12 · Where People Buy on Mallorca — Thinking Municipality by Municipality
*Few things shape a property on this island as decisively as its precise location. It governs what can be rented out, which building projects get approved, and the kind of market you are operating in. And we don't mean the crude north-versus-south grid — we mean the fine resolution, right down to the individual coastal core (Küstenkern). What follows is our read on the municipalities that matter — and we say this deliberately: the picture can shift at any time.*
⚠️ The ETV (Estancias Turísticas en Viviendas — short-term tourist rental licence) zoning in particular has been changing fast since 2024/2025 (Decreto-ley 4/2025, new "zonas saturadas" — saturated zones). 🔴 The classification of a specific property can slip into a different category overnight. For buyers, that leads to one simple rule: verify at the PIAT / with the Consell de Mallorca before any signature — and never rely on what was true yesterday.
First the Zoning Framework, Then the Individual Plot#
Before we go through the regions, it pays to look at the rulebook behind them — because it feeds straight through to the value of a property.
What sets the framework:
- The decisive instrument is the PIAT (
Plan de Intervención en Ámbitos Turísticos— Plan for Intervention in Tourism Areas), drawn up by the Consell de Mallorca. It determines where an ETV is permitted at all. - In simplified terms, these modalities exist:
unifamiliar 365— year-round, in detached single-family houses;plurifamiliar 365— also year-round, but tied to conditions;ETV 60 días— capped at 60 days/year, characteristic of saturated locations;no apta— no licence, no rental whatsoever.
The two pitfalls that cost yield:
- In the
zonas saturadas, only 60 days/year are available — and those days do not all fall in the high season. Translated into the numbers: a slice of the most lucrative weeks is simply off the table. - On
suelo rústico protegido(protected rural land — ANEI), an ETV is fundamentally prohibited. In concrete terms: even the most beautiful country house in a protected-area location carries no legal short-term rental.
The Six "zonas saturadas/maduras" (Coastal Cores) 🟡#
The following cores fall into this category:
- Playa de Palma–El Arenal
- Palmanova–Magaluf
- Santa Ponça
- Peguera
- Cala Millor–Cala Bona–S'Illot
(🔴 You should cross-check the complete, exact list against the original PIAT.)
Coast or Es Pla — Two Logics You Must Not Confuse#
Before we get to the individual municipalities, the big dividing line helps: the coast on one side, the quieter interior on the other. Each side runs by its own rules.
| Coastal municipalities | Interior (Es Pla) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism pressure | high, many 60-day zones | low, mostly "apta" outside rústico protegido |
| Property type | villas, apartments, front-row | fincas, country houses, village houses, agroturismo |
| ETV outlook | often restricted (saturada / Palma ban) | more likely 365, but rústico protegido = prohibited |
What this means for the buying decision:
- On the coast, you pay the premium for location and a front-row position — but you often take on rental limits in the bargain.
- In the interior, the ETV situation is usually more relaxed (trending toward 365). But the moment
rústico protegidoenters the picture, legal short-term rental is off the table. - Anyone buying with rental income in mind must, under no circumstances, mix up these two tracks.
Region by Region: What Matters in Each#
The table walks you through the individual areas — from the ETV situation to the character of each market:
| Municipality / Region | ETV particularity | Market character |
|---|---|---|
| Palma | ETV ban in apartments (flats) since 2018 (only unifamiliar); confirmed by the TS (Tribunal Supremo — Supreme Court) in 2023; 🟡 from early 2026 "zona única no apta" | Largest market; Old Town, Santa Catalina, Portixol |
| Calvià (Santa Ponça, Magaluf, Portals, Bendinat) | several saturated cores (60 days) | very international, premium to luxury |
| Andratx (Port d'Andratx, Camp de Mar) | 🔴 check per location | most expensive luxury segment (front-row up to ~€22,500/m²) |
| Pollença & Port de Pollença | 🟡 applications for "zona saturada" status | luxury villas, town houses, fincas |
| Alcúdia | coastal cores partly restricted | hotel- and villa-heavy |
| Tramuntana (Sóller, Fornalutx, Deià, Valldemossa, Banyalbufar) | 🟡 often 60 days; ANEI/UNESCO strictest building requirements | character/stone houses, scarce supply, more for own use |
| Santanyí (Cala d'Or, Portopetro) | varies by core | sought-after south-east, fincas/villas |
| Felanitx, Manacor, Artà, Capdepera (Cala Ratjada) | 🟡 coastal cores partly saturated (e.g. Canyamel) | mixed town/coast/finca |
| Llucmajor, Campos, Ses Salines (Colònia de Sant Jordi) | Llucmajor includes the Arenal share (60 days) | nature (Es Trenc), fincas, coastal settlements |
| Es Pla / Interior (Sa Pobla, Sineu, Petra …) | mostly "apta" outside rústico protegido | fincas, agroturismo, quiet |
The crucial point behind all this: even within one and the same municipality, the ruling flips from core to core. Statements like "in Calvià you're allowed to …" or "in Andratx the rule is …" are, from a buyer's perspective, regularly misleading. What ultimately counts is always the specific plot — not the municipality name on the map.
Sources (selection)#
- Consell de Mallorca (PIAT, ETV) · Decreto-ley 4/2025 · Ley 1/1991 (ANEI) · UNESCO (Tramuntana)
- STS 2023 (Palma ban) · Última Hora / Diario de Mallorca (zoning, current status)