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Tailor Made Rail · Rail holiday

Valencia and Mallorca

Train and ferry loop from London through France to Spanish coast and Mallorca

Illustration of Valencia and Mallorca

Tailor Made Rail's 10-day Valencia and Mallorca holiday blends rail travel through France and Spain with ferry crossings and leisurely stays on the Mediterranean coast. You begin in London, riding Eurostar through to Paris and then a TGV south toward sunny Spain. After one night in Montpellier, a historic city inland from the coast, you board another TGV for the journey across the Spanish border into Valencia, where you spend three days exploring the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and the Old Town Cathedral at your own pace. The trip then steps outside the rail experience: you take an overnight ferry with a private cabin to Palma, on the island of Mallorca. Three nights there include a guided full-day coach and train tour through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains and a boat cruise along the northern coast. A day ferry carries you back to Barcelona for a final night in the Hotel Colon, before TGV and Eurostar take you home. The pace is relaxed, with comfortable three and four-night hotel stays in each city.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels listed as 'or similar'; your final accommodation depends on availability and chosen tier
  • The Mallorca day tour does not run in December and January
  • No guided group experiences in Valencia or Barcelona; exploration is independent

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Montpellier

    London to Montpellier

    Catch a Eurostar to Lille or Paris and connect onto the high-speed TGV service down through France to Montpellier. On arrival, check in for an overnight stay at the Grand Hotel du Midi (or similar). Just a few miles inland from the Mediterranean, Montpellier has a history going back to the 10th century.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Valencia

    Montpellier to Valencia

    Return to the station and board a train bound for Barcelona. A quick change in Sants station will bring you into Valencia in the early evening. When you arrive, you'll be staying 3 nights at the Vincci Mercat Hotel (or similar). Welcome to Spain's third largest city, founded as a Roman colony in 138BC.

  3. Day 3overnight: Valencia

    Valencia

    Enjoy three days at leisure in Valencia, one of Europe's culture capitals, famous for contemporary and Modernist architecture, a vibrant nightlife and a strong culinary tradition starting with homegrown favourite paella. Visit the iconic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences), with its science museum, 3D cinema, aquarium and opera house, designed by Valencia-born architect Santiago Calatrava.

  4. Day 4overnight: Valencia

    Valencia

    A second day exploring Valencia. Also not to be missed is the imposing Cathedral, built over a Mosque after the Reconquista of 1238.

  5. Day 5overnight: Overnight ferry (Valencia to Palma)

    Valencia and overnight to Palma

    Spend another day enjoying the sights of Valencia, perhaps visiting one of the city's many museums or heading for the beach. This evening, collect your bags from the hotel and make your way to the port to catch an overnight ferry across to the island of Mallorca. You have a private cabin on the ship.

  6. Day 6overnight: Palma

    Palma

    Dock in Palma and meet your private transfer which will take you to your hotel, HM Jaime III (or similar). You will have a 3-night stay here. Palma is the cultural centre of Mallorca, with an impressive history dating back to the second millennium BC. Visit the impressive La Seu Cathedral or get lost in the winding cobbled streets of the Old Town.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Palma

    Palma

    On one of your free days, you'll be picked up from your hotel and taken on a day trip around the island, including travel by coach to the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, a boat cruise from La Calobra to the coastal village of Port Soller and a ride through Soller Valley aboard a vintage train. Please note, this tour does not run in December and January.

  8. Day 8overnight: Palma

    Palma

    A further free day to explore Palma at leisure.

  9. Day 9overnight: Barcelona

    Palma to Barcelona

    You have another free morning in Palma before your midday sailing back across to the European mainland and the port city of Barcelona. The crossing takes around 7 hours and you'll arrive into Barcelona in time for dinner near your hotel, the Hotel Colon (or similar). You have an overnight stay here.

  10. Day 10rail

    Barcelona to London

    After breakfast, leave your hotel and make your way to Barcelona Sants station. Here, you'll catch the morning TGV which will whisk you across the French border and then north to Paris. Once here, an easy change of stations takes you to the Gare du Nord and your connecting Eurostar back to the UK.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Eurostar departure from London, connecting to a high-speed TGV through the French interior toward the Mediterranean
  • Day 5Overnight ferry crossing from Valencia to Palma in a private cabin, waking dockside in Mallorca
  • Day 7Coach journey through the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountains, boat cruise from La Calobra to Port Soller, and a vintage train ride through Soller Valley

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations, where required
  • 8 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Overnight ferry from Valencia to Palma in a twin cabin
  • Mallorca in One Day Tour with boat cruise and vintage train ride
  • Day ferry from Palma to Barcelona
  • Comprehensive directions to your hotels
  • Clearly-presented wallets for your rail tickets, hotel vouchers and other documentation
  • All credit card surcharges and complimentary delivery of your travel documents

Questions travellers ask

Which trains and ferries are included?
Eurostar from London to Lille or Paris, TGV from Paris through Montpellier to Valencia and Barcelona, overnight ferry cabin from Valencia to Palma, and day ferry from Palma to Barcelona. All rail travel is Standard Class with seat reservations.
What is included in the price?
All rail and ferry journeys, eight nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast, the Mallorca day tour with boat cruise and vintage train, hotel transfers, ticket wallets, and travel document delivery. Single meals and personal expenses are not included.
Is this an escorted tour?
No. Tailor Made Rail provides detailed directions and documentation, but you travel independently. A guide meets you on arrival in Palma for the included day tour only.
How much free time is there?
Three full days in Valencia and two full days in Palma, plus partial days in Montpellier and Barcelona. Most days are at leisure to explore at your own pace.
When does this trip run?
Year-round. Low season (November to March) starts at £1,499; high season (April to October) from £1,599. The Mallorca day tour does not run in December and January.

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