Palmanova for couples: our first getaway after becoming parents

There is something different about your first holiday together after becoming parents.

For us, that holiday was Palmanova in Mallorca — four nights and five days where we could step away from everyday life, enjoy some sunshine and spend time together as a couple again.

We chose Palmanova because we didn't want to travel too far, but still wanted that proper feeling of escaping somewhere different. It was close to plenty of amenities and gave us the opportunity to explore other parts of Mallorca too.

What we ended up with was a holiday filled with beautiful beaches, meals out, nightlife, exploring, a water park, mini golf and even an unexpected visitor in our hotel room.

The first feeling of being on holiday

One of the things I still remember clearly is stepping off the plane and feeling that warm breeze.

It's not quite the same kind of heat you get on a hot day in the UK — somehow, it just feels like holiday heat. That was the moment it really felt as though we'd got away.

Our journey from the airport to the hotel wasn't quite as relaxing. We arrived in the early hours of the morning and, from what I remember, our transfer took around an hour and 45 minutes. After travelling through the night, it felt like a long journey.

Thankfully, checking into our hotel, the Tobago, was relatively quick.

My first impression was how clean and classy the lobby felt. The hotel was rated three-star when we stayed, but it felt stylish and more upmarket than I'd expected.

Our room was right at the end of the corridor on the top floor. It wasn't extravagant, but it had everything we needed to be comfortable and, importantly, a balcony.

Because we'd arrived in darkness, all we could really make out were lights and water in the distance. We knew we must have a decent view, but it wasn't until the following morning that we realised quite how lucky we'd been.

Waking up to that view

Stepping onto the balcony the following morning gave us our first proper look at Palmanova.

In front of us were beautiful blue waters, the beach dotted with umbrellas and views stretching across the surrounding coastline.

Even better, the beach was practically on our doorstep.

For our first proper day, we didn't feel the need to rush off sightseeing. We headed straight towards the beach and started exploring the seafront.

As we made our way down, there was a jetty to our right with bars, restaurants and a couple of shops. To our left were even more places to eat and drink, including some that looked particularly smart and upmarket.

But that first day was really about relaxing. We settled onto the sun loungers, enjoyed the sunshine and finally had the chance to properly switch off. Later, we walked along the seafront to see more of what the area had to offer.

In this guest blog, travel writer Nina Graves shares her experience of Palmanova, Mallorca, from relaxing on beautiful beaches and discovering local restaurants to enjoying a fun night out in Magaluf. Plus, she shares her favourite holiday memories and practical tips for anyone planning their own Palmanova getaway. 

Discovering Palmanova beyond the hotel

We had booked all-inclusive because, for our first trip away together, it seemed like the easiest option. We wouldn't need to think about where to eat every day and could have everything we needed in one place.

The hotel offered a fantastic variety of food, but unfortunately my stomach didn't seem to agree with it and I began feeling a little unwell.

Rather than letting that spoil our holiday, we decided to venture out and try some of the restaurants nearby. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.

We visited a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant and a couple of other places, and the food was amazing. What I particularly remember is how different the atmosphere could be from one restaurant to another.

One was quiet and romantic, while another was much more lively and social, with music playing outside. They were completely different experiences, but we enjoyed both.

It made us realise there was much more to experience by stepping outside the hotel.

Exploring Palma, the seafront and the markets

We didn't spend the whole holiday around the hotel. We also had a day exploring Palma, as well as spending plenty of time wandering along the seafront and browsing local shops and markets.

There were lots of opportunities to pick up holiday gifts to take home, but some of my favourite memories came simply from walking around and taking in the atmosphere.

Along the seafront we came across musicians and artists, which made it feel lively without us needing to have a particular plan for the day.

One of my favourite little memories was stopping to have a caricature-style picture drawn of the two of us. The artist drew us in the water, giving us a fun and personal souvenir from our first holiday away together.

Those smaller experiences were part of what made exploring so enjoyable. We could browse the shops and markets, listen to music, walk beside the sea and simply enjoy being on holiday together.

A night out in Magaluf

With Magaluf only a short distance away, we couldn't resist experiencing the nightlife for ourselves.

One evening we headed out and visited some of the bars and nightclubs.

As parents who had come away on our first trip together, it was nice to be able to dance, have a few drinks and simply let off some steam.

We also got to experience another part of Mallorca and its beach, which was just as beautiful as the area where we were staying.

The atmosphere, however, was completely different. With the music, drinks and lively surroundings, it was a fun contrast to the relaxed beach days we'd been enjoying in Palmanova.

Testing my nerves at the waterpark

We also booked a water park excursion, which was brilliant — although I quickly discovered that I'm definitely not the thrill-seeker in our relationship.

The really high slides weren't exactly my idea of fun! My other half, on the other hand, is a complete water baby and loved them.

We did find one slide we could enjoy together, racing each other down on mats. Adding a little competition made that one much more my style.

The weather during our stay was extremely hot, so having plenty of time to sunbathe, relax and simply enjoy the warmth was a big part of the holiday too.

Our unexpected hotel guest

Not every memorable holiday moment has to be a big excursion.

One evening, after returning to our room following a meal out, we discovered we had a visitor waiting for us.

Above our hotel room door was a little gecko.

Neither of us was quite prepared to share our room with him, so we called a member of staff who came and safely removed our unexpected guest.

He was actually really cute, and it ended up becoming one of those random holiday moments that still makes me smile.

Mini golf before flying home

Our flight home wasn't until the evening, which meant we still had time to squeeze something else into our final day.

We decided to play mini golf — and this wasn't a tiny course we'd be finished with in half an hour. It was massive!

It took us quite some time to get around, but it was great fun and definitely felt worth the money. It was also an ideal way to fill those awkward final hours when your holiday is coming to an end but you're not quite ready to head back to the airport.

Looking at Palmanova today, the course I remember appears to be Golf Fantasia, which is still operating near the seafront.

After four nights and five days, we'd managed to fit a surprising amount into a relatively short getaway.

Would I go back to Palmanova?

Definitely.

Palmanova is a beautiful destination and, from our experience, has something to offer lots of different travellers. I could see it working for families and couples as well as groups of friends looking for a girls' or boys' trip.

For us, it gave us exactly what we'd wanted from our first getaway together after becoming parents.

We could relax on the beach, enjoy meals together, experience the nightlife, explore somewhere new and simply have some time to ourselves as a couple.

If I booked the holiday again, however, there is one thing I would change. Instead of choosing all-inclusive, I'd opt for bed and breakfast.

Although our hotel offered plenty of choice, the food just didn't agree with me. Once we started venturing out, we discovered some fantastic restaurants anyway.

In hindsight, I'm glad we did. Eating away from the hotel gave us the opportunity to experience different restaurants and atmospheres, from quieter romantic meals to livelier evenings with music outside. If I returned, I'd happily have breakfast at the hotel and leave the rest of the day open to discovering somewhere new.

Palmanova gave us the chance to stop being Mum and Dad for a few days and simply enjoy being us again — and that's probably what I'll remember most about that first trip away together.

Know before you go: Palmanova today

• The beaches: Palmanova has three main beaches - Palmanova, Es Carregador and Son Maties - linked by a promenade. Together they offer more than a kilometre of coastline. 

• Eating and exploring: Restaurants, shops and other visitor facilities can be found around the beach and promenade, making it easy to combine a beach day with exploring the resort.

• For families: Palmanova has a long history as a family tourism destination, with accommodation and leisure options for both adults and children. 

• Golf Fantasia: The mini-golf attraction in Palmanova currently offers three different 18-hole courses set amongst tropical gardens, bridges, caves and waterfalls. 

• Our hotel today: The Tobago we stayed at is now FERGUS Style Tobago, a five-star hotel refurbished in 2019. Current hotel information places it just 10 metres from the beach. My comments about the hotel and food relate only to our own stay before that refurbishment, not the hotel as it is today.

Nina Graves is an Essex-based travel writer with a passion for discovering new places and sharing honest travel experiences. From family adventures and seaside escapes to exploring destinations further afield, she loves finding those little details that make a trip memorable. Nina holds a BTEC National Diploma in Travel & Tourism.