A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Faro vs. Palma de Mallorca for Nightlife, Resorts, Beaches, and Food

Should you visit Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Faro or Palma de Mallorca, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Faro

Faro is a popular, busy, and active resort town. Other reasons to visit include scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and shopping.

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca is a historic, beautiful, and stunning island. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and hiking.

How is Faro different from Palma de Mallorca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Food?

Foodies will appreciated the dining options available in Palma de Mallorca a bit more than Faro.

The food selection is excellent in Palma de Mallorca. Food here is centered around pork, fish, and vegetables. It is flavored with garlic and olive oil and it offers that feeling of comfort that comes with home cooking.

Faro offers some easy restaurants to choose from. It has become a major tourist town, so you have to get a bit creative to find a more traditional restaurant. Look for fresh seafood like cod, monkfish, or shellfish if you want some local flavors.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Nightlife?

The vibe at night is comparable in Faro and Palma de Mallorca.

Many people head to Faro for the nightlife scene. The city's bustling party scene thrives along Rua de São Pedro, Rua Conselheiro Bívar, and Rua do Prior.

Palma de Mallorca is a world class party destination. Head to Magaluf and Palma for the most popular places.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Resorts?

With a similar set of options, resorts can be found in both Faro and Palma de Mallorca.

Faro offers an unforgettable resort vacation. Popular resorts include Vila Vita Parc Resort and Spa, Conrad Algarve, and Tivoli Carvoeiro.

Palma de Mallorca is a popular resort destination that attracts visitors from everywhere. Top resorts on the island include The St Regis Mardavall, Viva Cala Mesquida Resort and Spa, and Nixe Palace Hotel.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

You'll find snorkeling or scuba diving in both Faro and Palma de Mallorca.

Faro has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. There are both snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities in the area. It's possible to snorkel off of several beaches or arrange a scuba diving excursion with a local dive shop.

Palma de Mallorca has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. Head to Cala Santanyi on the south side of the island for the best snorkeling. For scuba diving, National Park of Cabrera is one of the most popular spots.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Beaches?

Palma de Mallorca is considered to be a more popular beach destination than Faro.

The beaches in Palma de Mallorca are among the best in the world. The island is lined with sandy beaches and rocky coves, which have contributed to it becoming one of Europe's most popular beach destinations.

Faro has a beach worth visiting. The most popular beach in the area is Faro Beach. It can get crowded during the summer months but if you walk a bit you can often get away from the crowds. To reach the beach you'll need a car or you can take the bus as the beach is about 10 km away.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for its Old Town?

Faro and Palma de Mallorca both have historical old towns that attract visitors.

Faro is a good destination for visiting its old town. You'll find historic buildings and cobblestone streets in the old town. It's a nice place to explore, grab a bite to eat, and do a little shopping.

Palma de Mallorca is a good destination for visiting its old town. Alcudia is the best old town on the island. It has cobblestone streets and historic walls that give it charm and history.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Shopping?

If you're looking to go shopping, Faro and Palma de Mallorca both offer plenty of spots.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Faro. The town isn't as big as some others, so it's shopping scene isn't as comprehensive, but you will find the major brands as well as souvenir shops to peruse when you need a break from the beach.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Palma de Mallorca. Head to Palma for some of the areas best shopping.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Families?

Families will find a wider variety of activities in Palma de Mallorca than Faro.

Palma de Mallorca is a very family-friendly destination. The beaches are large and sandy with beautiful blue waters. There's also many activities that both adults and kids can enjoy around the island including waterparks, aquariums, and amusement areas.

Faro is not always a place people visit with their families. There are some nice nature reserves in the area so kids who love wildlife will enjoy a visit.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Couples?

Faro and Palma de Mallorca are both fun to visit as a couple.

Faro is a nice destination for couples. With the beautiful natural areas and historic old town, this seaport makes a nice couples vacation.

Palma de Mallorca is a nice destination for couples. With beautiful beaches and a fun Spanish flare, Mallorca makes for a memorable honeymoon.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Faro and Palma de Mallorca are fairly comparable places to visit.

It's common for backpackers to visit Faro. The are some good hostels in the area, but it's a bit tricky to get around without a car.

Palma de Mallorca is a great resort town to visit for backpackers. There is no shortage of hostels in Mallorca so it's easy to find an affordable place to stay and a young crowd to hang out with.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca better for Public Transit?

Faro and Palma de Mallorca both offer public transit to get you around.

While Faro offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses that connect the city to the beach, the airport, and other outlying areas.

Palma de Mallorca has some public transit options. There is an efficient bus system that can get you around the island, but trips are less frequent on weekends. Pick up the Intermodal Card which can get you from town to town.

Is Faro or Palma de Mallorca a more walkable city?

Faro and Palma de Mallorca are similar when it comes to walkability.

Faro is somewhat walkable. The city's old town is particularly walkable.

Palma de Mallorca is somewhat walkable. It is a larger island that is not walkable, but Palma is generally a walkable area. If you stay in the central area you should be fine to explore on foot but if you want to get out into more rural areas, you'll need access to some type of transportation.

Faro and Palma de Mallorca: Pros and Cons

Should I spend more time in Palma de Mallorca or Faro?

How long in Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

In either Faro or Palma de Mallorca, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. You can fill a similar amount of time in either place.

The ideal length of time for a trip to Faro is 2-5 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Palma de Mallorca is 3-5 days.

One day in Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

With nightlife and scuba diving and snorkeling around the destination of Faro, there's plenty to do. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It offers something for everyone.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the destination of Palma de Mallorca. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. Take your pick from the many activities offered around the area. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

With scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping around the busy resort town of Faro, there's plenty to do. Your budget might influence how long you stay. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here.

Palma de Mallorca is a fun place to experience. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. The entire area has lots to do.

Five days in Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

With shopping and nightlife around the active destination of Faro, there's plenty to do. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. If you have five days, this resort town makes for a great vacation. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here.

Visitors enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the historic destination of Palma de Mallorca. This island offers something for everyone. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. Plenty of people spend five days here when traveling. Five days is often enough time to spend here.

A week in Faro or Palma de Mallorca?

Faro is a popular choice for travelers. It's also a relaxing resort destination. This resort town offers a variety of activities to choose from. One week may feel like too much time here unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

The stunning island of Palma de Mallorca offers scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.