Balearic Islands Tourism Guide - Majorca Car Hire & Driving

Majorca Car Hire Palma Airport

Majorca car hire is easy as far as picking up your car from Palma de Mallorca airport when you hop off your plane. You can pre-book (recommended) your Majorca car rental easily through Holiday Autos online (see weblink right).

If George Sand landed in Palma Airport today she'd be impressed, and she'd be off in her hire car, and then she'd hit Palma and potentially have a nervous breakdown and write a book about it. Driving in or through Palma, which you might have to do if you're heading towards Magaluf or resorts to the West, can be a little intimidating. There's a lot of machismo flying here, especially with the taxi drivers. Keep calm, don't panic and try and go with the flow, watching out for roadworks. If you're heading for Majorca coastal resorts then just keep on the coast road past Palma cathedral and port and on through Cala Mayor.

All the Majorca car hire desks at Palma Airport are adjacent to baggage reclaim so you'll spot them easily as you exit with your baggage. They usually take a copy of your visa card, just in case, and will want to see your passport. Then you're off with the keys to pick up your Majorca car rental from the parking area outside the main terminal where they keep all the hire cars. They'll give you a little map and a bay number where your car is.

Have a quick check over your car before you zoom off. Check you're happy with it, and check that the petrol tank is full. They usually give it to you full, and you have to return it with a full tank. Think right hand lane driving and you're away. You'll pick up the right hand lane driving syndrome straight away, just watch your first roundabout hey and don't turn left!!

Majorca Travel Plan

On your Majorca travel plan, Mallorca car rental style, it's well worth doing a bit of research on the island before you go so you can get the best out of Majorca, which has a lot to offer in terms of rural trips, idyllic sandy beach day trips, monastery jaunts, waterparks galore, mountain hairpin bend jollies, and family favourites like visiting one of the many coves and caves around the coast. Arta Coves is one of the best!

Take it as standard, parking in Majorca resorts and in lesser known inland centres like Pollenca and Arta, can be a bit of a nightmare. Lots of narrow streets, and the potential of annoying local residents by plonking your Majorca hire care outside their garage access. The secret is to take your time when you come into somewhere new. Even if you've studied a map before hand you can still get lost in some of the residential mazes, Soller being a classic example. Driving around a bit first, then coming back on yourself to park also works well.

Paid parking areas are available close to Mallorca town centres. They are usually free during the middle of the day when the shops are closed, but you'll have to pay during peak times, i.e. early morning till about 10.30am, then later from about 5pm to 8.30pm. Check the parking information on the meters before you leave your car.

Free parking will be available further out from the centre, but make sure you clock the street name you're parked on, and the route back to your car. Getting lost in Pollenca in the mid-day heat, madly looking for your lost car is no idea of fun! If you're parked on narrow streets, use your loaf and fold in your wing mirrors is a good tip. You'll soon get into the swing of it.

Majorca Rural Trips

Driving around Majorca is fun, fun, fun when you get the hang of it. The main motorway arteries are clearly marked, making it easy to reach say the Lluc Monastery as there are pink signs for it everywhere as you drive through Inca.

As a general rule, driving in Majorca's capital Palma is not recommended, although it's not half as bad as suggested in some Majorca tourism guidebooks as long as you take it at a steady pace with your wits about you. Don't fall into the trap of entering into the machismo, you'll come a cropper!! Buses into Palma from neighbouring resorts in the Bay of Palma, to the West Magaluf and to the East C'an Pastilla and S'Arenal are frequent, quick, cheap and easy so choose the bus into Palma from these resorts. You'll see the bus stops dotted about and your Majorca hotel will give you some advice and usually a little street map of Palma de Mallorca. These are usually good up-to-date maps, and much better than the ones you'll find in some tourism guidebooks which often seem to miss a lot of streets out and disorientate you. You can hop on a day trip bus to Palma from most resorts around the island. Well worth it, as there's lots to do and see in Palma.

Driving over in the west, hitting the Serra de Tramuntana mountains is a great driving experience. There's some hairpin mountain bends for sure, but nothing not easily managable, otherwise they wouldn't send the coaches up here! The C-710 which runs up the west coast from Andratx to Deia will probably be one of the drives of your life. We're talking spectacular, dramatic landscape come coastal scenery here, with lots of stopping off points along the road for walking, or just to have a picnic or admire the view. If you have a hire car in Majorca, don't miss this experience, detouring off briefly before heading up, to Sant Elm to take a look at the island Dragonera, and grab a spot of lunch at one of the many terraced restaurants and cafes around Sant Elm. You're away from the Majorca resort crowds here!

Majorca car hire is cheap, cheap cheap and there is so much to see on Majorca, particularly it's spectacular landscape. Hiring a car helps you to push out and explore these many delights. Well worth doing as part of your Majorca holiday. Book your cheap Majorca car rental through Holiday Autos (weblink right).