5 Top Things You Will Love in Palma de Mallorca

> January 06, 2023
5 Top Things You Will Love in Palma de Mallorca

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We wrote down 5 things to do in Palma de Mallorca. Where to stay, where to eat, best beaches and all the must see places. Including a personal story about Jan's criminal activity. Interested? Keep reading then. We are Jan and Karin, and this is the top 7 things to do in Palma.

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What you need to know about Palma 

Palma is the capital of Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic archipelago. It’s probably the first thing you will see in Mallorca, because the airport is there. And the harbour as well, in case you’re more of a sailor. The settlement here dates back to 2 000 BC and includes Moors, Romans and catholic conquistadors (hence the medieval sights).

Nowadays, Palma is one of the favorite tourist destinations and a vibrant modern city with all the bars, cafes, restaurants, clubs and shops. The weather there is very similar to Los Angeles or Cape Town. Hot, dry, all year average 18° C.

5 Places to Visit in Palma: Opening Hours and Entries

Palma is a marvelous city with a long history. No wonder there are so many sights! We recommend taking a stroll through the Old Town and soaking up its beauty and power. However, do so on foot. Mark my words, you don’t want to drive there by car. Asking why? Ok, I’ll tell you.

Storytime:

I’m driving in a rented car, feeling handsome and awesome. I’m really excited about seeing the magnificent Cathedral at last and not really worrying about the signs and stuff. Imagine the surprise, when a 90€ fine letter landed in my mailbox. I wouldn’t say it's money well spent, but I enjoyed the cathedral though.

5. Palma Aquarium: The Huge Sea World  

Palma Aquarium, Shark tank
Image Source: Official Facebook of Palma Aquarium 

Another great option for rainy days. And let’s be honest… not only the kids appreciate the Big Blue shark tank.
 
Opening hours and tickets:
25.50 €/adult, 14 €/child
Open Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm; only from June to October 

4. Es Baluard Gallery 

A great activity for a rainy day if you're a modern art lover. The extensive collection includes names like Picasso, Miróm, Dalí and others.

The Entrance of Es Baluard Gallery
Image Source: Es Baluard Gallery on Tripadvisor.com

Opening hours and tickets:
6 €/person, 4.50€/pensioners and students
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm; Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm.

3. Bellver Castle


West of Palma lies another landmark, the Bellver Castle. Situated on the hilltop, it offers a wonderful panorama of the Bay of Palma and the Tramuntana mountains. Did you know, Bellver is Spain's only round castle? If you are a history lover, you should definitely visit the museum inside.

Bellver Castle, Palma de Mallorca

 

Opening hours and tickets:
4 €/person, 2€/pensioners and students, kids up to 14 have a free entrance
Open Tuesday to Saturday; 10 am to 6 pm (October to March), 10 am to 7 pm (April to September

2. Royal Palace of La Almudaina

What used to be a moor’s stronghold is now an official residence of the King and Queen of Spain. But don’t get your hopes up, you would have to be very lucky to catch a glimpse of them. Nevertheless, you can still admire the numerous styles in different rooms and divine gardens with the view of the harbour.

Me in front of The Royal Palace of La Almudaina

 

Opening hours and tickets:
7 €/person
Open Tuesday to Sunday; 10 am to 6 pm (October to March), 10 am to 8 pm (April to September)

1. La Seu Cathedral

The Cathedral of Palma, staying on the site of the moore’s mosque opposite the palace is truly a landmark worth seeing. It’s monumental and you can find there the largest rose window offering the breathtaking light play inside. There is also a modern touch to it. After the extensive fire, the Cathedral had to be renovated, by the hands of Antoni Gaudí himself.


Opening hours and tickets:
7 €/person
Open from 10 pm, closing times depend on the time of year.
Closed on Sundays.

Karin at the La Seu Cathedral

 

Tip: Don’t forget about the discount cards! It’s oficially called Mallorca Pass and, depending on the type, it offers free and preferred entries to most of the sights and other benefits.

Where is it best to stay in Palma?

In Palma, you have a wide range of options. Everything is possible. You want a beachfront complex? You got it. More of a luxury boutique person?  No problema. Rustic retreat in the heart of the green hills? Tick. Of course AirBnb is also an option. We got together a few proven tips for you:

5* Hotel El Llorenç Parc de la Mar (400–600€/night)

This one is an absolute blast. The right choice, if you want to go big. Situated in the Old Town neighbourhood of La Calatrava, with a stunning view of the bay. Hotel restaurant DINS belongs among the top 100 restaurants in Spain and specialises in Mallorcan cuisine. And if you are really tired after a long day, you can sooth your mind in the biggest infinity pool in Palma, on the roof. Have a look at El Llorenc Parc on booking.com.

Sundeck at the Hotel El Llorenc Parc de la Mar
Image source: El Llorenc Parc de la Mar

4* Nakar Hotel (330–500€/night)

This modern design hotel stands right in the heart of the shopaholic part of the city, Jamie II Avenue. You will meet a very helpful staff there and enjoy the hotel spa. Moreover, in Hotel Nakar, you can rent a bike to enjoy the route along the coast.

Sun deck with infinity pool and the cathedral in the background
Image source: Hotel Nakar

4* Hotel Almudaina (180–200€/night)

Are you a hopeless romantic? Imagine a sunset on a terrace with a view of the Cathedral and Bellver Castle with a drink in your hand and your amazing partner beside you. If you decide to stay in Hotel Almudaina, this picture may become true.

Sky bar at Hotel Almudaina
Image Source: Hotel Almudaina

BONUS:

4* Finca Agroturismo Sarbosar (100-150€/night)

We decided on a different style of romance. When we were in Mallorca, we stayed in this marvelous rural hotel in Santa Maria del Cami. It’s about 40 minutes' drive from Palma.The hotel is beautiful and cozy and the owner is a warm, welcoming and highly experienced lady.

Tip: If you don’t plan to spend four days at the beach and on the pub crawl, it might be a good option to find a hotel somewhere in the surrounding area. It makes a good base to take trips from and you avoid the heat and rush of the city center.

Our bedroom in Finca Agroturismo Sarbosar

Best restaurants and gastro tourism

Palma is full of colors and flavors. Whether you are interested in traditional cuisine, want to try out a tapas trail, or just savor a glass of wine after a long day, you will always find plenty of places to go. Here are some of our tips.

Gastro tourism in Palma

Authentic Mediterranean Michelin

Palma is the Garden of Eden for every gourmet. You can taste the skills of Michelin star, chef Maca de Castro at Andana restaurant. Maca brings simplicity on the plate with the ingredients from her own sustainable farm in Sa Pobla. Price for lunch is around 15–20€.

Set off to the tapas trail Ruta Martiana

Locals as well as the tourists enjoy the Tapas Tuesday. It’s basically a pub crawl around the Old Town, where the bars offer a glass of wine or beer, with a tapas dish for only 2–3€. It’s based in Gerreria and you can recognize the participating bars by the offer on the blackboard just outside the bar.

Tapas and wine

Santa Catalina

When you’re in Palma, you shouldn’t miss Santa Catalina, the picturesque part of the city with traditional houses and buzzing streets. It’s home to many restaurants, cafés and bars and also: fresh open-air market!

Open-air market

Best beaches in Palma

The main city beach is called Can Pere Antoni and stretches half a mile along the bay. It’s the closest beach to the city center surrounded by Paseo Maritimo, a long promenade parallel to the seafront. You can take a walk there and get to the Portixol. The former fishing village which has grown into a trendy suburb area full of bars, restaurants, and sandy beaches. If you are into shenanigans, you can go to El Arenal beach. Over 4 kilometres long sandy beach with kayaks, paddle boards, jet skis and parasols.

The view of the bay in Palma

Palma nightlife

Palma is not just cobblestoned streets and beautiful medieval buildings. With the evening it turns to busy vibrant party city. From super-chic bars to wild party clubs, the nightlife in Mallorca is an experience you should try.

Cocktail bars

Looking for a nightlife, Abaco is a must. This stylish cocktail bar is famous all around the world for it’s unique atmosphere. It cannot be described, you just have to experience it. Another hidden gem is Es Baluard Museum. Yes, you’re reading right, it’s a cocktail bar inside the museum. And if you have the soul of an artist, you should definitely try the Brassclub with original decorations as well as creative drinks.

Abaco Bar interior
Image Source: Official webistes of Abaco bar

Beer bars/Cervecerias

As a proper Czech, I couldn’t possibly leave out the most important—beer bars. In Spain they are called Cervecerias. Do you still remember Santa Catalina, I wrote about a few paragraphs earlier? If you don’t, you should probably have a talk with your doctor. Anyhow, there you find Cerveceria Tramuntana. And now get this… they offer over 200 different beers to try! Can you believe that? Ok, maybe you’re not a megalomaniac and you are more into trying something local and crafty. Then you should try Lorien. Stout, draft beers, craft beers and of course—tapas. Talking about tapas, don’t forget about Tapas Tuesdays and beer for 2€.

Lorien Bar
Image Source: Official websites of Lorien bar

Irish Pubs

You might be surprised, but there’s also quite a lot Irish pubs in Palma. And what to do in Palma, when you are Irish and getting homesick? Go to Molly Malone or Shamrock, meet the locals and get a Guiness.

Irish pub, Guiness

Clubs

Mallorca is the tamer and more sophisticated sister of Ibiza, so if you are looking for a wild party full of hot chicks… go to Ibiza. In Mallorca it’s mostly groups of young people mingling and talking. Once again, try to exercise your brain cells and remember Paseo Maritimo promenade. And that’s basically a home to nightlife in Palma. Tito’s being the traditional  matador of Mallorca clubs, R33 (or as locals call it, La Demence) is more on the modern wave. You can expect an LGBTQ+ bar full of drag queens and merry sailors. Looking for live music throughout the week? Visit Novo Café Lisboa located guess where… in Santa Catalina.

Image Source: Novo Cafe Lisboa official Facebook page

Shopping in Mallorca 

Mallorca offers a great deal of fancy boutiques, luxury designers and shopping avenues. Obviously, it’s not Paris, but you can get pretty close on the ‘golden mile of Palma’ Paseo del Borne. Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Bvlgari… whatever you think of. If you think about Cartiere for you darling, turn to Avenida Jaime III avenue. Apart from shopping, there are also great restaurants, hotels and cafés. Just remind you of Santa Catalina as well, for more of a boho experience.

View of the harbour and the beach

Best activities near Palma 

There are plenty of other things you can do in Palma and the surroundings. Everything in Mallorca is within hour distance by car from Palma. Serra de Tramuntana mountains are one of the must see places as it’s on the UNESCO list. You can also visit Alcúdia, the ancient city in the northwest with beautiful beaches and rich history. On south coast, there are several caves, Cuevas del Drach being the biggest with one of the largest underground lakes in the world, hiding inside.

Cuevas del Drach underground lake
Image Source: Official websites of Cuevas del Drach

Last but not least

  • In case of emergency in Mallorca, you can call 122, there is a good distribution of public hospitals with professional medical care and they have one of the fastest ambulance responses in Europe. You can also find a list of open-late pharmacies in the main newspapers (such as Diario de Mallorca).
  • Palma is mostly a safe city, with the petty thieves being the biggest threat. On the other hand, as in all big cities, it’s better to avoid some of the darker areas at night. And flower sellers as well, they will most likely try to rip you off.
  • As the Mallorca island is a part of Spain territory the currency is Euro. To avoid any scams, ask your receptionist for the ATM or exchange office.  

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About me

About me

Hi! I’m Jan. I live in Prague, Czech Republic. I try to experience the best the world has to offer, and I don’t cease to be impressed. But if I’m not, I’m sure going to tell you! You can count on my full honesty and real opinions here. No bullcrap. I own and run several companies, which gives me great (but not unlimited) freedom to roam the world.  

I was first inspired to start this blog by my own experience of researching for upcoming trips—I often struggle with a lack of good information, accuracy, and authenticity of resources. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” don’t even visit the destinations they write about! 

My goal with this blog is to provide you with complex and practical information so that you can plan your own vacation, complete with insights you’d only get if you visited the place. I also put together itineraries that are fully planned out trip guides.

Another aspect that drives this platform is my curiosity about the history, geography, politics, and economy of each country I visit, so I try to include this information in my articles, too. It’s always great to get the bigger picture, right? 

And just to be clear, I am not trying to compete with backpacking blogs or provide hacks for an economical and affordable experience. My vacations follow the standard pattern of traveling by plane, staying in good hotels, and renting a car on the spot to get around. I’m also always up for a fantastic meal, though I don’t shy away from local delicacies and street food, either.  

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