Sally Luxmore, who is registered both in the UK and Spain, Angels Nursing and Babysitting Agency provides health care workers across Mallorca who offer the absolute highest levels of care.
Beginning with a free personalised visit to find out exactly what the client needs, this company is able to provide highly customised and flexible care, even at short notice. Better still, they offer an out of hours calls service with a registered nurse, who is available 365 days a year to deal with any queries.
Their services include antenatal nursing and midwifery, disabled care, home and hospital visits and live-in care. The company´s child care services also offer babysitting and nannying.
For more information about their services, click here or call 0034 971 69 11 87 or 0034 619 070 100
Angels Nursing Agency is now looking for new carers to join its hardworking and professional team. If you have the skills and passion to provide the highest levels of care across the Balearics, the company wants to hear from you.
To apply, please fill in their online application form here or call 0034 971 104 289 or 0034 619 070 100
Mallorca is a paradise of an island with many beautiful areas to live and enjoy. But which areas are the most popular for those moving to Mallorca and why?
The capital of the island, Palma, has a lot to offer if you are considering moving to Mallorca. It is within easy reach of the airport and has all of the benefits of a vibrant cosmopolitan city as well as a beautiful beach.
The Son Vida estate has many exclusive properties, offering luxury and stunning views. Three superb golf courses are not much more than a stone’s throw away for those who like time on the tee.
With magnificent mountains as its backdrop, Soller is a beautiful and lively area that is popular with lovers of the countryside, foodies, hikers and cyclists. The town is active all year round, with plenty of things to do, lots of history and great amenities.
Port de Soller has plenty of apartments overlooking the beach and the sea and has a tight-knit international community to get involved in and meet new people.
These northeastern hilltop towns are particularly popular with German expats and are perfect for those who like the feel of living in a small town with plenty of amenities and in close proximity to the coast and countryside.
Though these towns are rural, with many fincas and properties needing a bit of TLC, they also benefit from having great road connections to Palma and Manocar.
If living close to the coast isn’t a priority, there are many benefits to living in a small town or village and you can really immerse yourself in the Mallorcan culture. In Mallorca, the central region has many different landscapes to choose from and property prices are more affordable.
Some of the more popular inland municipalities include Santa Maria, Binissalem, and Alaro – all of which are popular with expats of different nationalities and have easy access to Palma.
This attractive town is set amid the countryside and has a large number of German property owners, interesting shops, galleries and restaurants and the opportunity for a vibrant social life.
There are many stone-built houses and villas, as well as properties that you can do up and put your own stamp on. This town is also within easy access to many beautiful beaches and coves.
The historic town and municipality of Calvia has plenty to offer for those wishing to move to Spain, with its privileged location, sandy beaches, mountains, culture, warm climate, excellent restaurants and amenities. The municipality of Calvia includes Bendinat, Illetas, Son Caliu, Santa Ponsa, Portals and Palmanova.
Many people move to Mallorca for the quality of life, ease of access to the UK and Spain, great food and produce and a more outdoors lifestyle surrounded by beautiful beaches and mountains. But how expensive is it to live in Mallorca?
The cost of living in Mallorca is quite similar to mainland Spain including areas like Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, with Expatra saying that a couple could live on €1,200 a month in Mallorca, excluding rent.
Eating out will cost around €15 per person at an inexpensive restaurant and around €25 per person at a mid-range restaurant. The price of beer and wine is inexpensive.
Fresh fruit and vegetables can be purchased at one of the island’s farmers’ markets, as well as meat and cheese, making grocery shopping inexpensive compared to shopping at large supermarkets.
Rent and property prices are attractive for expats, with a central, three-bedroom apartment costing around €1,400 a month. Properties in smaller towns can be considerably cheaper, particularly if they need some TLC. In the centre of Palma, property costs around €4,000 per square metre.
Basic utilities for a two-bedroom apartment costs around €115 a month.
Buying a property in Mallorca not only offers you a life drenched in sunshine but many other benefits. The island has a thriving property market with various property types to suit single people, couples, families and retirees wishing to move to Mallorca.
A three-bedroom flat in Palma de Mallorca will cost from €200,000. A rustic two-bedroom property will cost from €250,000.
The cheaper cities to buy a three-bedroom flat will be Inca, Manacor and Campos from €130,000. Villas can be found from €1 million.
With quiet roads filled with stunning scenery, getting around and exploring the island is very easy and accessible.
Wander the narrow cobbled streets of Palma’s Casco Antiguo and admire its elegant archways, charming squares, colourful flowers and have a bite to eat in one of the many tapas bars.
Explore the natural beauty of Mallorca’s Caves of Drach, or ‘Cuevas del Drach’, near the locality of Porto Cristo. Four stunning and interconnected caves full of magnificent stalactites and stalagmites. The lesser-known Hams Caves or ‘Cuevas del Hams’ is just as impressive and features an underground lake popularly known as “the sea of Venice”. Both are located in Porto Cristo.
The traditional markets of Mallorca are the typical stalls where you can find everything from clothes, plants, decorations and food. Some of the most popular markets include those in Sineu, Capdepera and Pollença. You will be spoilt for choice with fiestas in Mallorca including Sant Sebastia in Palma, Santa Agueda in Sencelles, Balearic Islands Day, the Book Fair in Palma and Capdepera medieval market.
Explore the many stunning beaches and beautiful coves Mallorca has to offer, spend time soaking up the Mediterranean sun or do some snorkelling, paddleboarding, kayaking or swimming.
From seahorses to octopuses, this part of the Mediterranean is full of energy and life! Immerse yourself and get to know the creatures that are exclusive to the Balearics.
Twice a year, on February 2 and November 11, a unique light show can be seen on the inner wall of the main façade of the Palma de Mallorca cathedral, as the light crosses the nave of the cathedral. The light creates a figure of eight which Mallorcans call the “eight of light”.
Marvel at the amazingly fresh and local produce in Palma’s huge food market, located in the charming neighbourhood of Santa Catalina.
If you want a cool adventure, take a sea-caving excursion on the coast and see a completely different side to this incredible island.
Located on the south of the island, Mondrago Natural Park is a coastal 1,893-acre natural park with grassland & pine forested ravines, dunes & rich birdlife.
Drive the winding roads up to the Cap de Pera Lighthouse and admire the stunning views. There are also many hiking trails in this area as well as incredible small beaches.
This beautiful, large gothic-style castle is impeccably preserved and is a must-visit – particularly on a clear day as it offers spectacular views of Palma. The grounds are a beautiful place to relax and the castle itself features a collection of Roman and 18th-century busts and sculptures.
You can visit the beautiful island of Cabrera, a small archipelago, by boat which takes just one hour. This oasis has one of the most well-preserved examples of marine life in the Mediterranean Sea and hosts a wealth of species native to the Balearic Islands.
Customise your own poke bowl at Natur Poke Can Pastilla, with amazing fresh ingredients and toppings to choose from.
Open: 10am until 11pm
Address: Avinguda de Bartomeu Riutort 85, 07610 Can Pastilla
Book: 971 26 87 87
Price: €€-€€€
Cannibal Cantina Bistro serves up classic Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Open: 1pm until 4pm and 8pm until 11pm, closed on Sundays and Mondays
Address: Placa de Sant Antoni 8, 07002 Palma de Mallorca
Book: 662 54 20 89
This Italian restaurant has been called the best Italian in Palma by some! Bunker’s serves up unique and beautifully presented cuisine such as pepper ice cream and creamy risotto.
Open: 1pm until 3:30 pm and 7pm until 11:30pm, 7pm until 11pm on Sundays, closed on Tuesdays
Address: Calle Soler esq. Calle Pursiana, 07013 Palma de Mallorca
Book: Calle Soler esq. Calle Pursiana, 07013 Palma de Mallorca
Arux comes highly recommended by visitors and residents, serving up tasty tapas, burgers, cocktails and desserts.
Open: 9am until 2am, closed on Tuesdays
Address: Ecónomo Torres 17, Port de Pollenca
Book: 663 00 23 90
If you’re a fan of Indian food, Indian Fusion has a large menu as well as vegan, veggie and gluten-free options.
Open: 1pm until 2pm and 5pm until 10pm
Address: Avinguda Mèxic 3, 07400 Port de Alcudia, Alcudia
Book: 971 89 21 95
This bistro, bar and cafe serves up tender meats and Mediterranean dishes as well as breakfasts and healthy cuisine.
Open: 7:30am until 11:45pm, collection only on Thursdays
Address: Eusebio Pascual 9, 1st Floor terrace with views, 07192 Estellencs
Book: 971 61 85 50
Price: €€€€
For traditional Dutch and European food in a beautifully decorated restaurant, Noir Mallorca has got you covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Open: 9am until 12am
Address: Carrer de Santanyí, 07660 Cala d’Or
Book: 602 58 54 41
If you fancy some fresh and healthy Thai food, Cheftable Thai Restaurant is a gem of a restaurant in Puerto Pollenca that comes highly recommended.
Open: 12pm until 11pm
Address: Llevant – 4, Port de Pollenca
Book: 660 44 69 06
Although their menu is small, the Mediterranean fusion food at Hungry Gastro Food Bar is exceptional – the tuna tartare and grilled tuna are a must-try!
Open: 1pm until 3pm and 7:30pm until 10pm, 7:30pm until 10pm on Mondays
Address: Carrer d’Enric Alzamora 3, 07002 Palma de Mallorca
Book: 871 04 93 01
If you want a fine dining experience, Salvia Restaurant is a fabulous restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine and beautiful local wines.
Open: 7:30pm until 11pm
Address: Calle de la Palma 18, 07100, Soller
Book: 971 63 49 36
When moving to a new location, making sure there are some great schools is essential, and Mallorca has some impressive international and local schools to choose from.
There are impressive international schools in Mallorca with a great reputation in education, including the Baleares International College, Sant Agustí, The Academy International School in Marratxi and the Rafa Nadal International School in Manacor.
Having access to quality healthcare is vital when moving to a new home and Mallorca has an impressive public health service as well as private healthcare options.
There are four main public hospitals on the island.
Address: Carretera de Valldemossa, 79, 07120 Palma
Contact: 871 20 50 00
Address: Ctra. de Manacor, 07198 Palma
Contact: 871 20 20 00
Address: Carretera Manacor Alcudia, s/n, 07500 Manacor
Contact: 971 84 70 00
Address: Carretera Vella de Llubí, S/N, 07300 Inca
Contact: 971 88 85 00
Moving somewhere new is exciting but it’s important to know the contact information for the emergency services.
That´s why we have included information on important contacts when moving to Mallorca.
Emergency services, including health, fire and police: 112
National police: 091
Local police: 092
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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