Sunrise Dolphin Watching Boat Tour from Port d'Alcúdia Mallorca

Port d'Alcúdia and its seafront

Port d'Alcúdia is the lively harbour town at the north-east corner of Mallorca, about two kilometres from the walled old town of Alcúdia. Its marina, fishing quay and ferry terminal sit at one end of a long, shallow sandy beach that runs for several kilometres along the bay, and the Passeig Marítim promenade links them all with cafés, shops and boat kiosks.

Your trip starts at the boat ticket kiosk on this promenade. At that hour the streets are quiet, the water is often glassy and the mountains of the Formentor peninsula are only outlines against the sky. Port d'Alcúdia boat trips leave here throughout the day, but the sunrise departure is the calmest and the most atmospheric of them all.

Sunrise over the Bay of Alcúdia

The Bay of Alcúdia opens to the east between the rocky headland of Cap des Pinar in the north and Cap de Ferrutx near Artà in the south. Because the bay faces the rising sun, the first light appears directly over the sea, which makes this one of the best places on the island to watch the sunrise from the water.

About an hour after departure the boat slows for the sunrise itself, roughly 15 minutes when the sky changes from deep blue to orange and gold and the cliffs of the headlands light up one by one. Bring a camera: the low sun on the water and the silhouettes of the mountains make some of the most memorable photographs of a stay in Mallorca.

Dolphin watching off Mallorca's north coast

The waters off the north coast of Mallorca are visited by groups of bottlenose dolphins, the most common resident species in the Balearic Islands, and striped dolphins are sometimes seen further offshore. Early morning is a good time to find them, as the sea is usually calm and the dolphins are active and feeding.

After a scenic cruise of about half an hour, the catamaran reaches the area where the crew most often finds them, and you spend around 30 minutes watching the pods swim, surface and play near the boat. The crew keeps a respectful distance so as not to disturb the animals. Sightings are very frequent, and if none occur you receive a ticket to return another day, which takes the worry out of dolphin watching in Mallorca.

Alcúdia old town and its surroundings

Back on land by mid-morning, you have the whole day to explore. The old town of Alcúdia, a short bus or taxi ride from the port, is enclosed by 14th-century walls with gates and towers you can walk along. Just outside them lie the remains of Pollentia, the main Roman city of Mallorca, founded in the 2nd century BC, with streets, house foundations and a small theatre.

Many visitors combine the sunrise tour with the Tuesday or Sunday market inside the old walls, or with a swim at the long beach of Alcúdia. Our team can suggest the best way to fill the rest of your day, so the early start becomes the beginning of a full and relaxed day in the north of the island.