It can be quite difficult in Europe to find a city, with a variety of culture and things to do, that is also close to a beach. Palma de Mallorca however, managed to tick all the boxes. Despite roasting in 35-degree weather, we still managed to see several attractions. Keep reading for my top 10 things to do.
1. Day Trip to Soller
Take an old fashioned, wooden train into the mountainous town of Soller. The train ride itself is a unique experience, taking you through small towns and suburbs of Mallorca. Once you get to Soller, there is a wide variety of cafes, bars and restaurants and shops. Take a walk through the beautiful streets with dream catchers hanging between buildings and rainbow flags cascading through the square. Then take the tram to the coast and go for a swim in the Port de Soller. This is highly recommended and a full day out only costs 30 euros
2. See Palma’s Landmark – La Seu Cathedral
Take a visit to the Roman Catholic cathedral located in Palma centre. The beautiful gothic architecture overlooks the whole centre and appears golden in the sun. Take a walk inside for 8 euros and see the beautiful stain glass windows and church naves.
3. Take a Stroll Through the Old Town
Simply walking through the medieval streets with no destination in mind is something you must do whilst visiting Palma. Look up at the close quartered, gothic buildings and enjoy the century-old interior patios and Spanish style shutters on windows. Drapes of flowers and vinery cascading the sides of buildings. This type of scenery is so easily missed, yet so fascinating to walk through. Stumble across antique shops with books and furniture or even a vintage vespa outlet. Notice the exterior of an ice cream shop. The old town is filled with so much rich history and architecture as well as much more.
Find a wide variety of cocktail bars, wineries, tapas, restaurants or other delicatessens, there is something to tickle all taste buds.
Recommendation: go for food at Koa, a bit pricey, but the food is delicious and worth it. A selection of tapas and mains; meats and fish it has many options. Also try a cocktail, perhaps a spicey margherita.
4. Visit Palma Nova
A day at the beach will be high up on things to do in the Spanish heat. If you’re on a budget or wanting a cheaper day, you can fill up a day here by sunbathing or swimming in the sea. Along the coast there are even several cafes and restaurants, one of which ‘Jolly Stars’ does pints for 3 euros as well as toasties for 2 euros. You can even buy volleyballs, ping pong ball / racket from the local supermarket. If you don’t mind a bit of expense, there are plenty more activities you can do such as, jet skiing, banana boat rides, pedalos and paddle boarding. Magaluf beach is just a short taxi or bus ride away.
5. Stroll Through Markets
Adjacent to the coast of Palma centre, there is a market each evening. As the day starts to cool down and you start to feel able to explore outside, this is an interesting spot to visit. Take a stroll past numerous stalls selling hand crafted jewellery, paintings and carved vinyls. If you enjoy markets or even staying in an Airbnb and want to cook one night, go visit Mercat de I’Olivar, which is a large indoor market selling lots of local food.
6. Experience Palma Nightlife
In and around Palma, there are numerous bars and clubs all with something different to offer. From salsa dancing to techno club nights. Palma is the largest town in Mallorca so you would expect to find something that fits your taste. Take a walk adjacent to the sea front to find a strip of bars, some more relaxed for drinks and nibbles and others for dancing. Also located here is club Social ranging from techno to hip hop to Latin. The outside is enough to intrigue you with greenery, bright lights and palm trees decorating the building. Inside DJs such as Green Velvet play on certain nights. Tip: buy your ticket beforehand, we found someone selling tickets nearby and were glad we did as we were told we may not have got in otherwise.
7. Visit a Hidden 16th Century Cocktail Bar
Abaco, located in the Old Town is a unique and somewhat surreal bar. Albeit quite expensive, but it does not disappoint and is worth a visit even for one drink. As you walk in there are cascades of flowers and fruit surrounding the room and a grand staircase, which automatically grabs your attention. A large bar area and behind this, an entrance to an outside terrace with fountains. We sat at the bar and the cocktails were on point. As you walk upstairs, thinking you are just looking for the toilets, you stumble across a whole layout of an old 16th century manor. Walk through an old-styled kitchen and dining rooms and onto the balcony to overlook the terrace area. This bar was a must visit. The only downside was no air-conditioning even during the height of summer.
8. Walk up to Bellver Castle
Overlooking Palma, this is something you want to visit. This is a gothic-styled castle on a hill to the west of Palma. Built in the 14th century, it is one of the few circular castles in the whole of Europe. As well as an important piece of history and culture in Palma, there are also stunning views of the bay, which will be deserving after a climb to the top.
9. Take a Walk or Cycle Across the Promenade
A key highlight and something you cannot miss is the wide promenade that stretches for miles along the seafront. Look out at the many yachts and clear blue water. Then as the sun sets see as all the colours change. Walk as far as a beach or stop off at a restaurant along the way for some fresh seafood.
10. Stroll through the Paseo del Borne
Known as ‘the golden mile’ the tree-lined streets of Paseo del Borne are perfect and picturesque. The sun hits stunningly on the building and shines through the trees. Enjoy a walk through the elegant avenue uniting high street shops and luxury designers. This is now one of the most well-known shopping streets in Mallorca.
After spending a relaxing, but very hot week here I would recommend visiting to anyone. I would however, recommend visiting in September as July heat can prevent you from wanting to do as much.
