Last updated: September 2026
Alcudia holidays combine one of the longest sandy beaches in Majorca with a beautifully preserved medieval walled town and easy access to the unspoilt northeast coast — a resort that delivers the full family beach package alongside a genuine historic town that most purpose-built resorts cannot offer.
Located on the northeast coast of Majorca at the head of the Bay of Alcudia, the resort area of Port d’Alcúdia has 8 kilometres of shallow, calm sandy beach. The historic walled town of Alcudia, 2 kilometres inland, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Balearic Islands.
This guide covers the beach, the old town, the water park, excursions from Alcudia, getting there, and practical advice for planning Alcudia holidays.
Alcudia holidays are chosen by families who want the island’s best large sandy beach alongside a resort with more cultural depth than most Majorca destinations provide.
The beach at Port d’Alcúdia is consistently ranked among the best in Spain. It is wide, shallow and 8 kilometres long — long enough that even at peak August capacity visitors can find uncrowded sections.
The resort’s position in the northeast corner of Majorca also gives Alcudia holidays an advantage for exploration. The Cap de Formentor — the dramatic headland at the island’s northern tip — is 30 kilometres away. The Serra de Tramuntana’s eastern slopes, the Artà peninsular nature reserve and the east coast cove beaches are all accessible within 45 minutes.
The resort has a well-developed family infrastructure: large hotel complexes with pool areas and entertainment, a good range of restaurants along the beach promenade, and watersports hire at several points along the bay.
The Playa de Alcudia beach runs for 8 kilometres along the western side of the Bay of Alcudia, with the resort of Port d’Alcúdia occupying the southern section and the natural Playa de Muro extending further north.
The sand is fine and pale, the water is shallow for a considerable distance from the shore, and the bay’s orientation shelters it from the main wind directions. These conditions make it one of the safest large swimming beaches in Majorca for young children.
The sea quality is consistently rated at the highest EU bathing water standard. The shallow gradient means children can wade 30–40 metres from the water’s edge before reaching swimming depth, and the absence of significant wave action on most days keeps conditions safe throughout the season.
Sun lounger and parasol hire, a full range of watersports including windsurfing and paddleboarding, and multiple beach bars are available along the resort section of the beach. The beach retains a natural feel despite its scale — there are no large commercial structures immediately behind the sand.
The walled town of Alcudia, 2 kilometres west of the beach resort, is one of the finest historic towns in Majorca. The medieval walls — largely intact and walkable in their entirety — enclose a compact old town of narrow streets, the church of Sant Jaume, and Roman ruins that predate the Arab and Christian settlement of the island.
The Roman town of Pol·lèntia, established in the second century BC, is visible in excavations adjacent to the old town walls. The Roman theatre and the archaeological museum in the town centre document the settlement’s significant role in the ancient western Mediterranean.
The Tuesday and Sunday market in Alcudia old town is one of the largest and most popular on the island. Fresh produce, craft goods, clothing and local food products fill the streets within the walls and the car parks immediately outside. Alcudia holidays that include a market morning give visitors a clear picture of how the town functions as a living community rather than purely a tourist destination.
Hidropark Alcudia, on the edge of the resort area, is the closest water park to Port d’Alcúdia and operates throughout the summer season. It includes a range of slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and dedicated children’s pool areas with smaller water features for young children.
Aqualand El Arenal, on the southwest coast near Palma, is the largest water park on the island and is accessible from Alcudia by hire car in approximately one hour. For families with older children who want the widest range of water park attractions on the island, Aqualand is the more comprehensive option.
Alcudia holidays with children typically include one or two water park days as a supplement to the main beach programme — the combination of the long beach for most days and a water park excursion for variety gives a well-rounded family week.
Cap de Formentor — the dramatic headland at the northern tip of Majorca, with sheer cliffs rising above the sea and a lighthouse at the point — is the single most spectacular excursion from Alcudia. The drive along the Formentor peninsula road takes approximately 40 minutes each way and is one of the most scenic drives on the island.
The Artà nature reserve and the town of Artà, 22 kilometres east of Alcudia, give access to the island’s best-preserved natural landscape in the northeast. The hilltop castle sanctuary of Artà, visible from the road for kilometres before arrival, is the most impressive fortified hilltop site on the island.
Palma, the island’s capital, is 54 kilometres southwest — about 55 minutes by road. The cathedral, the old town, the Arab baths and the Bellver Castle are the main attractions. Alcudia holidays that include one day in Palma give a complete picture of the island’s cultural heritage alongside the beach programme.
Boat trips from the Alcudia marina visit the Formentor peninsula beaches, the caves of the northeast coast, and the clear-water swimming spots of the Bay of Pollensa. These provide sea-based access to parts of the coastline not reachable by road.
Alcudia holidays begin at Palma Airport, 54 kilometres southwest of the resort — approximately 55 minutes to an hour by road. The drive follows the motorway north from Palma before turning northeast towards the Bay of Alcudia.
Taxi transfers and private shuttle services can be pre-booked from Palma Airport for the journey to Port d’Alcúdia. Hire cars collected at the airport give flexibility for the excursions to Formentor and the east coast that make the most of the northeast coast location.
Direct bus services connect Palma with Alcudia town, but the journey takes longer than a taxi or hire car and does not serve the beach resort area directly. For visitors planning to explore beyond the resort, a hire car for at least part of the stay is strongly recommended.
Hire cars booked through UK tour operators in conjunction with Alcudia holidays are usually the most competitive option. Palma Airport has all the major hire car operators on site, and the motorway north from Palma makes the drive to Alcudia straightforward. Visitors arriving with young children benefit from booking a child seat in advance with the hire car.
Alcudia holidays are served by a well-developed accommodation mix across the resort area of Port d’Alcúdia and the bay north of the town. Large four-star hotels with pool complexes and entertainment programmes occupy the prime positions along the beach promenade, and represent the most popular choice for UK package holiday visitors.
Aparthotels and apartment complexes offer self-catering flexibility at most budget levels. The proximity of the Tuesday and Sunday market makes self-catering particularly practical — fresh local produce, cheese, cured meats and bread are available in abundance on market mornings, and the town’s supermarkets cover everyday needs throughout the week.
Small hotels and rural properties are available in and around the walled old town of Alcudia. Staying in the old town is a different experience from the beach resort: quieter evenings, immediate access to the medieval streets and restaurants, and a closer connection to the functioning town that the beach area lacks. Visitors who want both the beach environment and the old town character can walk between the two in about 20 minutes.
Alcudia holidays are well served by restaurants along the beach promenade and in the old town. The range runs from international buffet restaurants aimed at large family groups to small Mallorcan restaurants in the old town serving local dishes.
The Tuesday and Sunday market in Alcudia old town includes a good range of local food products — olives, almonds, sobrassada, Mallorcan cheeses and fresh vegetables grown in the fields south of the town. Picking up market produce for a self-catering lunch is one of the simple pleasures that Alcudia holidays in apartments offer over all-inclusive hotel stays.
The best Mallorcan restaurant experiences from the resort are found in the old town, where smaller establishments serve pa amb oli, local fish dishes and the island’s traditional cured meats in settings that feel genuinely Mallorcan rather than resort-international. The harbourside restaurants in Puerto d’Alcúdia offer fresh seafood with views of the marina and are the most atmospheric dinner option in the resort area.
Café culture in the old town, particularly around the Plaça de la Constitució on market mornings, gives Alcudia holidays a rhythm that combines resort beach life with the normal functioning of a working Majorcan town — an experience not available from the purely resort-focused developments on the south and southwest coasts.
Here are the key facts for planning Alcudia holidays.
| Location | Northeast Majorca, Bay of Alcudia |
|---|---|
| Distance from Palma Airport | 54km (approx. 55 minutes) |
| Beach | 8km sandy bay, shallow and calm |
| Old town | Medieval walled town, 2km from beach resort |
| Market days | Tuesday and Sunday |
| Water park | Hidropark Alcudia (in resort) |
| Best for | Families, history, nature |
| Nearest airport | Palma (PMI) |
| Season | May to October |
When booking your Alcudia holidays, always check that your tour operator carries the right financial protection. Search4Sun lists holidays from a wide range of UK operators — standards vary, so we recommend doing your own due diligence before you pay.
Look for ABTA membership, ATOL protection or ABTOT cover — these schemes protect your money if an operator ceases trading before or during your holiday. For a plain-English guide to what each scheme covers, read our holiday protection guide.
For last-minute Alcudia holidays and late deals, check LastMinute.com for reduced-price packages.
Yes — Alcudia holidays booked as flight-inclusive packages through a UK-licensed tour operator are ATOL protected. If your tour operator ceases trading before or during your trip, you are entitled to a refund or repatriation at no extra cost. Read our full holiday protection guide for more information.
Alcudia holidays are the better family choice for visitors who want a long sandy beach, water park access and the widest range of family hotel infrastructure. Puerto Pollensa suits families who prefer a slightly quieter, more relaxed resort with a more upmarket character. The two resorts are 15 kilometres apart and either can serve as a base for exploring the northeast coast, so the choice largely comes down to whether a large resort beach or a quieter bay atmosphere is the priority.
Alcudia is 54 kilometres from Palma city centre — approximately 55 minutes by car on the motorway. Alcudia holidays based in Port d’Alcúdia are well positioned for a day trip to Palma: the cathedral, the old town and the food market at the Mercat de l’Olivar can be comfortably covered in a single day from this distance. Hire car is the most practical option for the Palma day trip; bus services are available but take longer and require a transfer.
The drive to Cap de Formentor is the excursion most consistently recommended by visitors who have taken Alcudia holidays. The 30-kilometre road along the Formentor peninsula passes through some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the island — steep limestone cliffs above the sea, viewpoints above the bay and the lighthouse at the point. Combined with a stop at Platja de Formentor — the exclusive beach at the base of the cliffs — it makes a full and memorable day from any northeast Majorca resort.
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