Artà
Walled hilltop town in the northeast with a serious art scene, a weekly market and caves nearby — less discovered than Sóller or Deià.
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Illes Balears
Mallorca
The largest of the four — mountains, a real city, and an international community that never left.
- Days of sun~300
- Winter11 °C
- Summer29 °C
- Area3,640 km²
- Coastline555 km
Its story
The largest and most varied of the four islands: the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range (UNESCO World Heritage) along the northwest coast, a flatter agricultural interior (Es Pla), and a developed southern and eastern coastline.
Serra de Tramuntana hiking, Chopin and George Sand's winter in Valldemossa, Palma's cathedral (La Seu) and old town, traditional fiestas across the island
Ensaimada, sobrasada, tumbet, pa amb oli, local wines from Binissalem and Pla i Llevant
Varies dramatically by area: Palma is a proper city, the southwest has resort energy, the north and interior are genuinely tranquil
What almost nobody knowsThe Tramuntana's northern villages keep a working, non-touristy rhythm even in August, a short drive from the busiest coast on the island.
Hidden gems
Sineu and Santa Maria del Camí
Mallorca's interior lives at village pace — ten minutes from international schools, thirty from the airport, and still feels like a different island.
Places to know: Serra de Tramuntana (UNESCO) · Palma de Mallorca old town · Sóller and its historic tram · Cabrera National Park (offshore)
Living here
- Airports
- Palma de Mallorca Son Sant Joan (PMI)
- Getting around
- N/A — island territory, no high-speed rail
- Main roads
- Ma-1, Ma-13, Ma-19
- Healthcare
- Hospital Son Espases (Palma) is the island's main reference hospital, with several smaller public and private hospitals across the island.
- Schools
- British curriculum available
- International community
- The largest and most established of the four islands — significant German, British and Scandinavian communities, especially in the southwest and around Palma.
- Language
- Low, especially in Palma and the southwest
- Popular areas
- Palma de Mallorca, Sóller, Deià, Pollença, Santa Ponça
The Dream Nest view
Who it suits
German and Scandinavian lifestyle buyers in the southwest, British buyers across the island, growing remote-worker community around Palma.
Mortgage notes
Banks active in non-resident lending, though LTV is typically lower for non-residents than on the mainland. Property prices in Palma and the southwest are high enough that many cases involve HNW or complex income structuring. German and Scandinavian buyers are well served by dedicated bank branches in Palma.
Worth knowing before you commit
The Balearic Islands impose additional restrictions on non-resident property purchases in some zones, and tourist rental licences are extremely restricted — in many areas new licences are frozen. Living costs are meaningfully higher than mainland Spain.
Indicative information, pending verification by Dream Nest. Sources consulted: INE, AEMET, Govern de les Illes Balears
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