5 Best Beaches in Mallorca

Cala Millor is the finest long sandy beach on the east coast of Mallorca - 1.7 km of fine, pale-gold sand with calm, clear water sheltered from prevailing westerly winds by the shape of the bay. It consistently holds a Blue Flag designation and has full services including lifeguards in season (June to September), beach showers, sunlounger hire, and a promenade of restaurants and bars behind. The water is shallow and the gradient gentle, making it one of the most family-suitable beaches on the island alongside Es Trenc.

The beach sits between the resorts of Son Servera and Sant Llorenç des Cardassar on the east coast, roughly 65 km from Palma. The promenade is well-maintained and the resort itself is more balanced than some of the larger west coast developments. From here, the nearby Coves del Drac (Drach Caves, Porto Cristo, 10 km south) make a natural half-day combination.

Pro Tip: The northern end of Cala Millor, near the Sa Coma headland, has finer sand and slightly clearer water than the more developed southern section. Walk 15 minutes north from the main promenade access to find this quieter stretch. At the headland itself, a short path leads to a rocky viewpoint with good snorkelling off the rocks below.

Playa de Formentor (Carretera del Far de Formentor, Pollenca) occupies a setting that has made it one of the most photographed beaches in Spain - a 1 km strip of white sand at the end of the Formentor Peninsula, surrounded by pine-clad limestone cliffs falling directly to the sea, with the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana as a backdrop. The water is pale green over sand and blue beyond, and the beach faces southwest, protected from north winds by the peninsula. It's backed by the historic Hotel Formentor (Playa de Formentor, 07470), which opened in 1929 and counts Churchill, Chaplin, and multiple Nobel laureates among past guests.

Private vehicles are prohibited on the Formentor Peninsula road (PM-221) from July 1 to September 15 between 7:30 AM and 9 PM. Shuttle buses run from Port de Pollenca (Avinguda de la Platja, roughly every 15-20 min, about 5 EUR return); a boat service also runs from Port de Pollenca marina in peak season.

Pro Tip: Take the first shuttle bus of the day from Port de Pollenca (around 7:30 AM) to arrive before the beach fills up, or take the boat service which lands directly at the beach pier - the boat ride through the bay gives the best view of the peninsula cliffs. The hotel beach bar is open to non-guests; the coffee with a view of the mountains costs about 4 EUR and is the best breakfast view in northern Mallorca.

Cala Agulla (Carrer Cala Agulla s/n, Cala Ratjada) is a 600-metre beach on the northeast coast, set within the Cap de Cala Agulla natural area and backed by protected pine dunes rather than tourist development. The water is clear and the beach sand is fine and white; the surrounding scrubland gives it a wild, unconstructed feel rare on the Mallorcan coast. It faces northeast, making it excellent for morning sun and relatively calmer in the afternoon westerly winds.

The beach has limited facilities - no permanent sunlounger rental on most of the sand, a seasonal chiringuito at the northern end. The walk from Cala Ratjada town centre (2 km) passes through pine woods and takes about 25 minutes. The beach is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility due to the soft sand path.

Pro Tip: Walk from Cala Agulla north along the coastal path towards Cala Mesquida (40-min walk) for one of the best undeveloped coastal walks in eastern Mallorca. The path follows the clifftop above sea level with views across to Menorca on clear days. Cala Mesquida at the end is also an excellent beach, typically less crowded than Agulla.

Cala Pi (Carretera Cala Pi s/n, Llucmajor) is a narrow, deep inlet on the south coast - one of the most unusual beach settings on the island. The cove is barely 40 metres wide but opens through a limestone gorge to the sea, with vertical rock walls on both sides and water so clear and still that you can see the sandy bottom 3-4 metres down. At the top of the gorge, Cala Pi village has a cluster of traditional Mallorcan holiday houses and a small watchtower (Torre de Cala Pi, a 17th-century coastal defence tower) that is free to visit.

The beach is small (about 80 metres of sand at the base of the gorge) with no sunlounger hire and no permanent restaurant. The walk down from the village car park takes about 10 minutes via a stepped path. The gorge walls provide shade from mid-afternoon, making this an excellent beach for families with very young children who struggle with direct sun exposure.

Pro Tip: Snorkel along the base of the gorge walls - the water clarity here is exceptional and the rock walls drop steeply, creating good habitat for sea bream, wrasse, and octopus. Bring your own gear (no rental available). The cove is at its best between 10 AM and 2 PM when the sun is overhead and lights the water through the full depth.