Majorca is such a perfect place for an affordable weekend break. I know most of us associate this gorgeous Spanish island with a 1-week all-inclusive kind of holiday, but I’ve just returned from a 3-night trip to Majorca and it was incredible!
I’ve put my exact 3-night itinerary at the end of the posts so you can see exactly what we did (and copy it if you’d like!)
The flights and hotel were through Jet2 Holidays. They have lots of affordable hotels in Majorca and I highly recommend staying in Portals Nous as it’s beautiful and just a 20 minute transfer to the airport. There’s a gorgeous mix of upmarket beach bars for a fancy pre-dinner drink and then more affordable restaurants where you can save money on your meals. The beaches are also beautiful so you don’t need to pay anything for your days out!
Why is Majorca so perfect for a weekend?
Short flight time – The flights from Manchester Airport with Jet2 were under 2.5 hours so it’s perfectly do-able for a quick trip.
Lots of flights – Not only are the flights short but there’s lots of them, giving you lots of flexibility to plan the times and dates that suit you best.
Perfect weather from spring to autumn – I’m not sure I’d visit in the winter but April to October is perfection.
Lots to see and do – There is so much to see and do in Majorca, from the capital city of Palma, mountain villages and beautiful beaches.
It’s so pretty – Majorca is so much prettier than mainland spain!
Where to stay to make the most of a weekend break to Majorca
For a weekend break to Majorca I highly recommend staying near Palma, or in Palma if you’d rather have a city break. This is the island’s capital and is where the airport is so you can stay fairly close without wasting too much time on transfers.
Portals Nous
I stayed in Portals Nous which was absolutely perfect for a weekend break. It took us 20 minutes to drive there from the airport but it wasn’t close enough to hear or see planes constantly overhead.
Portals Nous is an upscale area of Majorca, known for being a little on the luxury side thanks to the glamorous harbour filled with luxury yachts. Despite the luxe side to the area, it also has a very relaxed and charming vibe that doesn’t need to be too pricey. All the beautiful beaches mean there’s plenty to do without spending a penny and the chilled beach bars are that laid-back luxe you’ll love.
Exe Portal Nous Review
I stayed at Exe Portal Nous through Jet2holidays which was about a 15-minute walk from the beach. The hotel is simple and budget-friendly but has everything you’d need. The rooms were spotlessly clean and comfortable with a great bathroom and a balcony overlooking the pool.
The pool area was really nice and never felt too busy and there’s a pool bar serving drinks and snacks.
We had breakfast included and the buffet breakfast was brilliant. We had our coffees by the pool each morning followed by a 3-course breakfast (OK, sometimes 4-course) with fresh bread and cheese, juicy fruits, eggs and sausages and then breakfast cakes with a final coffee. What a way to start the day!
The reception staff really made the hotel extra special. They were so friendly and helpful, always there to welcome you or give you a recommendation.
We especially appreciated that on our final day, despite checking out of our room at midday, we were allowed to use a spare room at 7pm to have showers and get changed before going to the airport.
Exe Portal Nous is a great option if you’re fit and mobile but it is a hilly walk to get to the restaurants, bars and beaches. It’s not too far but the heat and the hills make it feel a lot further. We tried to get a taxi one evening but it wasn’t possible so it’s worth noting the taxis aren’t very reliable.
Should you hire a car in Majorca?
It really depends what kind of holiday you want when it comes to hiring a car.
If you want to get out and explore then yes, 100% hire one. Cars are affordable to hire in Majorca and while some of the roads are narrow and feel a little chaotic, it’s relatively straight forward.
I hired a car for this trip, thinking it would be nice to get out and see some different beaches and villages.
But if I were to go back in time, I wouldn’t hire one for this particular trip. I felt that Portals Nous offered enough to explore during a 3-night trip and I wouldn’t have got bored just seeing this area. If you’re going for longer than 3 nights then it’s nice to get out and explore but I’m not sure it’s necessary for a weekend.
My trip was also through Jet2holidays so we would have had transfers included anyway.
Tips to make the most of a short break
If you’re visiting Majorca for just a weekend then I highly recommend staying close to the airport to avoid wasting too much time on transfers. Portals Nous was absolutely ideal.
If you want to explore the island then you should hire a car but…more importantly….get up early!! Everywhere we visited was so busy by midday so you end up having to park miles away. You’ll then waste a lot of time looking for a parking spot and then walking to whatever it is you’re there to see, not to mention how difficult this feels when it’s hot!
There are lots of flights to Majorca but I recommend getting an early flight out and a late flight back to maximise your trip.
Our itinerary for a weekend in Majorca
Day 1
- 7am flight from Manchester with Jet2
- Collect hire car and head to Exe Portals Nous
- Time to relax by the pool
- Dinner at Luce Restaurant at The Donna Portals (10 minute walk from the hotel)
Day 2
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Drive to Cala Llombards and Calo Des Moro beaches (parked in an overflow car park which was about a 15 minute walk away)
- Lunch at Bar Cala Llombards (really quiet in comparison to the bar ON the beach)
- Afternoon by the hotel pool
- Drinks at Freddy’s Beach Bar
- Dinner at Um Beach House Mallorca
Day 3
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Morning visiting Valldemossa – Drinks at Can Uetam
- Afternoon visiting Deia – Lunch at Es Punt which was OK. Food was nice and there’s a nice terrace overlooking the mountains.
- Back to the beach and drinks at Freddy’s Beach Bar
- Dinner at Chameli’s – food was really good and very affordable. Staff were terrible.
Day 4
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Morning at Caleta des Portal Nous
- Lunch at Tabgha Solidarity Beach Bar
- Walk to the marina and further beaches
- Afternoon at the pool
- 7.00pm – showers at the hotel and left to arrive at the airport for 8pm
- 10pm – flight home
This final day was plenty long enough to have a full day out. We did consider heading to Soller for the afternoon but the lure of the beaches and hotel pool was too much! Another nice option would be to spend the day at Um Beach House for a fancier pool day experience.
The flights and hotel for this trip were provided by Jet2holidays. Find out more about cheap holidays with Jet2holidays here.
Can you have a cheap weekend to Majorca?
So what’s the verdict? Can you have a cheap weekend to Majorca?
Of course, it depends on your version of ‘cheap’ but I’d absolutely say you can have a cheap weekend there! Realistically, there were enough beaches to keep us busy in Portal Nous all weekend so, other than buying drinks and dinners, we didn’t need to pay for anything else once we arrived.
Here are my tips to keep it more affordable:
- Travel around May or late September for the best weather at the best prices.
- Ask your hotel receptionists for recommendations for cheap restaurants, they’re locals and always know best!
- Make the most of the hotel buffet breakfast and stock up so you can either skip lunch or have a small, cheap lunch.
- Fill your hotel mini bar with drinks from the supermarket.
