9 unusual things to do in Mallorca with kids
If you’ve been to Mallorca before – or even if you haven’t – it’s easy to stick to the obvious beaches and family resorts. But scratch beneath the surface of this stunning Balearic island, and you’ll discover some fantastically unusual things to do in Mallorca with kids.
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From exploring underground lakes to flying over the Tramuntana mountains and surfing through the trees, you don’t even need to venture far off the beaten track to discover some brilliantly quirky experiences that most families never find.
So whether you’re visiting the island with toddlers or teens, here are my favourite unusual things to do in Mallorca with kids to add to your holiday wishlist.
Discover Mallorca’s abandoned railway tunnels
The old railway line between Manacor and Artà was abandoned decades ago, but the tunnels and bridges remain, creating an unusual hiking and cycling trail that’s a great option with older kids.
The 18-mile route is now an official Via Verde, or Green Trail, which takes you through some gorgeous parts of the Mallorcan countryside. You don’t – thankfully – need to complete the whole trail in one go, with parking at various stages along the route, and trainers or sturdy sandals are also fine.
Passing close to beaches, you can also discover some Mallorcan history alone the way, including a prehistoric Talayotic settlement near Arta and an early Christian Basilica at Manacor.
Explore Mallorca’s underground lakes
Forget the famous Caves of Drach – while they’re still well worth visiting, despite the crowds, this Mallorca attraction is firmly on the beaten track. But it’s far from the only cave system on the island, and you can discover more underground lakes that are visited by far fewer people.
In the north-east of Mallorca, the Campanet Caves were only discovered in 1945, with a 40-minute tour taking you past stalactites and stalagmites to the Lake Chamber, where the still water reflects the rock formations above.
The Caves of Ham are more touristy than the others, but still quieter than the Caves of Drach, and have their own musical show by the ‘Sea of Venice’, as the underground lake is known.
Meet Mallorca’s wild horses
Head to the island’s northern coast and you can spot some of Mallorca’s wild horses roaming free – if you’re lucky. Others live in the foothills of the mountains, while the S’Albufera Natural Park and Llevant areas are another good option.
If you want a guarantee of horses, and a chance to ride them, there are several places around the island where families can saddle up, including options for beginners.
In the south of Mallorca, the protected Mondrago Natural Park is home to birds in the wetlands, butterflies, and rare mammals such as Algerian hedgehogs, plus pine martins and hares, but also Rancho Jaume, which organises rides as an alternative to hiking the trails.
Or at Manacor, NaturaCavall rescues and rehomes horses, including older animals and former racehorses, as well as offering riding adventures – you can sign up for a beginner session, or there are longer experiences if your family are more experienced riders.
Explore a deserted pirate island
Dragonera Island, just off Mallorca’s western coast, was once a genuine pirate hideout – and today you can explore the caves and coves where legends say treasure is still buried.
The island is now a protected nature reserve accessible only by boat, making it feel like a real adventure destination even if you don’t unearth any pieces of eight.
After a 20-minute boat ride from Port d’Andratx and Sant Telm, you’ll dock at Pirate Cove – the name ‘dragon island’ comes from its shape.
Stretching just 2.6 miles, and only 900m at its widest point, it’s home to the Dragonera lizard; follow one of the four hiking trails to explore and look out for the Torre de Llebeig, one of the defensive towers designed to protect against pirates, which has survived since the 16th century.
You do have to bring all food, water and anything else you want, as well as taking any rubbish home as Sa Dragonera is a nature reserve.
Soar over the Tramuntana Mountains
Fly around 300m above Mallorca to see some of the island’s scenery on a sunrise or sunset hot air balloon ride. Floating over the Tramuntana mountains and villages of the northeast coast, this hour-long flight is suitable for kids aged 5+ (and there’s a glass of champagne for adults too).
The whole experience takes around 2 ½ hours, including a chance to watch the set-up, and transport from Cala Millor.
Or if you’ve got slightly younger kids who would love the experience, this hot air balloon ride is for children aged 4+, departing from the area around Manacor.
Watch traditional glass-blowing
In the village of Algaida, the Gordiola glassworks has been creating beautiful glass pieces for over 300 years. What makes this a brilliant family experience is watching the master craftsmen at work – all ages are mesmerised by the process of turning molten glass into delicate vases and ornaments.
The museum features some incredible glass pieces from around the world, all set within a mock-Gothic palace, including a selection of Christmas decorations.
It’s worth knowing that the glassworkers don’t work at weekends, with no demonstrations on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays, so you’ll need to arrive from 9-11am or 11.30-3pm on weekdays (last entry at 2.30pm).
Make perfume in an old windmill
Create your own bespoke fragrance in a 200-year-old restored windmill in a special perfume workshop with Gaia Perfume Experiences.
Led by master perfumer Trudi, you start by exploring the different essential oils and how to balance them, before creating your own individual scent. There are also soap-making experiences to try too.
The workshops take place at Costitx and include refreshments and Mallorcan cheese or if you’re splashing out, you can add a meal too.
Want to keep the windmill theme going? You could eat in a windmill not far away at Restaurant el Molí d’en Pau in Sineu, or head to the windmill museum in Palma – the Museu dels Molins is housed in the historic Molí d’en Garleta. In total, you can spot around 3,000 windmills across the island
Explore a medieval fortress
On a mountain in the north-east of Mallorca, the Castell de Capdepera is a 14th century fortress constructed partly on the site of an old Muslim village, and incorporating an older Moorish watchtower.
Part castle, part fortified town, it’s one of the best-preserved on the island and was used for centuries as a place of safety from pirate attacks, as well as a base for the king.
Constructed for Jaume II (son of Jaume I, who conquered Mallorca in the 13th century), it was also the site of a cunning ruse to persuade the Muslim rulers of Menorca to surrender, when the king ordering huge bonfires to be lit, convincing those on the neighbouring island that a huge army was poised to invade.
Today, you can still transport yourself back through the centuries as you wander the stone walls, see a 14th century crucifix in the church and soak up the views out to sea.
Surf through the treetops
Around 30 minutes from Palma (and just over 10 minutes from Magaluf), there are plenty of chances to get your heart racing at Jungle Parc Mallorca, with four separate courses to try for different ages and skill levels.
If you’ve got kids, Family-Zen and Piratas are suitable for age 4+ – the latter is only for age 4-12, so while an adult must supervise, you get to stay on the ground for that one.
For older kids who want a bigger challenge, the Explorador course is for kids aged 10+ who are also at least 1.40m tall, and an adult must also accompany them round.
And if you fancy surfing your way along, the Extremo course is definitely not for beginners. Kids must be aged 12+ and 1.5m tall; best for adventurous teens!
For more ideas, check out my top things to do in Mallorca with kids, as well as the best things to do in Palma for families
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission
Images: Via Verde courtesy of AdobeStock, all other images courtesy of Depositphotos
