Perfect day in Palma de Mallorca

Palma is the capital of the Spanish island of Mallorca, and we started our week long holiday in Mallorca by spending one day there exploring its old town and enjoying food in its great restaurants. Regardless of the island still having a reputation of a tourist trap we thoroughly enjoyed our stay both in Palma and elsewhere on the island.

Here my tips for a perfect day and night in Palma.

Cathedral de Mallorca (La Seu)

When arriving in the old city of the Roman empire which is nowadays called Palma, you’re very very unlikely to miss the most impressive sight in Palma, the La Seu cathedral. And let me tell you: it is huge – even more so in comparison to the city surrounding it. I was totally blown away when arriving to the city by car from the airport.

The construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma (or often referred as La Seu) was started in 1229 and the work was completed only in 1601. It’s nave is 44 metres tall, which is only 4 metres less than that of the world’s highest Gothic cathedral.

Visiting the cathedral is free of charge and beyond admiring it from the outside I strongly advice also going inside – just remember to check the opening times here.

Old Town and Paseo Maritimo

When people list sights to see they often list museums and sights. And there is plenty of those also in Palma, such as the Almudaina Palace, which is king’s official residence.  For me, however, the best part of Palma beyond exploring the Cathedral was exploring the narrows streets of its historic center.

And when you get tired of the tiny alleys, you can go exploring the seaside along the Paseo Maritimo and the walls along the Passeig dalt Murada.

Enjoying Spanish Tapas

Palma is full of treasures for foodies such as myself, and many places need to be booked in advance especially during tourist season. During my one day stay in Palma I was lucky enough to visit two great places, both focusing on Spanish cuisine.

Bar Espana

Bar Espana, regardless it’s very touristic name, is a traditional casual tapas bar where I had an amazing lunch. I mostly relied on their recommendations having not always even been sure what I was eating in this small restaurant. But it was all delicious, and affordable. And the tinto de verrano was also pretty delicious 😉

Ambigu

Ambigu is located in the small alleys of the historic center, and offers both indoor and outdoor seating for the lovers of Spanish food. Their menu consists both of tapas and main courses, and my plate of octopus on top of potatoes was absolutely perfectly cooked. I only wish there would have been a little more octopus and bit less potatoes. The service was impeccable and friendly, definitely a good choice!

Hotel Born

Given how much I travel I rarely get blown away by hotels. But there was something about Hotel Born, and I think it had something to do with the Spanish courtyard to which the doors of the french balcony in my room opened to. It felt like being in a different time, while at the same time service was great and the room of high quality. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not 5* hotel and some aspects of it could do with a bit of renovation, but I absolutely loved it. And the great breakfast enjoyed in the courtyard was definitely a bonus too 🙂

Summary

All in all, I really enjoyed Palma and would love to go there again and spend even more time exploring its restaurants and streets. It’s a perfect destination for a long weekend and not to be missed when visiting Mallorca!

For details of all the places I visited (addresses, websites, etc.) during my one week in Mallorca click here.

 

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