Playa De Palma, Mallorca – Off Season

The Spanish Islands. Known for their beautiful beaches, warm weather and party scene. Ibiza is the island featured in the movies and songs, but Mallorca can get just as rowdy – so I’ve heard. If you are looking to travel to Palma de Mallorca during the months of November-April, this is the blog for you.

I was meeting my friends in Barcelona during the week of Thanksgiving. They had been traveling around Europe for the last couple of weeks. I was short on vacation time, so I decided to come while they were in Spain. Two days in Barcelona and then it was off the Mallorca.

So what is Mallorca like in November? It’s basically closed for the season. But we didn’t learn this until we landed on the island. Our first clue should have been when our original hotel canceled our reservation because business was so slow they were closing up for the season. They transferred us to the Hotel Playa Golf. The hotel was absolutely beautiful. We were upgraded to a higher level ocean view room. It was the kind of view where you wanted to hang out on your balcony and just watch the waves go by. The hotel interior and grounds were also beautiful. Our view overlooked the pool and the ocean. The hotel had a complimentary sauna, steam room and indoor spa. For our first couple of nights, we felt like we were the only ones there.

Our other surprise was how much German influence there was on the island. I had noticed some German signs at the airport, but when we sat down for lunch, our waiter handed us a menu that was written in German and featured German food. As the naïve group of Americans, we were confused about why there was such a German presence on this Spanish Island. This easiest way for me to explain it is Mallorca is to Germany what Mexico is to America. They wanted a fun warm place where they could party, but still, feel like they were in Germany.

I could see the potential this island had. There were tons of bars and shops that lined the beach boardwalk, but they were all boarded up for the winter. My boyfriend had picked the location of our hotel very specifically because it was close to a giant Beer Garden called Megapark. We went to check it out, and sure enough, the Megapark was also boarded up and closed for the winter. In terms of Playa De Palma nightlife, the Bierkoenig is proud to be open year-round. The Bierkoenig is a massive beer garden, but during the off-season, they use maybe a ¼ of the space. The first couple of nights we felt like the only people there, but my Friday night, the Germans had arrived and the tiny space had started to fill up (but still nowhere near what it’s like during the summer).

The nearby restaurant choices were also slim, but each restaurant we went to was absolutely delicious, and we would go back and forth between German and Spanish cuisine. Only in Playa de Palma can you get Paella and Cordon Bleu in the same meal. We did make our way to the city of Palma one evening. You can catch a bus from the beach to the capital, and it takes maybe 25 mins. In the city, we found open restaurants, people, shops and no German beer gardens. However, the city closed early that day. By 9 pm all the shops were closed and the street started to clear.

What we should have done was hire a car or some scooters and explore more of the island, but my friends were on the tail end of a 3-week European adventure and were pretty tired. I also recommend going to the city during the day and visiting Old Town Palma. If you are looking for a “warmer,” peaceful island getaway (warmer is in quotes because you will still need a jacket), than check out Playa De Palma during the off-season. I’m not sure I would enjoy Mallorca during its peak season, but I am curious to see what it is like when the shops are open, the beach a more lively and the weather warmer. It was an experience for sure. Have you ever been to Mallorca or Playa de Palma? What did you do? When did you go? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.

Until next time…

Cheers!

Keelie