Tours of Palma

Since Palma’s old town is a compact and well put together city with attractions situated close together, walking is the preferred method of getting around. You can take a guided half-day or full-day city tour to gain insightful knowledge into the key attractions or go at your own pace with a good street map.

Palma is a city of elegant shopping streets, rambling avenues, wide boulevards and a selection of outstanding architectural treasures left over from the occupying Moors and Christian Crusaders. The old quarter is the main place to go for sightseeing and is loaded with trendy cafés, tapas bars and fine restaurants.

Key attractions on a tour of Palma:

Gothic cathedral (La Seu): is the undisputed king of sights in Palma and Majorca. Set on the beautiful Palma Bay (Palma de Bahia) with the city’s web of ramblas snaking up and away from the town in the background, La Seu took 500 years to construct and it contains many treasures. When lit up at night the cathedral is nothing short of magnificent.

Almudaina Palace (Palau de l'Almudaina): stands opposite the great cathedral and is another of Palma’s key sights. This simple, yet striking fortress constructed by the Moors was later a royal residence and seat of government for Majorca. The grounds of the palace offer delightful strolling opportunities and there are some excellent tapestries inside.

Museum of Contemporary Spanish Art (Museu d'Art Espanyol Contemporani): resides in an attractive mansion on Carrer Sant Miquel and contains masterpieces by Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Antoni Tapies and Juan Gris.

Arab Bathhouse (Banys Arabs): is located in the medieval quarter in the finest Moorish building in Palma and should feature on any tour of Palma. A large dome covers the baths and is supported by 12 slightly different massive columns, while the courtyard, where in the past aristocrats would cool off after a hard day’s bathing and socialising, is a haven of simple beauty.

Other important historical sights in Palma include the Gothic Llotja (market exchange) on the seafront, with its opulent interior, and the early 14th century double moated Castell del Bellver that sits atop a hill and is now home to Palma’s Municipal Museum.

Palma is a port town but it doesn’t have any beaches within walking distance. Cala Mayor, lying just southwest of Palma, is the nearest major beach area, while nearby is Sant Agusti and the German orientated resort of El Arenal.

Shopping
Palma is widely known as a shopping mecca, with an abundance of streets, arcades and stores selling everything from locally produced handicrafts and pearls to international products from every corner of the globe. Avinguda Jaume III is the city’s premier shopping thoroughfare, with elegant shops and expensive stores, while Carrer Platería, Passeig des Born and Sant Miquel also offer numerous choices.

Nightlife
After your tour of Palma, the tangled web of streets supplies a huge choice of venues to eat and drink, with numerous tapas bars, traditional Catalan and Majorcan restaurants and a hectic, yet enjoyable nightlife to match. Paseo Marítimo and Casco Antiguo are Palma’s main social areas, both with smart restaurants, bars and discos, while nearby Gomila district is popular among the gay and lesbian community.