Mallorca vs Rome

Rome all the way! I love Rome, my favourite city in the world. There is so much history, so much to see it's unbelievable.

Mallorca is lovely, I visit at least once a year as I have a timeshare there but it's more of a holiday destination. Palma has some interesting sights and a cruise docking will allow you an opportunity to see most of it but you'll miss the rest of the island which requires a week and a car to do it any justice.

Adding 3-4 days in Rome is perfect, just the right amount of time to see the main sights comfortably. The best way to see the Colosseum is to take the metro (even for one stop, it's worth it!) and as you exit the metro station it appears in front of you and is breathtaking, far more impressive than approaching it from a distance.

Hi,
My vote is for Rome too! Easier to get around in Rome; we had to rent a car in Mallorca. We took our teenagers to Rome and they really enjoyed themselves there.
We did all the major sites, but here are the one's my teenagers (aged 14&18 at the time) enjoyed:
Colosseum, Borghese Gallery (the 18 year old) , catacombs, people watching while eating dinner at outside seating restaurants, Ostia Antica - we rented bicycles.

Whatever you decide, have a fantastic adventure!

I was wondering if perhaps Mallorca while lovely was more a "relax and stay a while place" vs brilliant cruise port. In doing the math and logistics we'd save about $2000 after adding in lodging/transport around Rome and eliminate a semi-wasted day (since there wouldn't be an awkward post-cruise chill day before catching 6a flight). Will work up a potential itinerary for review!

Yes, Mallorca is definitely a stay a while and relax place. It's a great island to explore particularly in the mountainous north where there are some fantastic villages and taking the old wooden train to Soller is a highlight. We're off there for a week at the end of May and we're continuously discovering interesting places to go but for a cruise stop off Rome trumps Mallorca (or Palma as it's likely to be).

Comparing Rome to Mallorca is like comparing a Swedish Smorgasbord to going to McDonalds. Rome has much more to offer. Don't waste your valuable time in Europe going to the beach.

@ geovagriffith I disagree with the assertion that Mallorca is simply a beach destination. Palma itself has a wealth of historical and interesting sights, there are huge cave complexes to explore, the Tramuntana Mountains are a UNESCO world heritage site and the villages within are a delight to visit. There's so much more to the island than Magaluf and beaches. Whilst it doesn't compare historically with Rome it does offer more in terms of variety, less crowds, very good cuisine and some interesting wines. Granted, if time permits only a couple of days then Rome would be the obvious choice but it wouldn't be fair to write off Mallorca for a longer visit.