Palma de Mallorca, the ultimate city guide
We know this may come as a shock to you, but we’re not only into Mallorca’s North. We also LOVE the rest of the island. And Palma de Mallorca, our capital city, is no exception.
As you already know, what we want is to offer high quality content for you to explore and get to know Mallorca at its best. This is why we give you interesting content, tips and recommendations here on our blog. And today we wanted to share our insider knowledge for you to make the most of your Palma visit.
Palma de Mallorca: a Cosmopolitan city to discover
One thing is for sure: there’s no city like Palma. Located right in front of the sea in Mallorca’s south coast. It is the largest city of the Balearic Islands with an altitude of 13 metres above sea level.
Shops, art galleries, museums, impressive buildings, glamorous hotels, a superb harbours and breath-taking old town make Palma an absolute it-place.
Palma’s history
Allegedly founded in 124 BC, Palma has a long history starting with the Romans, who were the first settlers, building on early Talayotic remains. The Moors and Byzantines followed the Romans. But it was not only 1229 that Palma was conquered by James I of Aragon, renamed Palma and becoming Mallorca’s capital city. During this period the Crown started to build the now famous and stunning La Seu Cathedral.
In 1741 the city was separated from the government and about a hundred years later, Palma became the Balearic Island’s capital. The 19th century was very important for Palma’s economical growth. But it wasn’t until the 50’s when Palma became a popular tourist destination, starting to build the reputation it has until nowadays.
Sightseeing in Palma
Palma is beautiful everywhere you look. If you’re visiting its centre, you will see remains of different cultures all around. If you’re into architecture, there’s plenty to look at: the beautiful cathedral, of course, the Almudaina Palace, the unique Bellver Castle, the bohemian neighbourhood of La Lonja, modernist and Art Nouveau buildings such as Gran Hotel, Can Casasayas, Can Coll, Can Salas and more.
Dining in Palma
As the Mediterranean highlight it is, Palma, of course, offers a large amount of spectacular restaurants. Even though there are many Mediterranean and Majorcan restaurants all over the city, there are also plenty of international hot spots to try while visiting this beautiful city. Some of our favourites? Tast Club for a cool tapas dinner in Palma’s old town, Duke for a fresh and hip lunch in the neighbourhood of Santa Catalina, the ‘Mercat de l’Olivar’ for some fresh local produce tasting and ‘Dins’ by Santi Taura for Majorcan cuisine with a twist.
Shopping in Palma
Last, but not least, shopping offers the ultimate shopping experience. From luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Tous at the ‘Paseo del Borne’, to concept stores like Rialto Living and little shops hidden all over Palma’s old town streets, shopping in Palma is a dream come true. Remember to shop local and support Majorcan producers!
If we can recommend some local shops to stop by, we would send you to ‘Monge’ for superb shoes, ‘Bazaar’ for beautiful interior design shopping, ‘Lasanta & Co’ for furniture and ‘La Pajarita’ for chocolate and other delicious treats!
There is really SO much to love about Palma, we’re 100% certain that you will have a blast when visiting the capital city of the Balearic Islands!
Categories: Noticias
