If you are going to travel to the capital of the Balearic Islands, and you are wondering what to visit, what to do or what to see in Palma, we have prepared this guide article in which we explain many suggestions for you to plan your trip. Throughout the year, we have proposed to write different articles or mini travel guides on Palma, so that they can serve as an inspiration to travelers or as a tool to plan their trip. We do not intend to cover everything, much less, but to contribute our grain of sand to those who do not know what to do or what to visit in Palma.
How to go from the airport to Palma?
Image source: civitatis.com
Palma Airport is the third largest passenger traffic in Spain (29 million in 2018) and is located 8 kilometers east of the capital and within its municipality. To go from the airport to Palma there are 2 options:
- Urban bus line 1 connects the airport with the city center and the port. It costs € 5. The line 1 schedule from the airport to the center is from 6.00 am to 1.10 am in winter (November 1 to April 30) and from 6 am to 2.00 am in summer (from May 1 to October 31). Buses run every 15 minutes and take you to Palma in less than half an hour.
- It costs approximately € 20-25.
Palma in winter: what to see and visit
According to click-mallordca.com, traveling to Palma de Mallorca in winter is ideal to get to know the city, and although there are not so many tourists in winter, there is still much to see and do there. And it is that Palma has multiple places of interest spread between the old town and its surroundings.
The first recommendation is to visit the cathedral of Palma. Although in winter there are not the same queues as in summer, you can buy a ticket without queues. As of February, the Diocesan Museum reopens, whose visit will also be included in the entrance ticket.
After visiting the cathedral, we recommend taking a walk through the old town. Stroll around and find small squares, convents, medieval courtyards, small churches … it is a pleasure in winter when there are no typical summer agglomerations in Palma. If we prefer to discover Palma with a guided tour, we have the option of a free tour or a private guided tour.
To eat, we can opt for one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Palma, to treat ourselves. Whether in Adrian Quetglas or Marc Fosh, we will surely enjoy an excellent dining experience. Both remain open in winter. Other options to eat are tapas in the market stalls of Olivar or Santa Catalina, or in the area of the fish market.
We can spend the afternoon visiting the Paseo Marítimo area, approaching the Spanish Village or Bellver Castle, or even hop on hop off hop bus to tour the city of Palma on a 90-minute itinerary. For art lovers and museums, in Palma, we can find the Baluard museum, the Miro foundation or the March museum.
What to see in Palma with children?
Being one of the main tourist destinations in Europe, Mallorca receives many families with children. That is why there are many options for places that you can visit and activities with children both in Palma city and in the surroundings. Here are some suggestions for family fun:
- Palma Aquarium, which opens its new Aquadome in 2019.
- Marineland, with its show of declines and sea lions.
- Some of the water parks, either Western Water Park or Aqualand Arenal.
- Bellver Castle
- Take a boat or catamaran ride through the bay.
- Take a walk through the park of the sea, and enjoy its children’s areas.
- Spend a day at the beach
Walking tours in Palma
Image source: aguadebaleares.com
If you would like to visit the capital of Mallorca, and you are thinking of a guided tour of Palma, we have prepared this post with practical information to help you decide what visit to make, and take advantage of your stay in Palma in the best possible way
The best way to get to know Palma is on a route or guided tour, by the hand of a tour guide, rather than making a route on your own or following articles of routes that you find on the internet. With a tour guide you have the advantages that you should not worry about the map, of knowing if you are on the right street, of getting lost in the streets of the historic center of Palma, and above all, that by the hand of a guide you know all the best details of the monuments and places you pass.
It is not the same to see on the facade of the town hall of Palma a small figure of a snail, which little or nothing suggests us (and that if we find where it is), namely that it is related to the nickname of one of the builders of the building. There is a difference, right?
To this, we must add that the itinerary of the routes made by Palma has been very studied so that during the duration of the visit they can visit the most prominent places in the city.
What to see in Palma for free?
In Palma, there are also some monuments and places that you can visit without spending a single euro. Here are some ideas of free things you can do in Palma:
- Visit Bellver Castle every Sunday is free.
- Visit the Almudaina Palace. every Wednesday and Thursday, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (from October to March) and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (from April to September). Citizens of the European Union and residents (free lockers and access to the Palace an hour before) have free admission.
- Visit in Castillo de San Carlos and its fabulous museum.
- The Marivent gardens can be visited for free, as long as the Royal Family is not in the palace. In that case, from Monday to Sunday they are open from 9 am to 4.30 pm (from October to April 30) and from 9 am to 8 pm (from May 1 to September 30).
- The headquarters of public institutions are also part of the list. The City Council of Palma organizes free guided tours every Sunday: at 11.00 in Catalan and at 12.00 in Spanish. They have a duration of 45 minutes and it is better to book ([email protected]). The Balearic Parliament also includes this offer, although it is not carried out at a particular level but in groups. Guided tours are Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 9 am to 1 pm. In any case, an individual can request the visit and join a group until completing the 20 people in the quota (write to [email protected]).
What to see in Palma from the Port?
Palma has become an important cruise port of call. In all these cruises, excursions around the island and visits to Palma are offered, but for those who prefer to visit Palma on their own, we have a series of recommendations:
- Visit the old town area
- A guided tour of Palma, either paid or in the free tour mode.
- Visit the Cathedral
- Take a walk along the seafront.
- Take the tour with the tourist bus, making stops at the main monuments.
Main attractions in Palma
On a visit to Palma, you cannot miss seeing and visiting these sites:
- The Plaza de Cort, with the building of the town hall and its surroundings with the Plaza de Santa Eulalia and the Plaza Mayor.
- The area of the old Jewish quarter with the church of Montisión and the area of Calatrava.
- Take a walk on the old walls and enjoy the views.
- Stroll through the streets of the historic center, and find medieval courtyards, small museums, convents …
- Visit the monumental area, with the Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace.
- Climb up to Bellver Castle.
- Take a walk, either on foot, by bike or by segway, along the seafront in Palma.
