The Serra de Tramuntana is the backbone of Mallorca’s mountains, and the GR221 Dry Stone Route is its most emblematic path. It links villages with a long mountain history, surrounded by terraces and cobbled paths, with some of the best sea views on the island. This guide brings everything together and allows you to plan your own route through the Serra de Tramuntana, whether as a multi-day traverse or by walking carefully selected sections, to enjoy hiking in Mallorca.
Understanding the Serra de Tramuntana
Located in the northwest of the island, the Serra de Tramuntana is a chain of limestone peaks and valleys that drops dramatically towards the Mediterranean. Here, centuries of cultivation have shaped terraces, dry-stone walls, and historic paths, creating a landscape where nature and culture are closely intertwined.
Petits pobles, possessions o finques de muntanya i camins antics converteixen cada sortida en una experiència única; cada ascens ens aporta una nova perspectiva, i a cada passa descobrim restres de vides passades. Aquí és com el senderisme a Mallorca es converteix en una manera d’entendre l’illa més enllà de les seves platges i resorts. Small villages, mountain estates, and ancient paths turn every outing into a unique experience. Each ascent offers a new perspective, and at every step traces of past lives appear. This is where hiking in Mallorca becomes a way of understanding the island beyond its beaches and resorts.
What Is the GR221 Dry Stone Route?
The GR221, often known as the Dry Stone Route, is a long-distance trail that follows the backbone of the Serra de Tramuntana, linking mountain villages and valleys and making the GR221 Mallorca one of the island’s most emblematic mountain itineraries. Across several stages, it crosses ridges, forests, and coastal slopes, connecting the quieter north of the range with areas closer to Palma.
It is designed for hikers seeking an immersive experience, walking day after day from one village or refuge to the next. It also works perfectly for those who prefer to walk specific sections as part of a flexible hiking in Mallorca plan.
Main Sections and Must-See Highlights of the GR221
Beyond numbered stages, it is useful to see the GR221 as a set of clearly differentiated regions, each with its own character.
Northern summits and the wildest mountain passes: Around the Puig Major area, the route becomes more rugged and exposed, surrounded by Mallorca’s highest limestone peaks, high passes, and deep valleys that drop towards reservoirs and remote corners of the range. Views here are wide and endless, allowing you to see across Mallorca, Menorca, and on clear days even the coast of Catalonia.
The central heart around Sóller: Around the Sóller valley, the GR221 crosses charming villages and small hamlets, with old cobbled paths and constant views of the sea. This is one of the most atmospheric areas for hiking in Mallorca, combining high mountain scenery with olive groves and citrus orchards.
Heading south, another world: Further south, the trail gradually approaches more accessible terrain towards Andratx, without losing the quiet and often forgotten sections around Banyalbufar and Estellencs, where time seems to stand still. These stretches offer excellent Mediterranean views, linking the most isolated villages of the Serra de Tramuntana with better-connected towns and the proximity of Palma.
Sunrises behind the mountains, long shadows across olive groves, and sunsets over the sea form part of the daily rhythm for anyone walking the GR221 over several days.
Base Yourself in Sóller: A Camp Base for Day Hikes and GR221 Connections Sóller is one of the best bases for exploring the Serra de Tramuntana on foot, especially if you prefer day hikes rather than a full traverse. From here, it is easy to access both the coast and the high mountains, follow GR221 sections, walk alternative paths, and return to the same valley each evening.
Popular options include the classic dry-stone paths between Sóller and Deià, where terraces, estates, and sea views make every kilometre feel rich and varied. Other routes climb towards higher ground, such as the GR221 section through the Biniaraix Gorge, with multiple options to return to the valley by different routes, discovering viewpoints, springs, and caves. In this way, a single day of hiking in Mallorca becomes a complete circular adventure.
This approach is ideal if you are short on time or prefer to walk light, without carrying equipment for multi-day routes.
Fast and Light: Trail Running in Mallorca, the Serra de Tramuntana, and Along the GR221
The same mountains that welcome hikers also offer unforgettable days of trail running in Mallorca. Many GR221 sections and surrounding trails form natural circuits for runners who enjoy elevation gain, varied terrain, and open views. Such a unique setting that UTMB has chosen it to host one of the most attractive races on the international calendar.
Some segments are smooth and flowing, ideal for maintaining a steady rhythm along paths that act as balconies above the sea. Others are rockier and more technical, with tight turns, stone steps, and wild sections that demand focus but reward you with powerful panoramas and a deeper connection to Mallorca’s most remote landscapes.
When choosing routes, it is important that they match your fitness and experience. Runners who choose Mallorca as a destination find in the Serra de Tramuntana an incomparable setting to discover the island’s wildest side, covering in just a few hours what might take a hiker an entire day.
Planning Your Tramuntana and GR221 Adventure
The same mountains that welcome hikers also offer unforgettable days of trail running in Mallorca. Many GR221 sections and surrounding trails form natural circuits for runners who enjoy elevation gain, varied terrain, and open views. Such a unique setting that UTMB has chosen it to host one of the most attractive races on the international calendar.
Accommodation and stages: Those walking the GR221 over several days often combine mountain refuges with stays in village hostels or small hotels, depending on comfort and pace. Day hikers usually stay in places like Sóller, using public transport or private transfers to link different sections without changing base every night.
Gear and safety: Proper footwear, sun protection, enough water, and layers for changing conditions are essential. Even on marked routes, basic navigation (map, app, or GPS) and an honest understanding of your limits make each outing safer and more enjoyable.
Being realistic about your experience and fitness helps you choose suitable stages and decide whether to walk independently or with a guide. Mallorca’s terrain is not always easy, and the image of a sun-and-beach island differs greatly from the reality of the Serra de Tramuntana.
Why a Local Guide Transforms Your GR221 Experience
A map can show the line of the GR221, but a local guide explains the landscape behind it. Knowing which variant to choose under specific weather conditions, how to cross private land respectfully, or where to find the most rewarding viewpoints for sunrise or sunset can completely change your experience.
For hikers, a guide removes the stress of route planning and navigation, allowing you to focus on what really matters: the views, the stories, and enjoying every moment between sea and mountains. For those interested in trail running in Mallorca, a guide can select routes that match your pace and technical level, maximising enjoyment and safety in unfamiliar terrain and avoiding unnecessary risks.
In this way, your time in the Tramuntana becomes a personalised journey, rather than simply following red-and-white waymarks along the most popular paths.
Accommodation and stages: Hikers who walk the GR 221 for several days usually combine mountain refuges with stays in pensions or hostels in mountain villages, depending on the comfort and pace chosen. Day hikers prefer places like Sóller, from where they can use public transport or private transfers to link different sections without changing base each night.
Equipment and safety: Sturdy footwear, sunscreen, enough water and layers for changing conditions are essential. Even on signposted routes, having basic navigation (map, app or GPS) and understanding your limits makes every outing safer and more enjoyable. Being honest about your experience and fitness helps you choose the right stages and decide whether to go independently or with a guide. The terrain of Mallorca is not always easy, the perception of an island of sun and beach differs greatly from the reality of the Serra de Tramuntana.
Why a local guide transforms your experience on the GR221
A map may show you the line of the GR221, but a local guide explains the landscape behind it. Knowing which variant to choose in a given weather, how to cross areas of private land with respect, or where to find the most spectacular viewpoints for sunrise or sunset can radically change your trip.
For hikers, a guide takes the stress out of finding and planning the route for each stage, leaving you to focus on what matters most: the views, the stories and enjoying every minute between the sea and the mountains. For those interested in trail running in Mallorca, a guide can select circuits that match your pace and technical level, maximizing fun and safety in unfamiliar terrain and avoiding the nightmares of getting into trouble and dangerous paths.
In this way, your time in the Tramuntana becomes a personalized and unique journey, instead of simply following the white and red marks along the most popular paths.
Start Your Hiking or Trail Running Adventure in the Serra de Tramuntana with Sóller Ben Amunt
Imagine finishing a long day on the GR221 with tired legs and a full heart, enjoying the last light, red skies, and the sun setting into the sea. That blend of effort, silence, and beauty is what brings many people back to the Serra de Tramuntana time and again.
With Sóller Ben Amunt, you can experience this feeling with the confidence of walking alongside a local mountain guide who lives and moves through these landscapes all year round. From introductory hikes around Sóller to the wildest sections of the GR221 and fast-and-light trail running outings in Mallorca, each route is designed and adapted to your level, your time, and your mountain preferences.
If you are ready to turn this definitive guide into a real journey on dry-stone paths, choose your dates, lace up your boots or running shoes, and let Sóller Ben Amunt lead you to the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana and the GR221 in Mallorca.
