The top 14 things to do on a rainy day on Mallorca

With an average of 300 days of sunshine each year, rainy days are rare on Mallorca. Locals may welcome a cool spell, but it’s another matter when you’re on holiday. Don’t make it an excuse to stay in your hotel room. Take advantage of a grey day to visit top museums and galleries, savour delicious food at an indoor market, indulge in a spa day or enjoy some family-friendly leisure activities.

1. Discover the caves

Mallorca has several extraordinary caves with spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations. The most famous are the Coves del Drach with huge chambers and an underwater lake. The popular tour includes a concert of classical music at the heart of the cavern performed by musicians on an illuminated boat. For a quieter experience head to the Coves de Campanet or the fabulous Coves de Artà.

2. Visit an Art gallery

With artists continually finding inspiration in Mallorca, it’s no surprise there are some fantastic galleries. Fundació Museu Joan March in the centre of Palma has a permanent collection of seventy works by the most important Spanish artists of the twentieth century including Dalí and Picasso. If you’re in Soller head to traditional townhouse come gallery, C’an Prunera. Love Contemporary Art? The CCA in Andratx, one of the largest gallery spaces in Spain, offers plenty to see and space to stretch your legs during a downpour!

3. Taste gourmet food

Outdoor markets aren’t much fun in the rain, instead foodies should head to the sheltered Mercat d’Olivar for cava and oysters or Mercat de Santa Catalina for stand-up tapas and vermut. San Juan Gastronomic Market, housed in the award-winning modernist building of S’Escorxador, is an attractive and spacious place to while away the hours and has a mouthwatering selections of food from Mallorca and around the world.

4. Jump around with the kids

Avoid cabin fever by taking the kids to Palma Jump for some vigorous playtime. The huge indoor trampolining centre caters for bouncy adults too. Forget the clouds while you leap into action with friends, family or joining the dodge-ball league!

5. Have a laser battle

If you and yours prefer entertainment on more stable ground, then head over to Megazone Laser Game.You’ll forget about the weather as you’re forced to keep your wits about you to avoid getting shot in the huge indoor maze.

6. Pamper yourself at a spa

Mallorca has a number of luxurious spas offering the best in hydropools, jacuzzis, saunas and eastern and western therapies. Inhale the delicious scent of natural oils as you unwind in an aromatherapy bath. Follow it up with a massage or beauty treatment. Son Brull in Pollensa only use natural products produced in Mallorca, such as olive oil and almond oil, which is one way to connect with the island without braving bad weather.

7. Visit historic buildings

Castles, monasteries, palaces and traditional country estates reveal Mallorca’s fascinating past. To see how the landowners once lived, explore the impressive ‘possessió’ of La Granja in Esporles or the enchanting manor house Els Calderers in Sant Joan. The Real Cartuja monastery in Valldemossa, where Chopin spent a winter, is also worth a visit and offers the visitor a glimpse into another age with its library, galleries and rooms of antique furnishings.

8. Learn something new

Take a cookery workshop with The Galley Club and learn how to prepare delicious tapas. Or if you’re not comfortable in the kitchen, step onto the dance floor and heat up a rainy day by learning some sensual Salsa moves. Alternatively, give your brain a work-out with a Spanish lesson and feel the rewards of accomplishing something new.

9. Go shopping

Escape the rain at Fan Mallorca, the island’s biggest shopping centre located 5km from Palma. Porto Pi is a smaller shopping mall but closer to the city centre. Mallorca Fashion Outlet also boasts the first electric indoor karting circuit in Spain, plus Chiquifestival – fun rides and activities for children – and Monkey Park, an indoor soft play centre perfect for rainy days. These three shopping hubs offer all the usual high street brands plus a cinema where you can enjoy another few hours in the dry.

10. Find the pearl

Discover Mallorca’s famous artificial pearls. The Majorica Factory shop and Museum located in Manacor, where Majorica was first founded in 1890, has a huge collection of designs. Visitors are treated to a short guided tour which shows the production process. Also in Manacor is the exhibition space of well-respected producer, Orquídea Pearls, which have over 15,000 models.

11. Go bowling

More sociable than the cinema, bowling is a relaxed way to spend some time with friends and family. With additional games of billiards and table football on site and a café, it’s an easy family-friendly way to spend an afternoon.

12. Go wine tasting

Not being able to roam through vineyards in the sunshine needn’t put you off tasting the exquisite wines of Mallorca. A guided tour of a bodega followed by sampling local wines and Mallorcan tapas will guarantee to put you in a sunny disposition.

13. Listen to live music

Mallorca caters for all tastes in music. If in Palma, the Auditorium offers a varied program with everything from flamenco to pop, while opera lovers should head to the Teatre Principal. Jazz Voyeur club in the old town is a more informal setting to enjoy live bands, as is Shamrock on the Paseo Maritimo, which puts their acts on from as late as midnight and can get very lively.

14. See a show

Why not head to one of Mallorca’s top dinner shows? The Pirate Adventure will wow you with exhilarating acrobatics and entertain with music and comedy. For a glamorous evening in a 16th century estate, head to world-famous Son Amar, which puts on exciting shows both suitable for families and adults only.

Don’t let the rain make your time on the island any less memorable. Grab your umbrella and seize the day!