Top nine reasons to spend your retirement in Mallorca

Moving to Spain when you retire, or buying a holiday home in Spain to live in when you eventually stop working, is one of the better ways to get the best out your new and well-earned free time. You can finally live where you want to and, according to numerous reports, Spain is one of the top 10 choices for pensioners seeking a change of scenery.

Within Spain, one of the most popular locations for retired life is the Balearic Islands. Mentioned in countless articles, surveys and studies, hailed for its calm and relaxed atmosphere and its delicious regional cuisine, this Mediterranean archipelago never fails to enter 'best places in Spain to retire' lists. Each of the four islands is very different, but the largest, Mallorca,is frequently singled out as the most rewarding and practical for post-work life.

Why spend your retirement in Mallorca?

Mallorca is the largest and most cosmopolitan island in the Balearics. Whilst it's most famous for family holidays and for its nightlife, Mallorca is rich in historic and natural heritage. Artists' colonies, spectacular caves with underground lakes, an enormous 13th-century cathedral in Palma, along with traditional villages deep in the mountains, mean plenty to explore. Now you're retired, you'll have much more time for sightseeing, and you won't have to travel far to do it. Thelongest point-to-point distance in Mallorca, from Andratx to Capdepera or Formentor, is 108 kilometres by road, and the maximum coast-to-coast distance anywhere else is about 71 kilometres.

As a long-established destination for global tourism and foreign residents, the infrastructure is excellent. One of Mallorca's main drawbacks, though, is that it's expensive to buy or rent property in. It's still cheaper than the USA and most of northern Europe, and cheaper than Madrid and Barcelona, but it's probably not the best destination if budget housing is your main priority.

That said, if you're flexible about exact location and property type, there are some very affordable options. In the Calas on the east coast, or the north, centre, and Alcúdia area, you can find prices well below the national average. Also, depending upon your country of origin, Spain is likely to be cheaper for everyday living. Once you've bought your home, you'll probably find your pension stretches further than it did before the move.

If you're hoping to head to Mallorca to live after finishing your working life, you're in good company. The Balearics as a whole is one of the top choices for relocating Spanish pensioners, too. But what makes Mallorca such a hit with retirees?

1. Climate

With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, summers above 30ºC and winter temperatures in double figures, the Balearics attract new residents from colder northern European climates. Warmer weather is kinder to painful joints, aids circulation, and allows you to spend more of your life outdoors – like this, you tend to move about more, without realising you're 'exercising', and the vitamin D from the sun is crucial for healthy bones and a stronger immune system.

Spain as a whole is warm and dry, but the mainland coastal parts suffer prolonged episodes of torrential rain when the seasons change. The Balearic Islands tend to miss the worst of it.

Sea air from every compass point takes the edge off extreme heat and humidity in high summer. Anywhere in Spain is hot in July and August, but, as an island, Mallorca's temperatures are slightly lower than mainland Mediterranean Spain – but without those chilly sea windsthat you often get in coastal northern Europe, or Atlantic Spain.

2. Established expatriate community

Welcoming huge influxes of international tourists since the 1980s means the Balearic Islands are used to foreigners, and Mallorca especially. Islanders are well-versed in different cultural nuances, and with the mass migration of northern Europeans to the region having started over 30 years ago, everyone lives comfortably together – you won't have to worry about being treated differently, or as an outsider.

It's also very easy to meet and socialise with other expatriates, especially if you're from an English- or German-speaking country. A long-standing expatriate population means facilities, services and entertainment necessary to or desirable for newer foreign arrivals are equally deep-rooted.

If you want to keep your distance from other expatriates, whilst knowing the community is there if you need it, western or inland parts remain 'very Spanish'. But if you prefer to live mostly among expatriates, the Santanyí and Paguera areas are ideal.

3. Discounted air travel

Moving to Spain in retirement means you're leaving behind a lifetime of friends and family connections. But there are two reasons why it may not be as tough as you fear: Firstly, you'll be living in one of Europe's top 10 holiday destinations, so friends and family won't stay away for long.

Secondly, although regular and cheap air travel is now a reality to and from most of Spain, that's even more the case for dwellers in non-mainland locations. As an island resident, once you have acquired a certificate proving this, you automatically get discounts on flights of up to 75%. The islands are well-served by multiple daily connections to multiple airports in mainland Spain. If you're from another European country, there'll probably be direct flights to multiple airports 'back home'.

Being a small island, you're never far from the airport. Palma city and El Arenal are under 10 kilometres away, Magaluf 25 kilometres and Sóller 32. The farthest coastal areas from Son Sant Joan airport are Formentor (71 kilometres), Cala Millor (68 kilometres), and Porto Cristo (65 kilometres), all of which take between 45 minutes and an hour and a quarter by car. Some airport transfer services charge as little as €10-15 per head each way, and Palma's public bus service runs to the terminal at a cost of €5 for a single ticket.

4. Public transport is currently free of charge

Since 2023, all inter-town buses and trains in Mallorca have been free of charge to residents thanks to a national government subsidy. This decision is renewed annually, but will definitely be in place until the end of 2025. Spain's islands typically get greater State support for certain basic public services, to compensate for their geographical isolation.

It is not likely that Palma's urban bus service will be free of charge, given that it's under city council jurisdiction rather than that of the Balearic regional government, which is responsible for public transport between towns. Nor will it apply to airport transfer operators. However, public transport in Spain in general is considerably cheaper than in most of northern and north-western Europe, in any case.

Given that train routes and direct bus routes are limited, you might want to consider settling somewhere in Mallorca that's regularly served by public transport. Rail and bus links in Spain tend to radiate from large towns or cities only, rather than between towns, so your best bet is to look at locations close to Palma.

5. Healthcare services are above average

Mallorca's healthcare department is said to be one of the more efficiently-run in Spain, with above-average facilities and care standards.

Son Espases hospital in Palma, which serves the whole of Mallorca, is one of the most modern and high-tech in Spain, and an outpost of it in Inca serves the Pollença and Alcúdia areas.

Almost every town has its own public health centre, and these are often quite comprehensive, meaning many tests, diagnostics and even outpatient surgery may not require travelling to hospital.

For those who have to, or prefer to, use private healthcare, Mallorca's high expatriate and tourist population means multi-lingual clinics with international approaches. Given that retirement age usually means more frequent medical appointments than for the average very young adult, it's a comfort to know there'll be a strong system around you.

6. Village-like community with city-like infrastructure

Mallorca is hardly village-sized; its headcount reaches nearly a million, but as with all small islands, geography throws people together. For that reason, community spirit is alive and well, especially as individual towns are fairly small in size.

But as these towns are close together, due to their limited land-mass, they share each other's infrastructure and facilities. And islands have to be self-sufficient by default, meaning whatever you need is never going to be far away.

The Balearic people are among the friendliest and most open and sociable in Spain. Social connections, even passing ones, can be vital in retirement, reducing the sense of loneliness which can impair mental and physical health.

7. Safest region in a safe country

Spain is one of the world's safest countries. Violent crime is statistically extremely low, and it's a very collectivist society – meaning people are more concerned about the greater good than merely 'looking out for themselves'. 'No-go areas' are practically non-existent in Spanish towns. Residents rarely think twice about walking alone after dark, and children play unsupervised in parks and squares.

Of all Spain's regions, the Balearics is one of the safest: Crime rates there are among the lowest in the country. Organised crime is extremely rare, and residents attribute this to geography. From the mainland, criminals can be thousands of kilometres away from the scene within hours, but on an island, it's harder to escape.

8. Active retirement is encouraged

Being retired doesn't always mean you have to 'embrace your age'if you don't want to. The multi-national pensioner community in Mallorca is more active and sporty than most working-aged adults. It's not always easy to motivate yourself into engaging in outdoor activity – even though the weather is ideal for it outside high summer – but when the majority of your age group are all out running, hiking, cycling, playing golf and swimming, it's likely you'll get swept along with it if you're physically able to.

With 20 golf courses on the island and numerous rambling routes through the central Sierra Tramuntana mountain range, and (thanks to Mallorca's most famous resident, Rafael Nadal) plenty of tennis facilities, you'll have the tools you need at hand.

If you're not up to much exertion, you'll probably find others in the same boat who, perhaps enjoy beach walks, or similar light activity suitable for your physical conditions.

9. Mallorca 'specialises' in retirement

Everything in Mallorca has been, or can be, adapted to pensioners, ranging from young retirees in their 60s through to the very elderly. Accessibility, public awareness in services, and healthcare professionals who understand the challenges that come with ageing, are there to help. Financial and legal advisors expert on overseas pensions law and taxation systems will be able to help you navigate Spanish fiscal obligations correctly, and there's a wide range of businesses providing equipment you might need as you get older.

Support services include non-profit groups offering home care, hospital transport and general assistance, as well as local social services. The latter are in place in all Spanish municipalities, but in Mallorca, they are especially attuned to any possible cultural differences.

High-end retirement villages with on-site, on-call care assistants if needed, specialist exercise trainers, and chefs experienced in senior citizens' nutrition needs, are beginning to open in Mallorca. They're designed to be suitable for retirees who are not yet elderly. They operate like luxury hotels, with spas, pools, wellness circuits, social activities, and yoga and pilates groups. Most are reasonably affordable and, if you can't bear the thought of selling your home when the time comes, you could rent it out to help towards your costs.

The other Balearic Islands at a glance

Each island has its own, very distinct 'personality', and you might find another one suits you better than Mallorca.

Menorca

Smaller, less densely-populated and more rural than Mallorca and Ibiza, Menorca largely retains its traditional essence outside of its package holiday resorts. Fishing villages, visitable remains of unfathomably-ancient civilisations, and plenty of secluded spotsmean Menorca is the quieter of the Balearic 'big three'. It's a haven for nature-lovers, birdwatchers, and cultural history fans. The island's capital city, Mahón, is busy and lively with great cultural heritage, shopping, dining, arts and entertainment, but smaller and less frenetic than Palma.

If you plan to immerse yourself exclusively in Balearic culture, Menorca is quite a good place for not meeting expatriates. Foreign resident communities are established in Menorca, but they are fewer and less visible.

Menorca's downside is its relative lack of infrastructure, although it's so small that, by car or bus, you can be anywhere else on the island within under half an hour. One of the upsides, though, is that Menorca is cheaper than its neighbours to live or buy property in.

Ibiza

Ibiza's fame as the world nightclub capital is only part of its story. The second-smallest island in the region, but densely populated, is known for its bohemian lifestyle, where the unconventional is the norm. It's also a magnet for the rich and famous, being a favourite yachting destination for celebrities from all over the world.

Less well-known for spectacular natural scenery than Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera, Ibiza does, like its neighbours, have several picture-postcard remote, rural bays with stunning cliffs and pine forests.

Ibizahas a settled expatriate community which is easy to find. But it's also ideal for meeting – or being - the type of expatriate who doesn't want to live an expatriate lifestyle. Infrastructure in Ibiza is fairly acceptable, with a good district hospital. Still, inter-island transport is reasonably-priced with regular ferry routes to Mallorca if you need or want better facilities.

Formentera

Ibiza's nearest neighbour and the smallest inhabitedisland, Formentera is by far the most peaceful and natural, and also the greenest. Practically the entire island runs off renewable energy, car numbers are restricted, and the community is small and close-knit. But with limitations on visitor numbers and authorities' determination to prevent overcrowding, property there to buy or rent is scarce and expensive. Infrastructure is minimal, and it's not geared up for expatriate life or major tourism. Still, you can visit Formentera regularly and enjoy its uniqueness. If you're based in Ibiza, then Formentera is just minutes away by ferry and, if you're in Mallorca, about an hour away.

If you're thinking of moving to Spain once you retire, you'll be among hundreds of thousands before you who have already done so successfully, meaning there's plenty of help and information available whenever you need it. You can find lots of that in our section about retiring in Spain.