Camping on Mallorca is an adventure. It’s not as easy as it is elsewhere in Europe. There are only a few official campsites on Mallorca, and even those are usually not what campers are used to. With this rather lengthy article, I am trying to clarify a little how camping on Majorca works. Or rather, how it doesn’t. I am also providing you with a PDF to download, which contains numerous camping sites for your campers and motorhomes.
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Camping on Mallorca is not necessarily ideal for neither tent camping nor taking a motorhome holiday. There are no campsites on Mallorca like those found in the rest of Europe, and the official “zonas de acampada” are relatively basic locations where camping is permitted but no extras whatsoever provided. Wild camping and camping on the beach is strictly prohibited, and there are no official campsites near the sea, although in some municipalities, it may be tolerated.
Still, it is worth considering to camp on Mallorca. Nothing beats an experience of adventure in untouched nature. To ensure that you are properly prepared and don’t find yourself in illegal actions, this article is full of first-hand knowledge, as well as details of some of the best camping sites for motorhomes.
Get all the information in our E-Book.
Camping on Mallorca
The bad news first: Camping on Mallorca is officially not allowed. A decree from 1986 has thwarted the efforts of alternative accommodation options. The reason for this is greed. The overly powerful hotel lobby doesn’t want any competition, especially one that could possibly be more budget-friendly and sustainable.
This has led to absurd regulations that up to today make it difficult to set up new campsites on Mallorca. The opposition to camping on Mallorca remains very strong. However, just as strong is the desire of many locals to explore their island naturally. Therefore, camping on Mallorca is not easy, but it is certainly not impossible.
First thing to know is: you cannot compare camping on Mallorca to camping anywhere else. Most of the so called “zonas de acampada” are managed by the Balearic Institute for Nature Protection (IBANAT). The facilities on almost all of those campsites on Mallorca are very basic. If water is available, it is mostly cold. Electrical hookups are rare. There are no options for motorhome or camper van owners to dispose of their wastewater. The stay at an official campsite on Mallorca is often restricted to 10 days. Except on some private campsites, taking your pets with you is not allowed.
More than 20 secluded spots for motorhomes and campers
The local camper community is quite reluctant to reveal great spots to stay overnight. Not a big surprise, since many beautiful places are already hopelessly overcrowded. In this article, you’ll find a lot of options, both RV sites and campsites. However, rather secret and secluded places are only available in our e-book.
In the e-book, you will find the precise location of each spot with a link to Google Maps. Additionally, you will also find important information about the services available and places to eat, as well as a brief description to give you a general idea of the place. In other words, a lot of valuable, compact knowledge that will save you from spending a long time looking for suitable places. You can get a preview of the e-book in this reading sample that includes one selected campsite. You can purchase it via this link.
Official campsites on Mallorca
Especially in autumn and spring, many locals pack their camping gear and head out into nature. Although the spots are anything but luxurious, that doesn’t deter a few people from going camping. Here you find the best campsites in Mallorca.
Campsite Sa Font Coberta Campsite at the Monastery of Lluc
Capacity: 300 Price per night: 5 euros, children under 14 free. Provider: IBANAT Facilities: Tables, toilets, showers (cold water, no drinking water). Parking: 2 euros per day, barrier-free. Open all year round. Reservations: +34 971 51 70 70/+34 971 51 70 83. Business Hours: Monday to Sunday from 9:00am to 4:30pm. www.lluc.net
Those looking to explore the outdoors near the renowned Lluc Monastery can take advantage of the campsite located there. With 300 sleeping spaces, including a designated area for campers, the campsite also features seating, a fire pit, and showers for all guests. Children under 5 years old are free, while anyone else is asked to pay a fee of 5 euros per night.
Es Pixarells at the Monastery of Lluc
Capacity: 30 Price per night: 5 euros. Children under 5 free. Location: Finca Menut, Kilometer 17 at the Ma-10 road from Lluc to Pollença. Provider: IBANAT Facilities: Tables, fire pits, bathroom, and water point (no drinking water). Open all year round. Reservations: +34 971 51 70 70 / +34 971 51 70 83. Business Hours: Monday to Sunday from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
Located in the mountains, not far from the initial campsite between Lluc and Pollença at the possesion of Finca Menut, this small campsite provides 30 sleeping spaces. As with the larger campsite at Lluc Monastery, visitors will be asked to pay 5 euros per person. The sheltered seating area comes with a fire pit, toilet, and water point.
S’Arenalet close to Artà
Capacity: 30 Price per night: €5.00. Children under 5 free. Provider: IBANAT Facilities: Tables, WC, cold showers and water point (no drinking water). There is a covered area for rainy days. Open all year round, except January. Reservations: +34 971 17 76 52 / [email protected] / Business hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm.
To access this small campsite and its attached refuge, located near the dreamy beaches Cala Torta and s’Arenalet des Verger, you will need to take a short walk. The facilities are part of the Peninsula de Llevant Nature Park. You find several hiking trails there. One of them you’ll have to take in order to get to the campsite. Backpacks and luggage will be transported by car.
La Trapa near Sant Elm
The campsite La Trapa in Andratx is managed by GOB, an organization for the protection of nature and the Ministry of Environment of Mallorca. In order to camp there, you have to complete a rather complicated registration. You need the consent of both the owner (GOB) and the ministry. The bureaucratic process can take several weeks to carry through. There is no charge, but you are being asked for a voluntary donation, which is used to maintain the environment.
Capacity: 20-25. Space for four tents. Price per night: Free, after prior registration. Donation. Location: From Sant Elm, about 90 minutes walk to La Trapa. Provider: GOB Facilities: none, open all year round. Reservations: Tel. +34 971 496 060. www.gobmallorca.com
No water, bathrooms, or trash removal are available at La Trapa. It also can be difficult to find a spot with a functioning mobile network. Open fire is prohibited between May and October, and only allowed the rest of the year with explicit permission from the authorities.
Despite all these obstacles, this spot close to the monastery ruins with an awesome view of Dragonera Island is the most beautiful spot for camping in Mallorca.
Official campsites for campers and caravans
We don’t have any designated motorhome campsites in Majorca. Therefore, many campers just gather in parking lots, which is not specifically forbidden but not explicitly permitted either. Since the parking lots are meant for parking vehicles, you may be fined if you set up an awning or arrange chairs in front of the van. Because that is the moment you go from just parking to active camping.
The situation is especially challenging at peak times in summer, when parking spots at popular locations are limited and taken up by campers. Many parking lots that were used sporadically by motorhomes in recent years have become so crowded that they had to be closed off to campers.
I know some of these spots personally, as we have been travelling around Mallorca with a van ourselves. I guess it will become increasingly difficult in the future to find campsites for motorhomes. The hashtag Van Life contributes immensely to this development. However, space and resources on an island are limited. And Mallorca is already at its limit in terms of traffic, even without vans and motorhomes.
Below, I am sharing the three official motorhome parking spaces that we have in Mallorca. For those who would like to stay off the beaten path and experience something more authentic, I reveal over 20 other possibilities in this e-book.
Industrial area Son Rossinyol Palma
In May 2019, the city’s public services company EMAYA started a project in Palma, a service point where campers can empty their toilet and clean their vehicles. This is not an actual parking space, but rather a way for motorhomes to legally dispose of their wastewater. The services can be used between 8am and 8pm.
A gentle reminder: Campers are usually very nature-loving people and do not discard waste or debris in nature. Yet, with the limited disposal sites, it does happen that wastewater is disposed off in inappropriate areas. Just know, that such actions only lead to further restrictions for motorhomes, up to a complete ban.
Campsite in Port Vell, Costa de los Pinos
The area around Costa de los Pinos is touristy, but not as busy as Cala Millor next door. The parking lot at the old harbor Port Vell is located close to the sea, directly on the coastal road. The sea, however, is not visible due to some tall buildings.
Originally, this parking lot had water connections and a disposal point. However, both no longer work, as many campers just came for a pit stop, and the entire infrastructure could not withstand it. You can still stand here overnight, though.
Monastery of Lluc
Motorhomes can be parked overnight in the large parking lot next to the monastery without any supply facilities. You can use the furniture, toilets, and showers of the campsite. Close by, there is a large picnic area with wooden benches, where you can barbecue between November and April. This option may get closest to actual camping than anything else.
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