Mallorca isn't one island — it's at least four trips. Here's the honest sort of which base works for which trip.
Palma de Mallorca — for city trips
Palma is a real city — cathedral, food, transit. Centre Antic for first-time visits, Santa Catalina for food. Best for: 3-4 night city breaks, anyone wanting a real Spanish city.
Sóller / Deià / Valldemossa — for the mountains
The Tramuntana mountain villages on the northwest coast — stone houses, terraced olive groves, hiking trails. Stay 3-4 nights for the mountain trip. Connect to Palma by the historic wooden train.
Pollença / Port de Pollença — for the north
The north coast around Pollença bay — calmer beaches, family-friendly, traditional Mallorcan villages. 4-5 nights.
Cala d'Or / Santanyí / Es Trenc — for the south
The south coast has the best beaches but also the most package tourism. Stay in smaller villages (Santanyí) and day-trip to beaches; avoid the all-inclusive resort strips.
What to avoid
- Magaluf and Palmanova: British package-resort strips. Different trip.
- Palma's own beach (Platja de Palma): Worse version of the resort strips.
- Single-base trips that try to cover the whole island: Mallorca is bigger than it looks. Pick one region or split nights.
Strategy
Best 7-day Mallorca: 3 Palma + 3 Sóller + 1 buffer. Or: 3 Pollença + 3 Sóller + 1 Palma. Don't try to cover all four regions in 7 days.