Region · Southwest
Southwest Mallorca: Palma, Portals, Andratx
Last checked: October 2026
Short transfer times, city life and marinas: the southwest is a well-developed region of the island and works outside the summer months too.
The southwest has short transfer times from Palma Airport.
The short answer
Who is southwest Mallorca ideal for?
Southwest Mallorca stretches from Palma via Portals, Palmanova and Peguera to Port d'Andratx. It has short distances from the airport, a dense bus network and things on offer all year round – but less unspoilt nature than the north or south.
What the southwest stands for
The Bay of Palma packs city, airport, port and yacht marinas into a small area. If you are planning a city break, flying in the off-season or want to manage without a hire car, this is almost always the right choice. The coast is densely built up, which means infrastructure: restaurants open all year, doctors, supermarkets and frequent bus connections.
From the airport, the A1 bus takes you to the centre of Palma for 5 euros. If you are driving: from 1 January 2027, only vehicles with a C, ECO or 0 sticker may drive in Palma's low-emission zone inside the Avenidas.
Where it is worth staying
Palma for culture and food, Illetes and Portals for quieter coves with good connections, Palmanova and Santa Ponça for families with hotel infrastructure, Peguera for short distances without a car and Port d'Andratx for peace and quiet with harbour views – although there you will face hills and need a hire car.
Beaches and excursions
The beaches are mostly small and close to the city; the exception is the long Platja de Palma. Excursion destinations are close together: Castell de Bellver, Palma's old town, the island of Sa Dragonera off Sant Elm and the coast road towards Andratx as a gateway to the Tramuntana.
- Transfer from Palma Airport
- around 15 to 40 minutes
- Without a hire car
- very good – bus, metro, train, long-distance coaches
- Coastline
- City beaches, small coves, marinas
- Season
- all year round in Palma, April to October on the coast
Good for
City breaks and the off-season Holidays without a hire car short transfer times from PMI Food, shopping, marinas
Less suitable for
- unspoilt natural beaches
- absolute peace and quiet right on the coast
Towns in this region
Where exactly should you stay?
Transfer time from Palma Airport and suitability without a car matter more in everyday life than the hotel category.
-
Palma de Mallorca
City holiday with culture, food and things on offer all year round.
-
Peguera
Three sandy beaches, a car-free main street, short transfer time.
-
Port d'Andratx
Yacht harbour between hills, upmarket restaurants, hardly any sandy beach.
-
Magaluf
Large sandy beach, water park and party infrastructure.
-
Playa de Palma
Long row of hotels along the balnearios – from quiet to party zone.
-
Santa Ponça
Sheltered family bay with a marina and golf courses next to Magaluf.
-
Palmanova
Family resort in Calvià with three sandy beaches and a short transfer time.
-
Portals Nous / Puerto Portals
Elegant residential area west of Palma around the Puerto Portals marina.
Location of the resorts in the Southwest region.
Beaches
Beaches in the Southwest region
Surface, entry into the water and parking are listed in each beach profile.
-
Platja de Palma
Miles-long, fine-sand city and holiday beach with complete infrastructure and a shallow entry.
-
Platja de Can Pere Antoni
Palma's central city beach with views of La Seu cathedral, right on the cycle and footpath.
-
Cala Major
Densely built-up but fine-sand bay just west of Palma with clear water and year-round infrastructure.
-
Platja de Camp de Mar
Family-friendly sandy beach with an offshore islet connected to the restaurant by a wooden walkway.
-
Platja de Sant Elm
Picturesque sandy beach at the far southwestern tip of Mallorca with a direct panoramic view of Sa Dragonera, the 'dragon island'.
-
Portals Vells (Platja de Sa Chapa)
Idyllic, unspoilt pine-fringed cove with a shallow sandy beach, surrounded by spectacular rock formations and caves.
-
Platja de Ciutat Jardí
Wide, sheltered sandy beach in the suburb of Ciutat Jardí with children's playgrounds and a relaxed residential atmosphere.
-
Cala Estància
Almost completely enclosed sandy cove in Can Pastilla with Blue Flag water quality.
-
Platja de Santa Ponça
Santa Ponça's wide main beach with a shady pine grove at the back and full infrastructure.
-
Platja de Palmira
The largest of Peguera's three sandy beaches, lined by a lively pedestrian promenade.
-
Platja Romana & Torà
Two fine-sand beaches merging into each other in the eastern part of Peguera, with trees in the background.
-
Cala Fornells
Picturesque rocky and plateau cove below the terracotta architecture designed by Pedro Otzoup.
-
Platja de Portals Nous
Elegant sandy beach right next to the Puerto Portals marina with upmarket beach clubs.
-
Cala Comtessa
Fine, turquoise cove in the upmarket resort of Illetes, framed by pine trees and small offshore islets.
-
Cala Llamp
Rocky plateau cove with no sand, dominated by the exclusive 'Gran Folies' beach club.
-
Platja del Mago
Tiny, beautiful naturist sandy cove next to Portals Vells, famous from the film 'The Magus', shot in 1967.
-
Platja de Palmanova
Wide white sandy beach in the heart of Palmanova with a full range of services.
Food & drink
Restaurants in the Southwest region
-
€
7 Machos (Santa Catalina)
Santa Catalina, Palma
Mexican · fusion
Tex-Mex restaurant belonging to a chain with several locations, in Santa Catalina since 2024.
- Casual
-
€€
A Casa Mia
Santa Catalina, Palma
Italian
- Families
- Casual
-
A GoGò Pizzabar
Old town, Palma
Pizza · Sicilian
Roman pizza (scrocchiarella – thin, with a crispy crust) in the Sa Gerreria quarter of the old town. Speciality: entirely home-made plant-based cheese alternatives (mozzarella/burrata from fermented Mallorcan almonds, parmesan substitute from lupins, scamorza from rice).
- Old town
-
€€
A Tarantella Pizzeria
Portixol, Palma
Italian · pizza
Neighbourhood restaurant in Portixol with pizza, pasta, risotto and seafood.
- Terrace
- Residents
-
€€€
Adelfas by Jens
Santa Ponsa
Mediterranean
Head chef Jens Bräuning.
- Couples
- Romantic
- Special occasion
-
Repsol Soles €€
Adrián Quetglas
Centre, Palma
Mediterranean
- Couples
- Business dinners
Next steps
Frequently asked questions about the Southwest region
Which town in southwest Mallorca suits families?
Palmanova and Santa Ponça have gently shelving bays, promenades and plenty of hotel infrastructure. Peguera also works well without a car, because the beach, shops and restaurants are within walking distance.
Can you manage without a hire car in the southwest?
Yes. Palma has city buses, a metro and train connections, and regional buses run frequently along the bay. It only gets difficult in the villa areas above Port d'Andratx.
How long does the transfer from the airport take?
It is around 15 minutes to Palma, 25 to 35 to Palmanova and Santa Ponça, and 35 to 45 minutes to Peguera and Port d'Andratx outside rush hour.
Other regions
Keep comparing
-
Serra de Tramuntana
A UNESCO World Heritage Site of dry-stone walls, olive terraces and mountain villages – the region for hiking and cycling, the weakest for small children at the beach.
-
North
Miles of gently shelving sandy bays with a promenade – Mallorca's classic family region, easy to combine with cycling and nature trips.
-
East
A chain of small calas between pine trees and limestone rock – quiet resorts with holiday flats, marinas and short coastal paths.
-
South
Flat, dry and little built-up: this is where the island's natural beaches are – but the infrastructure is thinner than elsewhere.
-
Island centre: Es Pla
Farmland instead of coast: wineries, weekly markets and fincas – only practical as a base with a hire car, but quiet all year round.