Palma de Mallorca is the majestic capital of the Spanish Island of Mallorca. It is a vibrant city filled with breathtaking sights of both nature and architecture; it makes for a fabulous cruise day trip.
Your first stop off of the cruise ship, should be a visit to the seaside cathedral, La Seu Cathedral. It was built by Jaume I, on New Year’s day 1230. The cathedral’s towering golden walls and sprawling vastness is an awe-inspiring photo-op.
After touring La Seu Cathedral, a stroll through the charming city would be in order. Sample some local cuisine and check out some of the local art work, while picking up a few mementos.
Palma de Mallorca is the largest city in the Balearic Islands. Its also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, Spain. The city has the largest population in Majorca and shares the status as capital with Inca, an adjacent minor urban center. Many tourists visit Palma de Mallorca to take part in its vibrant nightlife. This includes clubs, bars, street parties and concerts, with most of them occurring at Sa Penya – one of the oldest parts of Palma de Mallorca – or in Port d’Alcudia.
The beaches
One of its most famous landmarks is Playas de Palma. It’s a long beach with fine golden sand and crystal clear water that goes on for about 6 miles (and a whole 1.5 km wide in some places!). It’s surrounded by palm trees and there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants nearby. A beautiful blue flag, awarded by the European Union for its waters, seals it as one of Europe’s finest beaches. Watch out for those pesky jellyfish though!
The architecture
In town, you’ll find some of Spain’s most unique architectural sites. The city is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its spectacular collection of historic buildings that were constructed over hundreds of years.
The food and drink
If there’s one thing that really defines Spain, it’s great food and drink. Spain has a huge range of wine from different regions (principally in La Rioja, Riberas del Duero, Penedès and Catalunya), an enormous range of cheeses (principally in Castilla-León, Galicia and Aragón) as well as some fantastic seafood including jamon iberico or leche frita.
The history and culture
The capital of Mallorca, Palma is a bustling city filled with amazing historical architecture and cultural landmarks. From Cathedral of Santa Maria and its historic clock tower, to Fortalesza, a 13th-century castle built by Arab invaders (now home to Catalonia’s regional parliament), there’s a reason people still talk about the island of Majorica today.
Weather in Palma de Mallorca
Palma’s climate is warm year-round, with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 F). But it’s especially great in winter. Daily highs are normally over 15 degrees (59 F) but it can get up to 25 degrees (77 F), making for perfect weather. Even during summer you’ll find cool, breezy days and lots of sunshine. This makes Palma a great vacation destination all year round!
Nightlife in Palma de Mallorca?
Nightlife in Palma de Mallorca is famous for a number of good reasons. The most popular of these are El Bierzo, Pacha, and Mojito. This is where you’ll find dancing, entertainment and people from all over Europe socializing with locals and each other on a nightly basis.
Shopping in Palma de Mallorca?
There are many shopping centers in Palma de Mallorca, but if you want to shop at a typical Spanish marketplace with plenty of bargains, head to Mercado l’Almudaina. You can also find a variety of traditional markets and shopping streets in town, including Calle Son Canals, where there is an antiques market on Wednesdays.
Pearls
Your second most important stop would be the Majorca Pearls Factory Shop. They offer a free guided tour of their manufacturing process, a museum of their beautiful pearls as well as a shop to purchase some beautiful Pearl-inspired jewelry. Shopping aside, Palma de Mallorca is known for it’s cultural events, festivals and fairs; hopefully you’ll be arriving during one of the many festivals like Nit de L’Arte. This is an art and wine festival in September, or TaPalma a tapas-tasting route in October.
After spending a day sight-seeing and shopping, catch one of the public buses to the Cruise ship. Before boarding the boat, bid Palma de Mallorca farewell. Take a few more evening photos and promise to return again soon.
