Palma · ES
Palma de Mallorca: Old Town & Cathedral Highlights
From the great seafront cathedral of La Seu through the Gothic lanes, Arab baths and arcaded squares of the Mallorcan capital.
What's the walk about?
Welcome to Palma, the sunny capital of Mallorca and the Balearic Islands, a Mediterranean city of golden stone, Gothic grandeur and seafaring history, far richer and more sophisticated than its reputation as a holiday island might suggest. On this gentle loop through the old town we begin with the classic view of the mighty seafront cathedral, step into a royal palace that was once a Moorish fortress, discover ancient Arab baths, visit a Gothic basilica holding the tomb of Mallorca's great medieval genius, and wander the arcaded squares, olive-shaded plazas and elegant boulevards of the island capital, ending at a jewel of a medieval trading hall by the sea. Enjoy the island light and the easy Mediterranean pace.
What you'll see
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1
Parc de la Mar
Park
A seafront park with a large artificial lake that mirrors the great cathedral, created when the coastal road was built, and decorated with a ceramic mural by the artist Joan Miró.
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2
Catedral de Mallorca
Cathedral
A colossal Gothic cathedral rising dramatically above the sea, known as La Seu, with one of the tallest naves and largest rose windows in Europe, and an interior reimagined by Gaudí and a modern artist.
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3
Palau de l'Almudaina
Palace
The royal palace of Palma, standing beside the cathedral, originally a Moorish fortress converted by the medieval kings, and still an official residence of the Spanish crown.
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4
Banys Àrabs
Historic Baths
A rare and atmospheric survival of Moorish Palma, a small domed Arab bathhouse from around the tenth to twelfth century, set in a quiet garden, among the few remnants of the Muslim city.
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5
Basílica de Sant Francesc
Basilica
A grand Gothic Franciscan basilica with a serene arcaded cloister, holding the tomb of Ramon Llull, the medieval Mallorcan philosopher, mystic and pioneer, one of the island's greatest figures.
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6
Església de Santa Eulàlia
Church
One of the oldest and tallest Gothic churches in Palma, at the heart of the old town, closely tied to the Christian conquest of the island and its medieval kings.
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7
Plaça Major
Square
Palma's elegant arcaded main square, a harmonious rectangle of ochre buildings lined with cafes and artisan market stalls, built on the site of the former headquarters of the Inquisition.
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8
Plaça de Cort
Square
The civic heart of Palma, home to the handsome old town hall with its carved wooden eaves, and dominated by a gnarled, ancient olive tree said to be around a thousand years old.
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9
Passeig del Born
Boulevard
Palma's elegant, tree-lined central boulevard, laid out along a former riverbed and once a place of jousting tournaments, now a gracious promenade of plane trees, benches and grand buildings.
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10
Sa Llotja
Monument
A perfect gem of civil Gothic architecture near the seafront, a fifteenth-century merchants' exchange with slender spiralling columns, recalling the age when Mallorca was a great Mediterranean trading power.
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