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March 2020, Palma de Mallorca – Spain

Happiness in winter is… going back to Spain!

Spain has become our no.1 escape for the off-season. Whatever we tried: Barcelona, Madrid, Tenerife, Malaga or Palma this year, we had an amazing time and forgot for a while what real winter feels like.

So if you’re looking for a sunny island with delicious tapas, sangria wine, beautiful architecture and warm people, Palma de Mallorca is a great choice.

Below we will show you a full day itinerary in Palma de Mallorca, so you can make the most out of it even in 1 day.

If you’re staying longer, better for you! Outside this itinerary there is plenty of time to look for hidden gems, hit the beach, take some day trips on the island, or just enjoy the sunny days from the roof terrace of your hotel with a cocktail in hand (yeap, guilty 🙂 ).

FULL DAY ITINERARY IN PALMA DE MALLORCA

As soon as we land in Palma, the pleasant 20 degrees and smell of spring in the air put a huge smile on my face. This is the place!

Reaching the hotel in less than half an hour by bus, we’re surprised to find out there’s a cool rooftop on the 9^th floor, a spa area down below, while the heated pool seems to be empty. Even more, a bottle of canva sparkling wine is getting ready for us as a welcome gift. 😀

As we’re taking a first pulse of the city by night, a beautiful pink sunset takes over the sky. And far in the distance, we already spot an intriguing castle on top of a hill!

Next day we hit the road. Let’s see what we discover!

• CASTELL DE BELLVER
  

Even though it looks pretty close on the map, getting on top of the hill ends up frequently with an ‘are we there yet’ 🙂 from my side. We are probably on the off-the-beaten-path, as there is no sign pointing to the castle.

This allows us to admire the cute buildings, old windmills, and, literally everywhere, orange and lemon trees!

Finally, we reach the gates and enter the park surrounding the castle. Climb 450 stairs. Walk some more. And there it is!

Looking up at the castle, so perfectly maintained, it’s hard to believe that it has been standing for almost 700 years. Begun in 1300, it is unique among Spanish castles in being entirely round.

The look over the city and the bay is probably one of the best views in Palma de Mallorca. No coincidence Bellver means ‘lovely view’ in Catalan.

• LA ALMUDAINA ROYAL PALACE
  

We return to the city center just in time for a new discovery, Royal Palace La Almudaina.

The castle visible today is the result of modifications to a Muslim fortress constructed from 1281. It is currently used by His Majesty the King of Spain as a residence for official summer ceremonies.

• CATHEDRAL SANTA MARIA DE MALLORCA
  

Just as we exit the palace, we stumble upon the main edifice in Palma de Mallorca, and one of the city’s finest historical and artistic attractions. You can spot it from almost anywhere.

Commonly known as La Seu, Palma de Mallorca Cathedral is an impressive Roman Catholic basilica erected in 1229 on the ruins of a former Arab mosque. Although it stands out due to its spectacular Catalan Gothic appearance, the building comprises almost all architectural styles from the 13th to the 16th century.

It’s a spectacle to admire it from every single angle! And really fun to entirely capture it in a selfie.

• PLATJA DE CAN PERE ANTONI
  

If you’re near the Cathedral, you should feel by the salty breeze that the beach is close.

Only one kilometer away, we follow the palm-covered promenade and find a beautiful sandy beach: Platja de Can Pere Antoni.

As the bare feet touch the fine sand, all the to-do lists and worries disappear. From a pragmatic mind you turn into a dreamer, even for a few hours. Wait for the sunset as it’s the most beautiful thing you have seen.

Thank you, Palma de Mallorca! You’ve been a dream!

BUDGET

• Accomodation

You will find great accomodation options for less than 100 EUR/night.

This time we tried something on a more pricey side, since we already had the reservation as a wedding gift. Nakar Hotel is the place to go for a bit of luxury in the heart of Palma de Mallorca.

• Food

50 EUR/day/2 pers

Hidden gems we loved for delicious tapas: Fabrika 45 and Tinto Palma.

• Local Transportation

We only used the A1 bus connecting the airport with the city center, for 5 EUR/pers/one way.

• Attractions

Castell de Bellver: 4 EUR/pers

La Almudaina: 7 EUR/pers

Note to self

This article was written just before the whole world locked its borders due to the pandemic. Not sure when this draft will see the light, as nobody wants to think about travel right now (later edit: day #47 of isolation).

Palma de Mallorca was our last destination before the lockdown happened. As we were enjoying the beautiful weather in Palma, taking for granted the freedom to explore new places, socialising and walking outside with no worry in the world, we never imagined such an event that put everybody on pause.

The world will heal itself, eventually. And when it will, we’d better learn some things from this.

Take care!