Your starting point if you plan to explore Mallorca by car. Car rental reviews, tips, and relevant information.
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Mallorca is our second home. We share experiences, tips and ideas — mostly from the northeast of the island.
Sometimes you don’t plan to find a great place…
Who we are
We are the creators of MallorcaDrive — Ioan and Mel. A couple who fell in love with Mallorca, and share a firm belief that the island is best experienced behind the wheel, at your own pace — with room for improvisation.
Between the two of us, we have spent more than 40 years working in the travel industry — for airlines, in tourism management, and in passenger transport across Europe. Mel holds a degree in tourism and has spent 15+ years in roles across two airlines and the Swedish hospitality sector. Ioan has worked in travel for 25+ years, across airlines, events, and airport-to-resort transfers in Sweden and Switzerland — with extensive experience renting cars in many countries around the world.
Ioan’s travels eventually led him deep into Latin America, where Spanish became a natural companion. A language that, as it turns out, is rather useful on a Spanish island.
How MallorcaDrive was born
The idea started at the airport. More than ten years ago, we found ourselves navigating a confusing situation with a car rental company — unexpected fees, unclear contract terms, and a lot of questions we simply didn’t have answers to at the time. It made us realise how much useful information was missing for travellers arriving on the island.
That moment planted a seed: what if someone gathered all the information a traveller actually needs before they get to that desk? What are the real differences between rental companies? What does the insurance actually cover? What do you need to know about driving on this island that nobody tells you in advance?
We wanted to help others feel better prepared — and along the way, share the island we’ve fallen in love with.
MallorcaDrive grew from there. What started as a focus on honest car rental advice has expanded into a broader guide to experiencing Mallorca the way we do — by car, off the main roads, at a pace that leaves room for the unexpected.
Over the years, those experiences have turned into something we’re genuinely proud of: a resource built on real visits, real rentals, and a real love for this island. We come back four to five times a year. We own an apartment in Canyamel, in the northeast — a base we’ve had for about five years, and a long-term project for the future. We know which roads are worth taking, which companies make the process easy, and which corners of the island most visitors never reach.
Our connection to the Mediterranean
Mel grew up moving between Scandinavia and Sicily — Norwegian mother, Italian father. The Mediterranean has always been in her blood. Ioan’s decades in the travel industry took him across roughly 70 countries, with a particular pull toward Southern Europe.
When we first visited Mallorca together, about eleven years ago, it was — as the cliché goes — love at first sight. We kept coming back. Eventually, we stopped pretending we were going to stop, and bought an apartment in Canyamel instead. Best decision we ever made.
Canyamel sits about 75 kilometres from the airport. That distance — and everything in between — is exactly why a car is not optional for us. It is how we experience the island.
What you’ll find here
MallorcaDrive is built around one promise: honest information from people who actually know. That means:
Car rental guides and reviews
First-hand reviews of the major rental companies at Palma Airport, based on our own experience. No sponsored content. No guesswork. If a company made the process easy, we say so. If there were things we wished we’d known in advance, we share those too.
Driving and parking guides
Practical guides to driving in Mallorca — from traffic rules and road conditions to where to park in Palma without a headache. Written for people who have actually driven these roads, with the kind of detail you’d get from a well-travelled friend rather than an official travel guide.
The island beyond the resort
Route recommendations, lesser-known spots, long lunches in small villages, coastal roads that most visitors never find. Mallorca rewards the curious traveller with a car and no particular agenda — and we want to help you be that traveller.
A word on how we work
MallorcaDrive is an independent website. We use affiliate links to car rental comparison tools, hotels, and activity providers — which means we may earn a small commission if you book through us. This never influences what we write or recommend. We link to things we would actually use ourselves.
We do not accept sponsored articles, paid reviews, or advertising from rental companies. Our opinions are our own, shaped by years of experience and a genuine passion for this island.
We hope you find what you’re looking for here. And if you have a question we haven’t answered, reach out — we’re happy to help.
Bienvenidos a Mallorca. Take the scenic road. 🌞
Ioan & Mel