Coach Rental Across Spain

Palma and the Mountains of Mallorca by Minibus

Mallorca rewards a group that sets its own pace. A minibus with a driver based on the island takes your party from the cathedral up into the hill villages of the Tramuntana and back down to the bay for a late dinner, with nobody watching a timetable.

Landing at Palma airport

The airport is about 10 km from the cathedral, roughly 20 minutes in light traffic. Group vehicles collect passengers in front of the terminal, in the outside Arrivals area, with a limited free period before charges apply. Until you land, the driver waits in a free waiting area next to the long-stay car park, and the meeting point is agreed when you book.

On an island, the vehicles and drivers are based locally. A wedding party spread across several flights should say so early, so the pick-ups can be grouped.

Minibus rear seating and luggage space
Minibus rear seating and luggage space

Inside the ring of avenues

Central Palma, inside the Avingudes and the seafront Avinguda de Gabriel Roca, has been a low-emission zone since 22 December 2024. Unlabelled vehicles are kept out now, the B label joins them from 2027, and from 2030 only ECO and zero-emission vehicles may enter. Buses are on the city's list of vehicles allowed in, and foreign-registered ones need an authorisation; the operator checks the exact vehicle booked.

Central Palma has no published set-down points, so the operator picks a stop near La Seu with you. The Almudaina palace, the Arab Baths and the Passeig des Born are then on foot, and Bellver castle, on its wooded hill to the west, is a short drive for the view over the bay.

Airports for Palma de Mallorca

Places worth a stop in Palma de Mallorca

  • Serra de Tramuntana — Mountain range on the north-west coast, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape (inscribed 2011); Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller
  • Ferrocarril de Sóller — Historic railway from Palma to Sóller through the Serra de Tramuntana
  • Old town (Casc Antic) — Lanes, patios and the Arab Baths between the cathedral, the Passeig des Born and the Plaça Major
  • Castell de Bellver — Circular 14th-century castle on a wooded hill west of the centre, with views over the bay
  • Palau Reial de l'Almudaina — Royal palace beside the cathedral, run by Patrimonio Nacional
  • Catedral de Mallorca (La Seu) — Gothic cathedral above the Parc de la Mar, with interior work by Gaudí and Miquel Barceló

Easy places to be collected

  • Platja de Palma (s'Arenal) east of the airport
  • Cala Major and the west bay
  • Passeig Marítim and the port
  • Old town and the Passeig des Born

Arriving on a cruise ship

Into the Serra de Tramuntana

The mountains of the north-west coast are a UNESCO cultural landscape. Valldemossa is about 35 minutes away, Sóller about 40 and Deià about 55. You could also ride the historic Sóller railway one way through the mountains and meet the minibus at the other end. Lluc's sanctuary is about 1 h 5 min, Pollença and old Alcúdia about an hour, and the Coves del Drac about 1 h 15 min. The road down to Sa Calobra is all hairpins, about 1 h 40 min for 61 km, so give it a whole morning.

What travellers ask us

Our cruise ship calls at Palma. Where will the driver find us?

It depends on the berth: ships use either the Dique del Oeste or the Muelle de Poniente, and your cruise documents show which. From the Dique del Oeste the cathedral is about 5 km away, around 15 minutes. Palma limits cruise calls, so ask the operator to plan around your ship's times.

Can a car with driver meet just the two of us at the airport?

Yes, if it is booked in advance. A car with driver (VTC) carries up to nine people including the driver and may only take passengers on a pre-booked service, never pick up on the spot.

Which hotel areas suit a minibus best?

Any of them: the old town, the Passeig Marítim, Cala Major or Platja de Palma beyond the airport. In the old town, expect a short walk from the stop to the door.

More trips we can arrange

Other vehicles with a driver