Mallorca with the Family: The Easiest Ways to Enjoy the Island from Port d'Andratx
If someone asks you where to stay in Mallorca with children — away from the big tourist resorts but without giving anything up — the answer is almost always the same: the south-west of the island. And if you're based at Aparthotel La Pérgola in Port d'Andratx, you've already solved half the holiday.
The great thing about staying here is that the island opens up in a very different way to what you'd imagined before arriving. No crowds, no need to set an alarm to bag a spot on the beach. The pace is different.
Start the Day Slowly: Port d'Andratx Harbour in the Morning
One of the things families enjoy most on their first visit is discovering that Port d'Andratx is right on the doorstep. In under ten minutes on foot, you're already walking along the quay watching the sailing boats. At that hour, before the heat sets in, the children can run around freely while the grown-ups sit with a coffee and watch the water.
The harbour is genuinely lovely — not artificially picturesque. There are fishing boats, yachts, and a mix of locals and travellers that gives the whole place a very easy-going atmosphere. If you fancy breakfast out, there are a couple of terraces that open early and serve the traditional pa amb oli, which tends to go down very well with children as a new discovery. For ideas on how to round off the day, have a look at our post on what to do in Port d'Andratx at sunset.
Camp de Mar Beach: The Easiest Option with Young Children
If you have little ones, this is your beach. Camp de Mar is about ten minutes by car from La Pérgola and is one of the few in the area with fine sand and a very gentle entry into the water — no rocks, no currents. It's small and sheltered, which makes it ideal for children who aren't yet confident swimmers.
What the hotel booking sites don't tell you is that there's a wooden bridge leading to a small island in the middle of the bay, with a restaurant perched on top. Children find it a genuine adventure to cross. File that one away for a late afternoon outing.
Sant Elm and the Dragonera Island: A Trip to Remember
If the children are a bit older and enjoy exploring, set aside a morning for Sant Elm. It's a small village at the end of the road, with a quiet beach and direct views of the island of Dragonera — an uninhabited nature reserve shaped like a sleeping dragon (which you should explain before you arrive, so they can look for it themselves).
Boat trips to the island depart from the small pier. It's not expensive, it doesn't take long, and it's the kind of thing children talk about for a long time afterwards. From La Pérgola, it's easy to sort the logistics in advance — have a look at the services and excursions available to guests.
The Tramuntana Without the Fuss: Valldemossa on a Weekday Morning
Mallorca has two sides: the coast and the mountains. Before heading up into the hills, it's worth reading our post on what to see in Andratx and the surrounding area — a good starting point for exploring the interior.
The Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, looks daunting on the map but is very accessible from the south-west. The trick is to leave before ten o'clock. Valldemossa is worth the trip: it's beautiful, well preserved, and just the right size to explore in a couple of hours without anyone flagging. There's an ice cream shop on the square that's been running for decades. You can imagine how that goes with children in tow.
If you'd prefer something quieter and less touristy, Estellencs or Banyalbufar are two alternatives that almost nobody knows about, with breathtaking views down to the sea from the mountains.
A Day at a Water Park: The Foolproof Option
When the plan is simply for the children to have a brilliant time with no complications, the island's water parks are the answer. The blog has all the information you need on the best water parks in Mallorca to help you pick the right one for your children's ages and the distance from the hotel.
Pool Afternoons — and That's Fine
This is worth saying honestly: sometimes the best days of a family holiday are the ones with no plan at all. La Pérgola has a pool for adults, a pool for children, and gardens where it's perfectly fine to stay until dinner without having seen a single monument. And if the grown-ups want a moment to themselves while the children splash about, the Blue Spa is right there for exactly that.
The hotels that work well for families are the ones that allow that kind of rhythm. Children in the water without anyone watching the clock; adults reading without feeling guilty about not "making the most of it". That is making the most of it.
If you're planning a longer stay, it's worth looking at the apartments and villas available — the equipped kitchen in the apartments makes the logistics of travelling with children considerably easier.
Dinner in the Village: No Need to Go Far
For dinner, Port d'Andratx has something for every taste and budget. It's not one of those places where everything is aimed at tourists — there are proper, unpretentious restaurants where the food is genuinely good. If you'd like specific recommendations for the season, ask at reception: they tend to know exactly where the locals eat.
And if one evening the children are worn out and no one can face going out, that's fine too. That's what the kitchen in the apartment is for.
In short: the south-west of Mallorca isn't the island's most famous corner, and that's precisely why it works so well for a family holiday. You have beaches, mountains, a harbour with real character, straightforward day trips, and the reassurance that at the end of the day a pool and a terrace are waiting for you. It's hard to ask for more.
