Palma de Mallorca rewards visitors who look beyond the beach resorts with its Gothic cathedral rising above the harbour, atmospheric old town lanes, and excellent tapas bars, all with direct access to some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful coves and mountains. The Serra de Tramuntana — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape — and the island's empty northern roads make it as compelling for walkers and cyclists as for beach-seekers.
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Quick facts
Timezone
Madrid
Currency
€ EUR
Language
Spanish
City transfer
~20 min
Bus / Taxi / Car rental
Best time to visit
best weatherdeals available
Don't miss
La Seu Cathedral at sunrise from the harbour promenade — the Gothic bulk of it lit orange and reflecting in the water is one of the great Mediterranean sights. Go inside mid-morning to see Gaudí's canopy above the altar, which he redesigned between 1904-1914 and which still divides opinion spectacularly.
Mercat de l'Olivar on a Saturday morning — Palma's covered market with the best local sobrassada (paprika sausage), ensaïmades (the spiral pastry unique to Mallorca), and fresh Mallorcan almonds. Eat breakfast at the market bar with locals, not at your hotel.
Drive the Ma-10 mountain road through the Tramuntana range (UNESCO World Heritage) to the village of Valldemossa — go on a weekday, leave by 8 AM to arrive before coach tours, and continue north to Sóller for lunch at a terrace restaurant overlooking orange groves.
Cala Deià is a tiny boulder cove accessible only by a steep 20-minute path down from the village of Deià — bring water shoes, no facilities, and arrive before 11 AM in summer. The water is the clearest turquoise on the island's north coast.
Weekend itinerary · 3 days
Day 1
La Seu Cathedral & Almudaina Palace
Start at the cathedral — book timed entry online (€9) to avoid the queue and arrive at opening (10 AM). The Gaudí canopy and the rose window are the highlights. The Almudaina Palace next door is underwhelming by comparison; skip it if time is short.
Arab Baths & Old Town Lanes
Walk up into the old town and find the 10th-century Arab Baths (Banys Àrabs) on Carrer Serra — a tiny, peaceful garden courtyard with original Moorish columns. Then wander Carrer dels Oms and the streets around the Plaça Major.
Passeig des Born at Sunset
Palma's grand boulevard lined with plane trees — the evening paseo is a genuine local ritual, not a tourist performance. Sit at one of the terrace cafés with a glass of local Binissalem red and watch the city slow down.
Simply Fosh
Marc Fosh's brasserie in the Convent de la Missió boutique hotel — the best value fine-dining lunch menu in Palma, local ingredients done with restraint and precision.
Day 2
Mercat de l'Olivar
Saturday morning market breakfast — grab an ensaïmada and a café con leche at the market bar, then browse the sobrassada and olive oil stalls. It's a genuine working market, not a tourist food hall.
Es Baluard Museum of Modern Art
Built into a 16th-century bastion at the sea's edge — the rooftop terrace alone is worth the €7 entry fee, with views across the bay to the cathedral. The collection focuses on Mediterranean modernism.
Harbour Walk to Portixol
Walk east along the seafront promenade from the cathedral all the way to the fishing village of Portixol (45 minutes, flat) — the village has been gentrified but the small fishing harbour still has working boats and a relaxed pace.
Ca'n Joan de S'Aigo
Palma's oldest café, open since 1700 — come for the house-made almond ice cream and ensaïmada in one of the back rooms tiled floor-to-ceiling in antique azulejos. A completely Mallorcan experience.
Day 3
Day Trip to Valldemossa
Rent a car or take the bus (line 210) to Valldemossa — the mountain village where Chopin and George Sand wintered is genuinely lovely if you arrive before 10 AM. The monastery cells they occupied are open to visit.
Sóller & Orange Groves
Continue north on the Ma-10 to Sóller — the Art Nouveau town in a valley of orange groves. The vintage tram from Sóller town to Port de Sóller runs every hour (€7 return) and is one of Mallorca's great short rides.
Return via Raixa Gardens
Stop at the Raixa estate gardens on the way back to Palma — 18th-century Italian-style terraced gardens with stairways, fountains, and views. Free entry, completely overlooked by most visitors.
Sa Plaça, Sóller
On Sóller's main square — straightforward Mallorcan cooking (tumbet, roast lamb, orange tart) at fair prices in an unassuming setting that locals actually use.
Travel tips
- →Rent a car to reach the best beaches
- →Shoulder season avoids peak crowds and prices
- →Water taxis connect main bays cheaply in summer
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