Dreaming of a girls’ weekend away this autumn?
A few days away with a bit of shopping, some sunshine, gorgeous food, and some sightseeing thrown in for good measure?
Well, look no further. I have just spent three days in Palma de Mallorca, and as far as city breaks go, I think this gorgeous, Balearic capital city is right up there as one of my favourites.
Disclaimer: This was actually not the first time I have visited, having already spent a fair few summer holidays on this beautiful island off the eastern coast of Spain, but Palma is the kind of city you are going to come back to again and again. Trust me. Once you visit, you’ll see it too.
Palma de Mallorca is the capital of all four Balearic islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, and is a vibrant, trendy and beautiful city with just over 400,000 inhabitants. The city is perfect not matter what time you visit, keeping in mind that the months of July and August can get quite hot, with temperatures reaching the mid 30s. However, Palma has some gorgeous beaches, so a summer visit, I found, will yield the perfect balance of beach and city.
From bustling food markets to polished department stores, high-street chains to small, quirky fashion boutiques, Palma is amazing if shopping is your thing. And for foodies, the city is now a destination to be reckoned with, and you’ll struggle to have time to try all the places you’ll want to eat at. The best coffee I have ever had happened right here, the same goes for a vegetarian paella that I know need to try to recreate at home at some point, it was that amazing. Ramble around tiny street and laneways, rest your legs in the shade at a rustic plaza and find a rooftop bar where you can watch the sunset as you sip an ice cold glass of sangria – really, it’s impossible not to fall in love with Palma.
I recently spent three perfect days in Palma, and here is how I spent them:
Stay
I stayed at the brand new, and completely gorgeous Hotel Basilica, rigth in the middle of Palma’s incredibly beautiful old town. The hotel, which has its name from the adjacent church, La Basilica de San Francisco, has only 38 room and is located in a newly renovated 18th century building, just minutes walk from charming old squares and narrow laneways filled with the most incredible litte tapas bars and bakeries.
Our room was beyond lovely, and had me intensly making mental notes for my future new home, wanting to copy everything from the floor tiles to the delicious shade of sage green on the wall panels. And the little courtyard beyond reception was pretty much the perfect place for an afternoon spritz (or, you know, a sangria). And let me just tell you – waking up to hot, Spanish sunshine streaming through your window and looking out over Palma’s charming old town, it was kind of what I want my mornings to look like forever more.
After a day spent sightseeing and shopping in 30+ C heat, coming back to the hotel for a dip in the rooftop pool was nothing short of amazing, and later in the evenings, we also made sure to watch the Mallorcan sunset from this very same spot.
Seeing the sun set over the famous Cathedral and dip into the blue, blue sea beyond – it was the kind of moment where you are torn between wanting to capture it on your camera and also just not lifting a finger while enjoying this spectacular sight.
Eat & Drink
Palma is filled to the brim with the most gorgeous retsurants, cafees and bars. Really, your best bet is just to ramble around until you come across a place that looks lovely, and test it our for yourself – chances are it is amazing. The narrow streets of the old town is filled with lovely places to try, and the squares of Plaza de Cort and Plaza Mayor are great places to start. At Plaza de Cort, pop into the fabulous Cappuccino Grand Café for your morning coffee – or make it your lunch stop, and enjoy a salad and refreshing cocktail – and make sure to take it the stunning surroundings.
Later in the day, head down to the beautiful Place de la Lonja, a charming square nearer to the waterfront, filled with several different little tapas restaurants that spill out onto the square. The splendid and emblematic buildings that surround La Lonja are said to be watched over by a guardian angel, a work of sculpture which stands out on the main façade of la Lonja, a building that dates back to the early 1400s.
Angels or not, this is the perfect place to cool off with a glass of sangria and a couple of smaller tapas bits, to give yourself some energy for a bit more shopping and sightseeing – there is so much to see and do in this city.
If you come back to the La Lonja district at night, make sure to check out KOA, where you can get the most delicious gourmet pizzas, grilled meats and some really yummy vegetarian options too. Not to mention the fancy cocktails…
Other restaurants worth a visit are Vandal (Plaça del Progrés), Sandro (Carrer de Ramon y Cajal), La Taperia (Carrer de Montenegro), OMBU (Passeig del Born) and Bon Lloc (Carrer de Sant Feliu) – famous for their 4-course lunch menu at less than €15, and a great place if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
And for that perfect evening tipple with a view, head over to the rooftop Sky Bar at Hotel Costa Cuba (Carrer de Sant Magi). On my last visit to Palma we actually stayed here, and not only is the food and drink here out of this world, the view might just be even better.
Shop
A weekend away with the girls is not complete without a little bit of retail therapy, and Palma’s narrow streets and gorgeous laneways are filled with lovely places to spend your hard-earned cash. My best tip is really just to get lost in all the little streets and squares, and explore the many litte galleries, clothes shops (I found some many amazing little dresses and cute kids clothes in tiny shops I can’t even remember the name of) and beautiful local homewares. And don’t forget to pick up some locally made olive oil, salts, and wine.
However, if you happen to be in Palma, don’t miss these:
Zara Home is a must, and the newly opened store (across the street from where the old one was) in Passeig del Born is so beautifully laid out, you’ll want everything, so make sure you have booked an extra suitcase for your return flight.
Another must-see if you are into interiors and decor, is the gorgeous lifestyle concept store, Rialto Living (Carrer de Sant Feliu), where you’ll find both fashion and interiors, as well as the very lovely Café Rialto, perfect if you need a cup of espresso as an energy boost after all your shopping (Which I did. In fact, I needed two).
If department stores are more your thing, there are three different El Corte Ingles stores to choose from, where you’ll find all the latest fashions. The wide avenue of Paseo del Borne is known as the Golden Mile of Palma, and home to designer stores such as Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Escada and Bvlgari – and more. For slightly more afforadable fashions (more my style, tbh), you’ll also find a large, multi-storey Zara and Massimo Dutti store on this street.
Continue your fashion browsing up Jaime III, another street chock-a-block with shops, and also in the neighbourhood are Opia Concept Store (for amazing hand-crafted jewellery and homeware) and KidsHome Palma (for super-cute tableware, lunchboxes and kids room decor).
Another steet worth a stroll is Via Verí, a little lane with some lovely shops, and all the different side streets to Via Verí, such as Calle Sant Nicolau and Costa d’en Brossa, where you’ll find tons of little stores selling handmade homewares, independent fashions and gorgeous locally made jewellery.
If you are longing for a bit of a shopping centre experience, or just need to cool down somewhere with great air condition, head out to Porto Pi, a large shopping centre situated at the end of the Paseo Maritimo promenade, where you’ll find plenty of high street favourites like Zara, Zara Home, H&M, Pull & Bear, and many, many more.
Do
Palma is a city best seen on foot, because only by walking around can you get a sense of life in this beautiful place, smell the fresh sea air down by the harbour and stop for coffees, tapas and a sneaky glass of sangria when the mood takes you. That said, Palma also has a great public transport system, the easiest and most comprehensive being the city buses, that’ll take you where you need to go – if you deem it too far to walk to. But if you are staying in the old town area of the city, you really need not worry, as you’ll be able to walk everywhere, even down to the city beaches, should the weather be warm enough for a dip when you visit.
Most importantly, a visit to Palma is not complete without seeing the impressive and truly stunning La Seu Cathedral, and the area surrounding it. The golden sandstone 14th century cathedral is one of Europe’s tallest Gothic buildings, perched above the Parc de la Mar and a truly amazing sight.
For a bit of seaside chill, stroll the beautiful Paseo Marítimo, the sea road that lines the bay area. Beginning where the Avenidas meets the Mediterranean and leading all the way to the Porto Pi shopping centre, it’s a stunning walk in itself, with plenty of lovely cafées and bars to stop off at along the way.
Another place you should absolutely see it the Mercat de l’Olivar, Palma’s largest and most beautiful (and newly renovated) food market. If food markets are your thing, this place is bound to impress. Rich in sensory pleasures: delicious aromas, impressive displays, and the sound of lively banter among customers and traders, or those propping up the market’s several bars, I only spent a couple of hours here, but could have easily extended my visit by many more hours.
Palma has many museums, and more art galleries than I have seen elsewhere, at least in such a small area, and you’ll struggle to visit them all. One I stopped by was Es Baluard Museum (Plaça de la Porta de Santa Catalina), where you’ll find a large collection of modernist art. My favourite part of it all? The sneaky spritz I had at the patio, where the view over the city walls to Palma Bay are nothing short of spectacular.
If you have the time (and I suggest you make time for this), make sure you visit Bellver Castle (Carrer Camilo José Cela) – a short taxi trip from the city. The 14th century structure sits on a hill overlooking the city and Bay of Palma, and is the only circular castle in Spain and one of very few in Europe.
If visiting with kids, make sure to stop by the Palma Aquarium, where you can see many different sea creatures – and even swim with sharks should you be brave enough!
And don’t leave without having paid a visit to the Arab Baths, a visual reminder of Palma’s rich and multi-cultural past. Take time to stroll around the medieval streets and enter the cooling gardens and the Caldarium (main steam chamber) beyond.
Most of all, just walk around and soak up this truly stunning city. Let the sun heat your bones, marvel at the gorgeous architecture. Eat the delicious food. Drink the refreshing drinks. And leave knowing you’ll be back. Trust me.
