Driving in Majorca

[mfree]

Hi i will be going to puerto pollensa in june and would like to visit some friends who are staying in santa ponsa around the same time.

Both me and the wife have never driven abroad before and are considering hiring a car for the first time.

Thing is both of us are not very confident drivers i want to know what t he traffic is like are the main roads well signposted and is it straight forward to get from puerto pollensa to santa ponsa

[martymallorca]

Hi Mfree,

Relax. Driving in Mallorca is high tempo. Many people seem in a rush all the time. Roads are well signposted and to be truthful from Pollensa to Santa Ponsa, the motorway network runs the length of the island so you should allow yourself 1.5 hours to take your time and not be rushed. Mallorcan drivers are impatient and honk the horn for no reason IGNORE THEM. If your less confident, stay on the inside lane and take things at your own pace. The drive itself is very straight forward, im sure you will have no problems.

[harry08]

I have driven here,and at first it was very nerve wrecking getting out from the airport and trying to work out which way to go
I ended up going the wrong way,and drove into the centre of palma
I am a very confident driver,but like anywhere else,driving in a native foriegn country is daunting

What i suggest is plan ahead,and try to figure out exactly where you are going,once you are out of the airport you are in the thick of it,and the roads are 3-4 lanes wide in some places


I would use google map,close in on the airport,and PRINT off a copy,so you know exactly what road/direction you are going on,this helped me loads on the first day

Once i got going,and drove through palma,parked up,found my bearings,i just thought sod it,do as they do.
Bst advice is the driver to concentrate on driving,and the passenger giving clear instructions in where you are going

Reading what i have wrote might sound like its worse than it really is,but honestly,its not that bad.
I was soon whizzing about like a nutter like had been driving there for years

[lasertung]

MFREE. When you come out of airport and join dual carriage way, just keep going until you reach the THIRD exit. Take this exit and keep going until you reach the next THIRD exit. Go down this and you will run on to Motorway to P.Pollensa.
At end of motorway, follow signs for Alcudia. You just enter Alcudia at a small roundabout, where you turn left for P. Pollensa.(4-5mls).
Alternatively, before you reach end of motorway, look out for signs for Pollensa. You go up and over flyover and this road takes you to pollensa. At roundabout, turn right, and this road runs into Puerto Pollensa at the top end of the town where the supermarket is.(roundabout with skeleton of aircraft on it.)
I should have said that the first direction i gave brings you along sea front and over the canal.
Other contributers have given good advice about just keeping to right lane and drive at speed you feel comfy with. Before my first time driving here, I also printed off good map, studied it hard, and so had no bother at all.
If you haven't driven left hand drive car before, it may take a little while to get used to it. My worst problem was grabbing door handle when going to change gear. Keep right hand for gears. Safe journey you lucky person.
PS. If you don't want to drive, just pay my air fare & digs and I will be your chaffeur? . Will take you up mountains at P. Pollensa. See wild goats at Pollensa bay, and give you drive of your life going up mountain pass and over to the fabulous Sa Colabra, returning through new tunnel.

[Helmut27]

Hi Mfree, I live here in Santa Ponsa the whole year, for 15� per hour I make island tours and airport transfer. Please visit me Helmut