The last day of a holiday is usually treated as lost time.
You wake up.
You look at the suitcase.
You check your flight for the fifth time.
You leave the room too early, sit beside your luggage and spend the remaining hours waiting to go to Palma Airport.
But your last day in Mallorca is still part of your holiday.
And at Hotel Amic Horizonte, we believe it should feel like one.
With a late check-out, a rental car, a sensible plan and the desire to enjoy every remaining hour, departure day can become one of the most memorable experiences of the entire trip.
One final breakfast overlooking Palma Bay.
One final swim.
One final road along the Mediterranean.
One final lunch beside the sea.
One final photograph.
One final feeling.
Not a day spent waiting to leave.
A day that makes you want to return.
I’ll come back to this feeling.
WE WERE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THE LAST DAY IN MALLORCA IN 2008
In April 2008, Hotel Amic Horizonte published a short blog post about the last day of a holiday in Mallorca.
The idea was simple: your final day still belongs to you.
Nearly two decades later, that idea is even more relevant.
Travellers now organise every detail of their trip. They save restaurants, beaches, viewpoints and routes on their phones. Yet many still reach the final morning without a plan.
The accommodation ends before the experience should.
The room must be vacated, but the flight may not depart until late afternoon or evening.
The result is a strange space between holiday and home.
We want to change that.
Read our original “Last Day in Mallorca” post from 2008
THE FIRST SECRET: ASK FOR A LATE CHECK-OUT
A late check-out does more than extend the use of a hotel room.
It changes the emotional rhythm of the day.
There is no rushed breakfast.
No frantic packing at 08:00.
No final swim followed by changing clothes in a public bathroom.
No suitcase waiting in reception while you count the hours before your flight.
With late check-out, subject to availability and the hotel’s operating conditions, you can keep your room for longer, enjoy the facilities and prepare calmly for your journey.
At Hotel Amic Horizonte, a late check-out can mean:
Waking up slowly with views over the Port of Palma.
Having breakfast without watching the clock.
Taking one last swim in the pool during the season.
Enjoying the sun terrace.
Returning to your room for a shower.
Closing the suitcase calmly.
Checking your flight before leaving.
And starting your final Mallorca route feeling refreshed rather than displaced.
The last day should not begin with stress.
It should begin with a horizon.
THE SECOND SECRET: KEEP YOUR RENTAL CAR UNTIL THE AIRPORT
A rental car gives the final day something extremely valuable: freedom.
It allows you to leave Hotel Amic Horizonte with your luggage, follow the coast, stop for lunch, enjoy one final beach or viewpoint and return the vehicle directly at or near Palma de Mallorca Airport, Son Sant Joan – PMI.
No repeated transfers.
No return to the hotel.
No crossing Palma several times.
The route becomes a natural progression:
Hotel Amic Horizonte → Palma Bay → Paseo Marítimo → Cathedral → Portixol → El Molinar → Ciutat Jardí → Cala Estància → Can Pastilla → Palma Airport.
From one horizon to the next.
From the Port of Palma to the airport.
From your final hotel breakfast to your flight home.
Always check the rental company’s exact return point and conditions. Leave enough time to refuel if required, inspect the car, return the keys and reach the terminal without rushing.
Keep luggage in the boot and completely out of sight, and never leave passports, phones, wallets or other valuables inside an unattended vehicle.
A final adventure should end with a smile, not unnecessary stress.
THE PERFECT LAST DAY AT HOTEL AMIC HORIZONTE
08:00 — WAKE UP TO PALMA BAY
Open the curtains before looking at your phone.
From Hotel Amic Horizonte, the morning begins above the Port of Palma, with views towards the cruise terminals, Club de Mar, the Paseo Marítimo and the Mediterranean.
The ships may have changed overnight.
A ferry may be approaching Mallorca.
A cruise ship may be entering the port.
Sailing boats may already be moving across the bay.
You are still here.
Your flight may be later, but this moment belongs to Mallorca.
Take a photograph if you want.
Then put the phone down and look again.
09:00 — ONE LAST BREAKFAST
The final breakfast should not feel like an administrative step before check-out.
Make it part of the farewell.
Taste the fruit.
Order another coffee.
Talk about the best moment of the holiday.
Decide which place surprised you most.
And ask the most important question:
What will we do first when we return?
A departure becomes less sad when it already contains the idea of coming back.
10:30 — A FINAL SWIM OR A WALK ABOVE THE PORT
If the pool is open and the season allows it, enjoy one final swim at Hotel Amic Horizonte.
If you prefer to move, take a short walk through the surroundings of Vista Alegre, Porto Pi or towards the paths that connect with El Terreno and Bellver.
You do not need to organise a major excursion.
The aim is not to fill every minute.
The aim is to feel that you are still on holiday.
12:00 — RETURN TO THE ROOM, SHOWER AND PACK
This is where late check-out changes everything.
Go back to your room.
Take a proper shower.
Change into comfortable travel clothes.
Pack without panic.
Check drawers, wardrobes, bathroom shelves, plugs and the safe.
Confirm your flight.
Check the traffic towards Palma Airport.
And leave the room with the calm feeling that the holiday is not over yet.
There is still one final Mallorca route ahead.
THE GREAT FAREWELL ROUTE: FROM HOTEL AMIC HORIZONTE TO PALMA AIRPORT BY THE SEA
FIRST STOP: THE VIEW FROM BELLVER
If your flight schedule gives you enough time, begin with a short drive towards the Bellver Forest and Bellver Castle.
The castle rises above Palma, surrounded by pine trees, and offers one of the finest geographical views of the city.
From here, you can understand the whole journey:
Hotel Amic Horizonte and Porto Pi to the west.
The Port of Palma below.
The Paseo Marítimo following the coastline.
The Cathedral and historic centre further east.
The Mediterranean filling the horizon.
You do not need a long visit.
Even a short stop near the forest or one of the viewpoints can provide the perfect final image of Palma.
A beautiful city seen from above before driving down towards the sea.
SECOND STOP: THE PASEO MARÍTIMO
From Bellver, descend towards the Paseo Marítimo de Palma.
This renewed waterfront avenue reconnects the city with the bay and leads from the port area towards La Lonja, Es Baluard, Santa Catalina, the Cathedral and Parc de la Mar.
Drive slowly and let the city pass beside you.
Club de Mar.
Can Barberà.
The marina.
The masts.
The palm trees.
La Lonja.
The historic walls.
The silhouette of La Seu.
This is Palma saying goodbye without saying goodbye.
THIRD STOP: PARC DE LA MAR AND PALMA CATHEDRAL
If time and parking conditions allow, stop near Parc de la Mar for one final view of Palma Cathedral.
La Seu rises beside the Mediterranean and defines the skyline of the city.
The Gothic structure, the great rose window, the interventions of Antoni Gaudí and Miquel Barceló and its extraordinary position beside the sea make it much more than a monument.
It is the image many travellers carry home with them.
Walk for a few minutes.
Look back towards the Cathedral.
Take the photograph.
But do not spend the whole moment trying to capture it perfectly.
The best image may be the one you remember rather than the one you publish.
FOURTH STOP: PORTIXOL
Continue east along the coast towards Portixol.
The landscape becomes more local and relaxed.
Portixol was once a small fishing area and today forms part of one of Palma’s most enjoyable seafront routes.
Low houses, a sheltered harbour, terraces, fishing boats, bicycles and people walking beside the Mediterranean create a very different atmosphere from the grand waterfront of central Palma.
This is an ideal place for your final coffee, aperitif or short walk.
Sit beside the sea.
Watch Palma from the other side of the bay.
And allow yourself to say:
We are still in Mallorca.
FIFTH STOP: EL MOLINAR
From Portixol, continue towards El Molinar.
The coastal promenade follows the water through one of Palma’s most authentic maritime neighbourhoods.
This area is ideal for a final lunch.
Choose something uncomplicated and Mediterranean:
Fresh fish.
A rice dish.
Pa amb oli.
Tumbet.
A salad with local ingredients.
Mallorcan wine, only if the driver does not drink.
Or simply a coffee and an ensaimada if the flight time does not allow a full meal.
The final meal does not need to be the most expensive or elaborate of the holiday.
It only needs to taste like Mallorca.
SIXTH STOP: CIUTAT JARDÍ
Continue along the coast to Ciutat Jardí, one of Palma’s urban beaches.
Here, the Bay of Palma opens wide.
The promenade, sand, sea and views back towards the city make it an excellent final seaside stop.
If there is enough time, take off your shoes and walk along the sand.
Touch the Mediterranean one last time.
Do not plan a full beach day unless your flight is very late and you have enough time to shower and change.
This moment is symbolic.
One final contact with the sea before the journey home.
SEVENTH STOP: CALA ESTÀNCIA AND CAN PASTILLA
The route continues towards Cala Estància and Can Pastilla, already close to Palma Airport.
Cala Estància is a sheltered coastal area that allows you to remain beside the Mediterranean until almost the final moment of the trip.
Can Pastilla connects the city of Palma with Playa de Palma and offers cafés, restaurants, shops and a long waterfront promenade.
This is the final safe stop before switching from holiday mode to airport mode.
Order one last coffee.
Buy a small local product.
Look at the sea.
Check the flight.
Then leave with enough time.
No last-minute race is worth damaging the memory of the day.
THE FINAL DRIVE TO PALMA AIRPORT
From Can Pastilla and Cala Estància, Palma de Mallorca Airport is close.
But “close” should never mean “late”.
Allow time for:
Traffic.
Finding a petrol station if the rental agreement requires a full tank.
Locating the correct rental-car return area.
Checking the vehicle.
Unloading the luggage.
Walking to the terminal.
Bag drop.
Security.
And finding the gate.
The goal is to arrive at the airport feeling that you used your final day beautifully, not that you narrowly survived it.
CHOOSE THE EXPERIENCE ACCORDING TO YOUR FLIGHT TIME
The best last day is not the one with the most stops.
It is the one that respects your departure time.
IF YOUR FLIGHT LEAVES IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON
Keep it simple.
Late breakfast.
A final look at Palma Bay.
Check out.
Drive directly towards Palma Airport with enough time.
If possible, stop only for a quick coffee in Can Pastilla or Cala Estància.
IF YOUR FLIGHT LEAVES IN THE LATE AFTERNOON
Enjoy breakfast and a short hotel morning.
Use late check-out if available.
Follow the coastal route through the Paseo Marítimo, Portixol and El Molinar.
Have an early lunch.
Continue to the airport.
IF YOUR FLIGHT LEAVES IN THE EVENING
This is the full experience.
Late check-out.
Bellver viewpoint.
Paseo Marítimo.
Parc de la Mar.
Portixol.
Lunch in El Molinar.
A walk at Ciutat Jardí or Cala Estància.
Rental-car return.
Airport.
One complete final day without moving far from Palma or taking unnecessary risks.
AN ALTERNATIVE WESTERN ROUTE
If you have a very late flight and prefer to remain close to Hotel Amic Horizonte before turning towards the airport, you can create a shorter western route:
Hotel Amic Horizonte → Cala Major → Fundació Miró Mallorca → Marivent → Illetes → Portals Nous → Palma Airport.
Cala Major offers an urban beach and a direct connection with the western side of Palma.
The Fundació Miró Mallorca allows visitors to discover the studios where Joan Miró worked during his years on the island.
Illetes offers small beaches and transparent water close to Palma.
Portals Nous and Puerto Portals provide a final opportunity for lunch, a walk around the marina or a coffee beside the sea.
However, remember that this route takes you west before the airport lies to the east.
It should only be chosen when the flight schedule allows plenty of time.
On departure day, geography matters.
WHAT MAKES THIS A REAL HOTEL AMIC HORIZONTE EXPERIENCE?
It is not only the late check-out.
It is not only the rental car.
It is not simply the route.
The experience is the combination of freedom and care.
Hotel Amic Horizonte gives you a final base overlooking Palma Bay.
Late check-out gives you time.
The car gives you independence.
Palma’s coastline gives you the route.
And your desire to continue enjoying Mallorca gives the day its meaning.
We do not want our guests to remember their final day as a suitcase in a lobby.
We want them to remember:
The morning light over the Port of Palma.
A final swim.
The view from Bellver.
La Seu appearing beside the Mediterranean.
The fishing boats of Portixol.
Lunch in El Molinar.
Bare feet on the sand at Ciutat Jardí.
A last coffee in Can Pastilla.
And the feeling, on the road to the airport, that Mallorca is not finished.
It is simply waiting for your return.
THE LAST DAY IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY
Maybe you did not visit every village.
Maybe you still have to take the train to Sóller.
Maybe Valldemossa, Deià or Fornalutx must wait.
Maybe you did not reach Cap de Formentor.
Maybe there is still a beach, a restaurant, a winery or a sunset saved on your phone.
Good.
A perfect holiday should always leave something unfinished.
It gives you a reason to return.
As the plane takes off from Palma and turns above the Mediterranean, you may recognise the coastline.
Can Pastilla.
Ciutat Jardí.
El Molinar.
Portixol.
The Cathedral.
The Paseo Marítimo.
The Port of Palma.
Perhaps, in the distance, Hotel Amic Horizonte.
And then you understand that the final day was not a farewell.
It was the beginning of the next visit.
One last breakfast. One last swim. One last drive beside the Mediterranean. One last look at Palma Bay.
I’ll come back to Mallorca.
I’ll come back to the Horizon.
I’ll come back to this feeling.
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in Mallorca.... and wondered why we just didn´t spend our whole 2 weeks
here!! It is gorgeous! We arrived Thursday night in Palma.... very cute,
picturesque little city. We stayed in the "Old Town" which has narrow,
cobblestone streets. Our hotel there was very cool. We had enough time to
enjoy Palma before getting our rental car on Friday morning and heading off
to the east side of the island to a town just off the coast in Son Servera.
We could not pick our jaws up off the floor when we got to our hotel there.
Imagine a bed and breakfast, old stone meets modern country estate. The area
was amazing... with a pool overlooking the valley and the neighboring ocean.
We planned to check in and go back out in our car exploring the area.. but
the hotel was so great that we decided to spend it lazying by the pool
drinking cocktails and enjoying the scenary. Today we made our way over to
the west side of the island to Puerto de Soller. The drive was crazy to say
the least!!! Nikki drove (brave soul) and we had to traverse the winding
(small) roads of the Tratamunta mountains!! I took so many pictures while
trying to hold back from vomiting!! Ha! And we put the first official dent
in our cute Mercedes "mini" rental car! (It´s ok though since they don´t let
you rent without full insurance..... we should have been known something was
up when they told us that!) But we made it and the view from our hotel here
is gorgeous too!!! It´s tucked in a little cove with cliffs overlooking the
ocean. We are going to have a drink or two now to relax after our insane
drive! Tomorrow we leave to go back to the main land. :( But we are excited
to see Granada! I wish this computer would let us upload pictures... but
unfortunately not. We hope to write again soon! Miss you all!
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