September on the Amalfi Coast and then to Mallorca

Is this trip this year? If so, you had better book a room ASAP! Look at Booking.com to see what’s still available on the AC.

Yes, this year. Last minute great airline price so yes, time is of the essence. We have rooms booked in Naples and Capri so far.

What do you want to do whilst in Mallorca?

Will you be renting a car? Anywhere on the island can be reached within an hour and a half so your choice of where to stay depends a lot on what you want to do/see and whether you will have a car.

Palma is the capital and is an obvious place to base yourself for such a brief time however it is also the busiest part of the island and traffic and parking can be a problem.

My favourite parts of Mallorca are the villages in the Tramuntana Mountains, such as Deia, Soller and Valldemossa, all of which provide very scenic views and some excellent places to eat, on average the food I've eaten in Spain is better than what I've eaten in Italy and I've travelled to both countries a lot however, as with everything, tastes are subjective.

There are no bad places to stay in Mallorca (the exception being Magaluf and, to a lesser extent, S'Arenal).

I visit Mallorca often twice a year and have done for many years and I'm still discovering new places so if you provide me with a bit more information on your preferences then I can advise you better. One thing will be certain, you'll regret only having so short a time to spend there!

With all there is to see in Mallorca, I would not travel there for just 2.5 days, which I suspect is more time than you'll have because I fear you won't find non-stop flights from Naples to Mallorca. You'll also spend extra time returning to the mainland from Mallorca.

acraven, and JC thank you for replying so quickly. We will be flying from Naples to Barcelona 7:00-9:00 and then to Palma. We arrive at 13:00. Planned on spending that day and the next in Palma. Our plans are not set in stone so we have the ability o stay 4-5 days in Mallorca if we so choose. I am thinking 4 days will be enough this trip. Thinking about taking the bus, train boat tour to the west coast on our first full day in Palma. The next day renting a car and heading toward the northern coast, my wife has to see La Forteleza Prediode Albercuitx, from the tv series, The Night Manager. From there Is where I need guidance.I have read that Magaluf was not the town to visit if you are not a twentysomething. Since I passed that long ago I thought we could live without seeing it We are open to all advice JC since you are a frequent visitor. Thank you both for your help.

I haven't been to La Forteleza Prediode Albercuitx however the little fishing port of Port de Pollença is very attractive although it will still be quite busy in late September. The drive from Palma through the mountains via Deia, Valldesmossa, Soller, Port de Pollença, Alcudia and then back to Palma can easily fill a day with a stops for coffee, ice cream, lunch, beer/wine and just a general mooch about. Alcudia can be separated from the city and the beach of Port de Alcudia. The city is a medieval walled city whilst the beach is more touristy and commercialised.

One option is to take the old wooden train from Palma to Soller and then transfer to a tram to take you down to Port de Soller. The journey offers spectacular views as it winds its way up through the mountains.

Opting to drive south from Palma passing through Llucmajor (a pleasant main square but very narrow streets which are not for the faint hearted drivers). There is a bistro there that we frequent during every visit due to their excellent food but also their impeccable service and friendliness but also several other very good restaurants and cafe's. From there you pass through Campos with an excellent weekly market then on to Santanyi, again another classic Mallorcan town with a plethora of restaurants, shops, central square and markets. Santanyi is popular with Germans so many of the restaurants will have Spanish and German menus and sometimes it can become confusing speaking to staff in a mixture of Spanish, German and English.

From here there are several options to take depending on what you want. There are some very good beaches nearby including a completely unspoilt one in Mondragó Natural Park or you could move on to Cala d'Or which is a popular resort area designed in traditional Ibizan architechture, lots of white buildings, quite new and a bit upscale. It is primarily a resort area and it does feel like it but if you're looking for somewhere to eat then you're spoilt for choices and in May this year 12 of us had a fantastic meal there, one of the best we've had on the island.

If you'd like to visit some caves I would strongly advise the Cuevas de Artà and incorporate it with a visit to the town of Artà itself. Avoid the Cuevas de Drach which are more famous but are a commercial and gimmicky rip off even though they are often touted as THE caves to see in Mallorca.

This is, of course, merely scratching the surface. I could write much more however you're not there for long so there's little point in providing an itinerary that would fill two weeks unless there's a particular interest that you have.

JC, thank you for the great tips and the trip options. Do you remember the names of the bistros and restaurants you mentioned? Bistro in Llucmajor? Have you stayed in Cala d"or, if so, recommendations? Restaurants as well. Would you recommend driving from Palma to Cala d"or and spending the night or driving north to another seaside town. My wife would rather spend the night on the coast rather than inland. You have given us so much good information we really appreciate you taking the time to do so. Thank you again.

t.leo, I'm not normally one for providing recommendations for restaurants etc as tastes are so subjective, what I may find excellent others may find mediocre and vice versa. However I do believe that two deserve mention.

The bistro in Llucmajor is Bistro Mercat. The reason we return every time we visit (this may apear odd to some people!) is that the first time we ate there we enjoyed the food, the service was good and I paid by card. We returned three days later and I was greeted by the owner with "welcome back Mr C******!", he clearly remembered my name simply from the card used to pay for lunch which for me was an example of great personal service and attention and also evidence of a fantastic memory! The food is good, not fantastic but the kids love it there, the owners (Spanish husband and German wife) are great, the location is superb and everything about it represents what a good bistro should be.

The restaurant in Cala d'Or (we've only eaten there once) was Restaurant Diferent www.restaurantdiferentmallorca.com/menu. Appalling name, and I was erring on whether to go for it but with a party of 12 to satisfy I decided that the menu looked interesting and accommodating enough so plumped for it. None of us were disappointed (apart from my 12 year old who wanted the Wagyu burger rather than the significantly cheaper kids menu burger!). I can thoroughly recommend the Duo of Iberico Pork.

We've never stayed in Cala d'Or. It does have a resort feel in contrast to some of the quieter towns and villages but is more upscale than Alcudia or S'Arenal for example. We own several Marriott timeshare weeks at the resort in Llucmajor so only ever stay there. Your choice of accomodation depends very much on what you're looking for and budget. There are some fantastic boutique hotels all around the coast along with cheaper resort type hotels.

"Would you recommend driving from Palma to Cala d"or and spending the night or driving north to another seaside town"

That all depends on what you're after. The beaches on the south west of the island are sandier and more open than those in the north which tend to consist of isolated rocky coves (Alcudia has a long sandy beach but not really my cup of tea) but if the object is simply a coastal location rather than a beach then I would be inclined to look at Port de Soller or Port de Pollença in the north. Driving is an absolute pleasure in Mallorca (apart from Palma and the immediate surrounding area) and that's from someone used to driving on the left so whichever option you choose it will be an easy drive. North through the mountains involves a lot of twisty, breathtaking curves whilst south is long flat stretches of open countryside. If going through the mountains be prepared to be frustrated by hordes of lycra clad cyclists occupying the width of the road. If you really want a challenge which will reward you with spectacular views then the Cap de Formentor road comes highly recommended, www.dangerousroads.org/europe/spain/4354-cap-de-formentor-lighthouse.html. My wife refuses to allow me to drive it however my brother did in January this year and he attested to its beauty but also its bum clenching route.

We own Marriott timeshare weeks in both Mallorca and Estepona (and Florida) but Mallorca is by far our favourite destination. I'd happily retire there and see out my days basking in the shade of an orange tree on the slopes of the Tramuntana mountains sipping endlessly from bottles of amazing Mallorcan wine whilst gazing out on the blue Mediterranean, stuffing my face with Iberico secreto and pa amb oli. It's a magical island that is often overlooked by many who concentrate on the mainland. I've been to Sorrento several times and I would choose Mallorca over Sorrento every single time however I'm fortunate to be able to fly to Mallorca within 1.5 hours for around £60 off peak so I appeciate your desire to experience as much as your time permits.

JC, thanks again for your help in my quest to find the best of Mallorca. We have no schedule other than we have to be in Barcelona on the 2nd of October. We have nowhere to be and all week to get there so we will just go wherever and enjoy the Island. We will try both restaurants that you enjoy and see if our tastes are similar. I am sure they will both be fine.
I am thinking of taking the train,boat bus tour thru Dela, Soler and Port Soler out of Palma and then starting our car trip north on the Ma-13 to Acludia then heading east toward Arta and then south along the coast to Cal d'or than back thru Llucmajor to Palma.
Thank you again for such great suggestions you have made our trip a lot easier. Thank you so much.