This list of the best places to see in Palma de Mallorca is perfect for you not to miss anything in this city full of history and charming corners that we are sure will exceed all your expectations.
Located on the largest island of the Balearic archipelago and bathed by the Mediterranean, the capital of Majorca is considered one of the best cities in the world to live in thanks to its privileged climate all year round (300 days of sunshine), its beaches with crystal clear waters, a great historical and architectural heritage, a cosmopolitan atmosphere with people from all corners of the planet, an endless supply of nightlife and a delicious cuisine based on fish and seafood, not forgetting the sobrasada and the famous ensaimadas.
To get to know all the tourist attractions and enjoy the best experiences that Palma de Mallorca (officially Palma) has to offer, we recommend that you invest a minimum of one day and try to avoid the months of July and August, when the island becomes overcrowded and accommodation prices rise considerably.
If you have more time you can hire a car or motorbike for day trips to visit the main gems to see in Mallorca such as its famous turquoise water coves, photogenic lighthouses and ancient villages.
Based on the experience of the 7 days we spent staying in the city during our last tour of Mallorca by car, we have compiled this list of what we believe to be the 16 must-see places to visit in Palma de Mallorca. Let's get started!
1. The Cathedral of Santa Maria
Entering the Cathedral of Santa Maria, known as "La Seu", which is the most important religious temple in the Balearic Islands, is one of the best things to do in Palma de Mallorca.
Built in 1229 on the shore of the bay of Palma and visible from all over the city, this church in the Levantine Gothic style impresses at first sight for its enormous dimensions and for having the largest Gothic-style rose window in the world (13 metres in diameter).
After admiring the details of the Portal del Mirador, you can go inside to enjoy the colours of the light passing through the rose window and the stained glass windows, the imposing columns of more than 20 metres, the surprising chapel of the Santísimo by Miquel Barceló and the touch left by the genius Gaudí in the renovation he carried out at the beginning of the 20th century.
Palma de Mallorca Cathedral2. Royal Palace of the Almudaina, one of the places to see in Palma de Mallorca
Located next to the cathedral, the Almudaina Palace, summer residence of the Spanish Royal Family, is another of the most beautiful buildings to see in Palma de Mallorca.
This imposing fortress, which has its origins in the 10th century, during the Muslim domination, was transformed into a Christian palace in Gothic style during the reign of the Kingdom of Mallorca and has remained unchanged to this day.
Once you cross its walls, in which the Torre del Homenaje (Homage Tower) stands out, you will come across the beautiful Patio del Rey (King's Courtyard), which will take you to the different rooms of the kings and common rooms, all of them decorated with furniture, paintings and tapestries from the period. You can also go out onto the terrace to enjoy excellent views of the seafront promenade with Bellver Castle in the background.
Visiting hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm.
Almudaina Royal Palace3. S'Hort del Rei
At the end of your visit to the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, you can go down to the gardens of S'Hort del Rei (King's Gardens) to relax by sitting on one of the benches, where you can enjoy the sound of the fountains.
Although in the past only the royal family had access to these gardens, they were remodelled to create a public space in which a pond with several sculptures and an arch of Muslim origin stand out.
S'Hort del Rei4. Historic centre
After the walk through the King's gardens you can go up some stone stairs that will take you directly to Carrer de l'Estudi General, to begin a route through the historic centre, another of the most interesting things to do in Palma de Mallorca.
In this pretty cobbled street you will find the beautiful courtyards of the stately homes Can Alemany and Can Ferragut, an oasis of peace and one of the main attractions in the centre of Palma. Continuing along Carrer de Sant Roc you will reach the Bishop's garden in a few minutes, with views of the roofs of Palma Cathedral, and Carrer d'en Morei, which has two other fantastic courtyards: Can Ordines d'Almandrà and Can Olesa. After passing through Carrer de Can Anglada you can turn into Carrer de l'Almudaina to visit the patio of Can Oms and finish in Plaza de Santa Eulàlia having a delicious llonguet with sobrasada at Bar Tony, one of our favourite places for breakfast and snacks in Palma de Mallorca.
If you prefer an ensaimada, you can go to Can Joan de s'Aigo to try one of the best on the island, passing first through the patio of Can Vivot, one of the most beautiful in Palma, and ending in the popular Plaza d'en Coll.
Historic Centre of Palma de Mallorca5. Plaza Mayor
Near the Plaza d'en Coll is the Plaza Mayor, located in the former convent of San Felipe Neri and one of the most beautiful squares to see in Palma de Mallorca.
After being the seat of the Inquisition until 1823, this square was reformed, highlighting its resemblance to the Plaza Mayor in Madrid with arcades and beautiful buildings with shutters painted green.
To leave the square you can take the shopping street of Sant Miquel full of shops of all brands, pastry shops such as the popular Horno Santo Cristo, where they also serve one of the best ensaimadas in the city, and historic buildings such as the basilica of Sant Miquel, the Convent of Sant Antoni de Palma and the Mercat de l'Olivar, the largest covered market in Palma and well worth a visit.
To finish this walk you can try delicious Japanese food at Arume or the seasonal Mallorcan food at Casa Maruka, two of the best restaurants to eat in Palma and where to eat in Mallorca.
Plaza Mayor6. Plaza de Cort
On your way back to the centre along the commercial Carrer de Colom you will pass the El Águila department store building and Can Forteza Rey, two of the few remaining examples of Modernist architecture in Palma de Mallorca, until you reach Plaza de Cort, another of the main squares to visit in Palma.
Presided over by the historic Town Hall building, built in the mid-17th century, it owes its name to the feudal court that used to meet in this area, and it has a beautiful century-old olive tree.
Plaza de Cort7. Arab Baths
The next stop for places to see in Palma de Mallorca in one day is the Arab Baths, located in the historic centre, which are also the best-preserved construction from the Islamic period.
Once you cross the horseshoe-arched doorway, you will find an impressive square-shaped central room surrounded by 12 columns and a hemispherical dome, used for the hot baths.
Visiting hours: from April to November from 9:30 am to 8 pm; the rest of the year it closes at 7 pm.
Arab Baths8. Visiting the Jewish Quarter, one of the things to do in Palma de Mallorca
On leaving the Arab Baths you can stroll around the old Jewish quarter, known as El Call, which still preserves an interesting legacy of this traditionally discriminated and persecuted community.
Its past can be glimpsed by strolling through the narrow streets of Sòl, Montesión, where the old synagogue (now the Church of Montesión) was located, del Vent, Torre de l'Amor and Seminari Vell, until you reach the Plaza Porta d'es Camp.
After ordering their expulsion in the 15th century or their forced conversion to Christianity, some of them continued to maintain their customs in secret and some of the most common Mallorcan surnames such as Miró or Fortesa still remember their time in the city.
The Call9. Parc de la Mar
Strolling at sunset through the Parc de la Mar, located under Palma Cathedral, in front of the walls that protected the city in medieval times, is another of the best things to do in Palma de Mallorca.
This park, with a large grassy area, stands out for its enormous saltwater lake, from which a powerful jet comes out, and for having the best view of the Cathedral and the Royal Palace of the Almudaina, both during the day and at night.
Parc de la Mar10. Sa Llotja de Palma de Mallorca
Continuing along the Paseo Marítimo you will arrive in just a few minutes at the Lonja or Sa Llotja building, built by Guillem Sagrera between 1420 and 1452, which is one of the jewels of Gothic architecture to see in Palma de Mallorca.
Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, when the port of Palma was very busy, which made it necessary to construct a building as a meeting and business point for merchants.
The building has a surprising interior with three naves supported by six slender helicoidal columns without capitals, which look like stone palm trees and are reminiscent of the commodities exchange in Valencia. Another curious sight is the sculpture of the Guardian Angel holding a legend that reads "Defenedor de la Mercaderia" (Defender of the Merchants), which is located above the entrance door and is attributed to Guillem Sagrera himself.
Visiting hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 5:30 pm to 11 pm.
Sa Llotja11. Sa Drassana Square
Close to the Lonja is the building of the Consulat de Mar, built in the 17th century by the powerful Merchant's Association of Mallorca and currently the seat of the Presidency of the Balearic Islands.
Right next to the Consulat de Mar is the Plaza Sa Drassana, a small, busy square that begins a route through another part of the historic centre full of charming narrow streets such as Montenegro, Sant Feliu, els Apuntadors and la Pau, art galleries, stately courtyards such as Casal Solleric and recommended restaurants such as La Paloma, Tast Club and Ombú (our favourite).
Palma de Mallorca12. Es Baluard
To finish off your visits to the historic centre you can go up to Es Baluard, where you can enter the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, another of the essential places to visit in Palma de Mallorca.
Located on the old defensive wall of the city, this architectural jewel houses an excellent collection of paintings and sculptures by great masters such as Joan Miró, Picasso and local artist Miquel Barceló, as well as temporary exhibitions in the old 17th century water tanks. However, one of its main attractions is the magnificent views from its terrace or from the free viewpoint located before the entrance.
Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm.
Es Baluard13. Santa Catalina neighbourhood
From Es Baluard you can easily access Santa Catalina, an old fishermen's neighbourhood that has been transformed in recent years to become the new Balearic SoHo and another of the essential places to see in Palma de Mallorca.
This neighbourhood of white façades and colourful shutters has an extensive cultural offer with several art galleries and gastronomy, which includes some of the best restaurants in the city and the popular Santa Catalina Market, full of fresh produce and some charcuterie that sells the famous sobrasada, one of the most exquisite products you can try on the island.
Also, in this market you can enjoy delicious homemade Mallorcan food at Bar Joan Frau or go to other restaurants in the neighbourhood such as Duke, Sa Fulla, Naan Street Food or La Fabrique, among many others.
To finish off your meal, there is nothing better than walking to Calle Industria to see four windmills and then go shopping on Calle Jaime III, one of Palma's main shopping streets.
Barrio de Santa Catalina14. Seafront Promenade
Walking or doing sport along the Paseo Marítimo, which runs along the Avenida de Gabriel Roca, is another of the best things to do in Palma de Mallorca.
You can start the route at the Dársena de Can Barberá, which is reserved for small boats, and continue along Palma's enormous marina where numerous pleasure boats and luxury yachts moor.
Afterwards, you can continue along the Avenida de Gabriel Roca passing in front of the 16th century walls that surround the Es Baluard Museum of Contemporary Art, until you reach the beach of Can Pere Antoni.
This promenade also concentrates part of the city's nightlife, with a mixture of beach clubs such as Anima Beach, discotheques such as the legendary Tito's and places with good music such as the Garito bar.
Paseo Marítimo15. Bellver Castle
Bellver Castle, located 3 kilometres from the historic centre, on a green hill 112 metres above sea level, is another of the most beautiful places to see in Palma de Mallorca.
This Gothic-style fortification, built in the early 14th century, stands out for its circular layout with three attached towers and a keep, also circular, separated from the rest.
It is worth going inside to see the spectacular circular central courtyard and to visit the City History Museum, which has a terrace with the best views of the city, the port and the bay.
Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm from April to September; the rest of the months it closes one hour earlier.
Bellver Castle16. Beaches to visit in Palma de Mallorca
After finishing all the cultural and gastronomic visits, we recommend you end your visit to the city with a dip in one of the main beaches to visit in Palma de Mallorca.
Among the best are Playa de Palma, Ciudad Jardín, Cala Mayor, Can Pere Antoni or Illetas, which can be reached by bus in about 10 minutes and which have all the services you need to enjoy a day of sun and sand to the full.
Although if you want more inaccessible beaches with crystal clear waters, surrounded by a fantastic natural environment, we recommend you rent a car or motorbike and go to Caló des Moro, Cala Mondragó, Cala Sa Calobra, Playa de Formentor, Cala Varques or Playa S'Amarador, located in this list of the best beaches in Mallorca.
Where to sleep in Palma de Mallorca
The Epitome of Elegance: 5-Star Hotels in Mallorca
Mallorca is renowned for its world-class hospitality, and 5-star hotels exemplify this reputation. If you seek a luxurious and refined retreat, these upscale accommodations are sure to exceed your expectations. Pamper yourself with elegant suites, stunning views of the sea or city, and access to exclusive facilities such as spas, fine dining restaurants, and rooftop pools.
For a selection of the finest 5 star hotels in Mallorca, visit Hotels-of-Mallorca. Each property offers a unique and unforgettable experience, ensuring that your stay in Palma de Mallorca becomes a cherished memory.
Brick Palma - Turismo De Interior: A Hidden Gem
If you seek a distinctive and intimate stay in Palma de Mallorca, consider Brick Palma - Turismo De Interior. This boutique gem, nestled within the heart of the city, provides a harmonious blend of modern comfort and authentic charm. With personalized attention and an inviting ambiance, Brick Palma promises a truly memorable stay.
Also, you can stay at the Apuntadores 8, located right in the historic centre and close to the port. In addition to its excellent location, the hotel has spacious rooms, an incredible terrace with views of the Cathedral and public parking nearby.
Three other accommodations with an excellent location and value for money are the Hostal Pons, the HM Jaime III and the Hostal Regina.
Coves del DrachHow to get to Palma
The quickest way to get to this city is to take a flight to Palma de Mallorca airport, the third busiest airport in Spain, and from there get on the city bus 1 that passes through the centre and the port, or hire a car or motorbike and explore the island at your own pace.
Another good option, depending on your origin, is to take a ferry from Barcelona or Valencia, which takes just over 7 hours to make the journey, and allows you to bring your own car or motorbike.