Palma de Mallorca – Highlights, Old Town & Best Tips

Palma de Mallorca is far more than the place where you land at the airport and head straight to your hotel. The island's capital is one of the most beautiful cities on the Mediterranean – a vibrant mix of Gothic architecture, Moorish heritage, narrow Old Town alleys with hidden courtyards, trendy neighbourhoods and a waterfront promenade that would make any major city jealous. With around 420,000 inhabitants, Palma is urban enough for great restaurants, museums and nightlife, yet compact enough to explore on foot in one or two days.

This guide shows you the 10 best highlights in Palma de Mallorca – with opening hours, admission prices, parking tips and honest recommendations to help you make the most of your day.

1. La Seu Cathedral – Gothic Masterpiece by the Sea

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The Catedral de Santa María de Palma, known to everyone simply as La Seu, is the undisputed landmark of Mallorca and one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals in Europe. King Jaume II had it built from 1229 on the foundations of a Moorish mosque – it was not completed until 1601. What makes La Seu so unique is its location right on the water's edge and the largest Gothic rose window in the world, with a diameter of 13.8 metres and 1,236 pieces of glass.

Twice a year, around 2 February and 11 November, the morning light falls through the rosette in such a way that a perfect circle of light is projected onto the opposite wall – the famous Festa de la Llum (Festival of Light). Inside the cathedral, Antoni Gaudí also left his mark: between 1904 and 1914 he redesigned the altar area and the wrought-iron canopy.

2. Royal Palace La Almudaina – 1,000 Years of History

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Right next to the cathedral stands the Palau Reial de l'Almudaina – one of the oldest still-used royal palaces in Europe. The building has Moorish roots from the 10th century, was converted into a Gothic residence by the Aragonese kings in the 14th century and still serves today as the official summer residence of the Spanish royal family (although King Felipe VI stays at the nearby Marivent Palace).

Most of the palace is open to visitors: the Gothic staterooms with Flemish tapestries from the 16th and 17th centuries, the Romanesque-style Santa Ana Chapel, the S'Hort del Rei garden with its fountains and the Joan Miró-designed "Egg" sculpture. From the terrace you get one of the best views of the cathedral and the Parc de la Mar.

3. Old Town & Courtyards – The Patios of Palma

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Palma's Old Town (Casc Antic) is a labyrinth of narrow lanes, honey-coloured sandstone facades and heavy wooden portals. The real highlight lies behind these portals: the patios – magnificent courtyards that have reflected the wealth of Mallorcan noble families since the 15th century. There are over 60 historic patios in the Old Town, many of which are freely accessible.

The finest examples can be found on Carrer de Can Savellà, Carrer del Sol and around the Plaça de Cort (with the over 600-year-old olive tree in front of the town hall). Particularly worth seeing: Can Oleza (Carrer del Morey 9) with its elegant freestanding staircase and Casal Solleric on Paseo del Borne, which today serves as an exhibition space. Every Saturday the town hall offers free patio tours – register at the Tourist Information on Plaça de la Reina.

4. Paseo del Borne & Shopping Boulevard

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The Paseo del Borne (Passeig des Born) is Palma's grand boulevard – a wide, plane tree-shaded promenade reminiscent of Barcelona's Ramblas. Here you'll find Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Zara Home and Carolina Herrera side by side. But the Borne is more than shopping: the elegant townhouses on both sides are among the most beautiful in the city, and at the southern end the boulevard opens up towards the sea.

From Plaça del Rei Joan Carles I at the upper end, it's just a few minutes' walk to Avenida Jaume III – the second major shopping street with a mix of designer stores and local boutiques. For independent fashion and concept stores, turn into Carrer de Sant Feliu: here you'll find small labels, ceramic art and handmade leather goods.

5. Bellver Castle – Circular Fortress with Panoramic Views

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About three kilometres west of the Old Town, Bellver Castle sits on a 112-metre-high hill – and it is truly unique: completed in 1309, the castle is one of the few circular fortresses in Europe. The name comes from Catalan: bell veer – beautiful view. And the view is indeed breathtaking: a 360-degree panorama over the entire Bay of Palma, the cathedral, the harbour and, on a clear day, all the way to Cabrera.

Inside, the castle houses the Museum of City History with finds from Roman times to the 19th century. The circular inner courtyard with its Gothic arcade arches is architecturally fascinating and serves as an open-air stage for summer concerts. The surrounding Bellver Forest (the largest urban woodland in Palma) is ideal for a walk or a jog.

6. Mercat de l'Olivar & Mercat de Santa Catalina – Eat Like the Locals

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If you want to taste the authentic side of Palma, head to the markets. The Mercat de l'Olivar (Plaça de l'Olivar) is the city's largest covered market and a paradise for food lovers: freshly caught fish, sobrassada (Mallorca's famous paprika sausage), hundreds of olive varieties, ripe tomàtigues de ramellet and freshly squeezed orange juice for 2 EUR. At the fish hall counters you can order fresh oysters, prawns or squid directly – with a glass of white wine, you'll be eating like the Mallorcans.

Even trendier is the Mercat de Santa Catalina in the neighbourhood of the same name. The smaller, more intimate market has become a gastronomic hotspot: alongside the classic stalls you'll find sushi, craft beer, vegan bowls and tapas bars with vermouth at stools between the stands. Saturdays and Sundays are busy – but that's exactly when the atmosphere is at its best.

7. Harbour & Paseo Marítimo – Waterfront Promenade

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The Paseo Marítimo is Palma's vibrant waterfront – a roughly five-kilometre-long promenade stretching from the cruise port in the west to the Portitxol quarter in the east. On one side the sea and yachts, on the other palm-lined avenues, restaurants and bars – especially in the evening the Paseo reveals its full charm as the city lights reflect in the water.

At the Moll Vell (old harbour) the ferries depart for Ibiza and Barcelona. Next to it is the Club de Mar with superyachts that you can admire at your leisure. In the former fishing quarter Portitxol at the eastern end of the Paseo, you'll find some of the city's best fish restaurants – here you dine outdoors with sea views, away from the tourist crowds. The entire Paseo has a separate cycle lane and is ideal for a bike or e-scooter tour.

8. Es Baluard – Museum of Modern Art

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In a spectacularly converted bastion of the old 16th-century city wall lies the Museu d'Art Contemporani Es Baluard – Palma's most important museum of modern and contemporary art. The collection includes works by Miró, Picasso, Barceló, Tàpies and changing international exhibitions. But the building itself is just as impressive as the art: the architects have merged the historic fortress wall with modern concrete and glass structures.

From the rooftop terrace walkway you get a fantastic panoramic view of the cathedral, the harbour and the sea. This walkway is freely accessible even without a museum ticket. The in-house café on the terrace is one of the most beautiful spots in Palma for a coffee with a view.

9. Banys Àrabs – Arab Baths from the 10th Century

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Hidden in a quiet lane of the Old Town (Carrer de Can Serra 7) lie the Banys Àrabs – the best-preserved Arab baths in the Balearic Islands and one of the few remnants of Moorish rule over Mallorca. The small complex dates from the 10th or 11th century and consists of a tepidarium (warm bath room) with twelve columns supporting a domed vault with star-shaped openings. Each column is different – they were recycled from various Roman and Byzantine buildings.

After visiting the compact but atmospheric interior, the path leads into an idyllic garden with orange trees, cacti and benches for relaxing. The entire visit takes only 15 to 20 minutes, but offers a wonderful counterpoint to the Gothic architecture of the rest of the Old Town.

10. Santa Catalina Quarter – Bars, Boutiques & Street Art

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West of the Old Town, behind the Es Baluard Museum, begins the Barrio Santa Catalina – Palma's trendiest neighbourhood. The former fishing quarter has evolved in recent years into the epicentre of the dining and bar scene, without losing its character. In the narrow streets you'll find cocktail bars, wine bistros, international restaurants and small concept stores side by side.

Carrer de Fàbrica and Carrer de Sant Magí are the main arteries of the quarter. Here you'll find everything: from a Mallorcan breakfast (Pa amb oli with tomàtiga and olive oil) to creative tapas to a Japanese izakaya. On Fridays and Saturdays, Santa Catalina is Palma's going-out quarter – the terraces fill up from 8 pm. On the building walls you'll discover street art by local and international artists, and the Mercat de Santa Catalina (see point 6) forms the heart of the quarter.

Your Perfect Day in Palma – Route & Schedule

Here's how to make the most of a day in Palma – this route connects all the highlights on foot:

Conclusion: Palma de Mallorca Is an Underrated Gem

Many Mallorca visitors head straight from the airport to their beach resort, missing one of the most fascinating cities in the Mediterranean. Palma combines Gothic grandeur and Moorish heritage with a modern lifestyle – where else can you stroll through medieval courtyards in the morning, eat fresh oysters at the market at noon, visit a circular castle in the afternoon and sip a cocktail with sea views along the Paseo Marítimo in the evening?

Set aside at least one full day for Palma – the city deserves it. And if you want to explore the island afterwards, a convertible from Cabriomallorca.com is the perfect companion: from 40 EUR/day, no deposit, with full coverage and airport service.