The best beach plan in Mallorca isn't staying glued to the same stretch of sand all day: it's stringing two together. One in the morning; a leisurely lunch in the neighbouring village at midday; and another cove — or a pool with a sun lounger — for a second swim in the afternoon. The key is pairing beaches close enough to do both without spending the day in the car. Here are six tried-and-tested pairings, one for every corner of the island: from wild Llevant to the Caribbean south, from vertiginous Tramuntana to the north of Pollença. If you fancy slowing the pace in the afternoon, almost all allow swapping the second beach for a seaside pool. Our favourite to start: Cala Mesquida and Cala Agulla, linked by a pine forest trail of barely 4 km.
Capdepera · Llevant
Start at Cala Mesquida, with its wild dunes and surf, and cross to Cala Agulla through the Coll de Marina pine forest (an easy, shaded trail of about 4 km). Eat halfway in Cala Ratjada or Capdepera and finish the afternoon in the turquoise waters of Agulla, sheltered by pines. In season, the TIB 441 bus stops at both.
Campos · Migjorn
Es Trenc is Mallorca's last great virgin beach: more than 2 km of white sand and Caribbean-looking water. There are barely any beach bars, so head down to Colònia de Sant Jordi for lunch (or bring a picnic) and in the afternoon continue to the quiet sands of Es Carbó or Es Caragol, near Colònia.
Escorca · Serra de Tramuntana
Get up early to see Sa Calobra and the Torrent de Pareis estuary before the coaches arrive. Eat at the restaurants in Sa Calobra and, a few minutes' drive away, spend the afternoon taking refuge in Cala Tuent: a quiet pebble cove with its solitary pine and the mountain behind.
Pollença · Nord
Start the morning in Cala Sant Vicenç — an old fishing village with several blue-water coves, such as Cala Barques. Head down to Port de Pollença for lunch and, in the afternoon, set course for Platja de Formentor: golden fine sand, Blue Flag and a grassy area with shade for a siesta.
Santanyí · Parc Natural de Mondragó
Two Blue Flag coves within the same natural park, linked by a seaside promenade of less than a minute on foot. Start at Cala Mondragó, sheltered with turquoise water; eat at the beach bars in the cove and spend the afternoon at S'Amarador, larger, quieter and backed by dunes.
Calvià · Illetes
The beach-and-pool variant, a stone's throw from Palma. Spend the morning at Cala Comtesa, a small cove between pines with calm waters, perfect on still days. Eat in Portals Nous or Illetes and in the afternoon swap the sand for a sun lounger and pool by the sea at an Illetes beach club — Balneario Illetas or Purobeach Illetas, both in the Thril. catalogue.
End of list.
Coming soon: pairings of hidden coves reachable only on foot or by boat.
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