Palma de Mallorca – travel guide for one day

“What do you want in Palma de Mallorca?”

Good question. What do I want there?

The capital of Mallorca is often used as a synonym for all the existing clichés of the typical Mallorca holidaymaker. Who hasn’t seen them, the images of young men and women sharing a kettle of sangria filled with colored drinking straws and already standing on shaky legs in the early afternoon. For a long time, these pictures kept me away from a trip to Mallorca and there were times when I was even proud to be able to say “I’ve never been to Mallorca”. It’s proof that I go on holiday in style. But once again I was proven wrong. Mallorca is not just made up of clichés and there is no 365-day tourist botéllon in Palma de Mallorca. Quite the opposite. Palma de Mallorca has more than impressed me with its charming corners, narrow streets, cozy beach bars and impressive sights. Hats off! And that’s why I recommend that instead of visiting the capital only as part of a day trip, as most tourists do, bring a little more time and spend the night in Palma itself at least once. What you can do in one day, I have listed below.

7:00 Sunrise

There don’t seem to be any morning people in Palma de Mallorca. Until shortly before 10 a.m., the city dozes off. We take advantage of the morning freshness and tranquility for a long walk to the fortress Castell de Bellver, which towers high above the harbour and offers a fantastic view over the city centre of Palma. Apart from an elderly gentleman walking his dog, we didn’t meet anyone up here and quietly enjoyed the view of the slowly awakening city.

9:00 Coffee

Getting a coffee before 9 a.m. is not so easy in Palma de Mallorca. Café El Central is open early right next to the Forn des Teatre (Plaça de Weyler 9). A café con leche with an ensaimada – a typical Mallorcan pastry – is available here for 3.50 euros. A popular coffee meeting place is the Fibonacci bakeries, which are spread out in various locations around the city. The stores were founded by a Norwegian lawyer who moved to Mallorca for love and at the same time ventured into new professional territory. The stores are super cozy and in addition to good coffee there is also delicious cake. “Cappuccino” is another chain with various locations in Palma. A good starting point for the subsequent discovery tour through the old town is the Cappuccino Palau March right next to the Almudaina (Carrer del Conquistador 13). For refreshment, order muesli with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. Wonderfully refreshing.

11:00

On your first visit to Palma de Mallorca, you can’t ignore the main sights. After a look at the paradisiacal garden S’Hort del Rei, right in front of the Palau de la Almudaina, we head to the Catedral la Seu. The impressive building shapes the cityscape of Palma like no other building and is visible from afar. The cathedral opens its doors to visitors at 10:00 am. Between 10:00 and 11:00 in the morning, when the sunlight shines directly through the colorful rose window, the cathedral shines in the colorful rainbow light. Truly a magical moment. The entrance fee for adults is 6 euros. We then walk along Carrer de Palau Reial to the church of Santa Eulelia and from there on to the Franciscan monastery of Sant Francesc, which impresses us with its magnificent cloister (entrance fee 3 euros).

13:00

After so many impressive architectural impressions, we are ready for a break at the harbor. Right at the end of Passeig des Born is the Mar de Nudos restaurant, with a beautiful sun terrace and views of the imposing yachts anchored in the harbour. Right next to it is a viewing platform that overlooks the harbour facilities. Up here you can stay longer and enjoy the warm spring sun. If your stomach is rumbling, head to the Can Eduardo restaurant (Carrer Contramoll Mollet), which is located in an exquisite location directly above the fish market of Palma’s old town and offers a magnificent view. We toast with a glass of cava and order the freshly caught fish.

15:00

After the sumptuous lunch, we take a leisurely stroll past the Llotja de Palma and admire the Gothic architecture of the former maritime trading exchange, which now houses art exhibitions. Just a few metres further on, the path leads up to the Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The new museum building was ingeniously built into the existing structure of the former city wall. The entrance fee is 6 euros. You don’t necessarily have to have an affinity for art to visit the museum. Outside, the restaurant beckons with comfortable lounge chairs, delicious-looking club sandwiches and a panoramic view of the harbour district, Santa Catarina and the old town. The ideal place for an extended siesta.

17:00

If you are not tired yet, you can use the remaining time for an extended stroll through the winding alleys of Palma. I particularly liked the area between the Jardin de sa Faixana and the Mercado de Santa Catalina. Among other things, there are old windmills and pretty backyards to discover here. In addition, in contrast to the old town, this part of the city is not yet touristy at all. This is where the locals move.

The Plaza Mayor, on the other hand, is very touristy. But the detour is always worth it, as there are some magnificent examples of Catalan Art Nouveau architecture to discover on the way there. If you then follow Carrer de Sant Miquel in a northerly direction, you will pass the Mercat de l’Olivar. The colours and smells in this market hall fog all the senses. It is impressive what an abundance of fruits, vegetables, fish and meat is offered here.

19:00

To enjoy the sun until the last moment, it is best to go to the beach in the evening. From the old town, a wide waterfront promenade leads to the Portixol district. About halfway along the route is the Anima Beach Club, which offers a great backdrop. If you don’t want to consume anything, you can just sit on the pier and watch the fishermen. No matter where you sit down, this relaxed atmosphere will definitely give you a holiday feeling.

21:00

My top tip in terms of culinary discoveries is dedicated to Bros Palma. The hip restaurant is located in the trendy district of Santa Catalina. Admittedly, with the stylish interior design, the restaurant has already completely wrapped me around my finger, even before I have eaten anything. The starter and dessert convinced us culinarily. The main course was – unfortunately – mediocre. Nevertheless, thumbs up! This is also where the locals eat. Equal alternatives are the quirky restaurant Cortazar (Calle Protectora 6), which can be perceived from the outside as a living room instead of a restaurant. The personal touch gives you the feeling of being a guest at a friend’s house. Also small is the wine shop and tapas bar 13% (Calle San Feliu 13a). It is recommended to make a reservation here. The 6-course tapas tasting menu (19:50 euros) guides you through a culinarily entertaining evening.

23:00

The digestive walk takes us once again towards the harbour, where we admire the view of the cathedral illuminated at night. Buenas Noche Palma de Mallorca.

For us, April was ideal as a travel time, as the city is not yet overrun by tourists at this time of year. It is also worth checking briefly when large cruise ships anchor in the port of Palma and also avoiding these dates. The guided groups can take over the cityscape quite a bit, depending on the crowd. The old town of Palma de Mallorca is compact and the sights are within walking distance. From the airport to the center we took bus no. 1. The line connects the airport with the old town and the port every 15 minutes (ticket price: 3 euros). Otherwise, we were only on foot.

As a central tip for overnight stays, I can recommend the Brondo Architect Hotel. The location directly on the Passeig des Born in walking distance to all sights is really unbeatable. The only downside to the relatively small but stylishly furnished rooms is the noise level. You can hear everything! A possible alternative with slightly better soundproofing and sea views (depending on the room) is the Hotel Costa Azul, which is located directly on the port. The interior design is modern and the price-performance ratio is right. If the receptionist hadn’t wanted to sell us an upgrade when we arrived after 11:00 p.m. and a single booked night (and had written down all the upgrade options on a piece of paper for what felt like 10 minutes), it would have been perfect.

Merken