The Ultimate Palma, Mallorca Guide
Palma, known as Palma De Mallorca by many, is the capital of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is also the 9th largest city in Spain! Palma is known for its fresh seafood, culture, breathtaking architecture, beautiful mountains and coastlines. Mallorca is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Here is your Ultimate Palma Mallorca Guide from the ‘Need to Knows’, to the best things to see and do, and finally, where to eat!
The Need To Knows Before You Go
Language: The official language in Palma is Catalan. Although Spanish is widely spoken. If you stick to the touristy parts, English is pretty well-spoken and we also heard a lot of German. Of course, it’s definitely polite to learn a few basic words in their local language before you go.
Currency: Euros. You can certainly exchange your money at the airport, or at the numerous ATMs dotted around Palma. But, if you are paying with debit/credit cards, the conversion is more beneficial to you if you pay in Euros. Top Tip: You’ll get a better exchange rate if you withdrawal money straight from your account once you’re in Palma. However, check with your bank first to make sure you won’t incur additional fees!
Weather: The best time to visit Palma De Mallorca is March-May when the weather is comfortably hot (around 25 degrees) and not to mention it is not yet too busy with tourists. We visited in August and it was 40+ degrees each day and a lot of tourists everywhere! It can also get quite windy in the summer months, especially in the late afternoon. So, as a rule, I suggest if you want calm water and good weather, do your water activities in the morning!
Transportation:
The best way to get around Palma is by car. I suggest booking a car in advance if you are planning a visit in the busy summer months because car rental companies hire out all their cars. Plus, manual cars seem to be the last to go and if you can’t drive manual, this can be problematic. There is a bus service but this is limited at the weekends. You can’t go to Palma and not rent a scooter or bike for the day for sightseeing. It is a 100% must! You can take the scooters throughout Town too.
There is also the train, and definitely don’t miss out on the Tren to Soller. We did this Palma/Soller Island Boat Tour and it was great! Taxies are everywhere and your hotel can also order one for you. Definitely check the price as we were quoted 4 different prices for the same destination on different nights. Overall though, taxi’s are quite reasonably priced.
Plugs/Power Sockets: So, all power sockets are a standard voltage of 230V. You can use all your equipment with an adapter if the outlet voltage in your own country is between 220V-240V. All plugs are your classic European circular two-pins.
What To Do in Palma Mallorca Guide:
There is without a doubt so much to do in Palma De Mallorca. I have listed my top things to do and as always, all opinions are my own.
- Spend the day at Mallorca’s beautiful beaches. Even if you only have time to visit the main beach. The beaches and beautiful blue seas will blow you away.
- Stroll through Old Town. First, admire the architecture and hustle and bustle of Old Town. Then, stop for a coffee at one of the cafes and people watch.
- Walk down Passeig Del Borne. It’s a beatiful wide street lined with tall trees. There is great shopping, dining, and cafes/bars to enjoy.
- Go on a food tasting tour. This says it all really! Plus, there’s no better way to experience local dishes.
- Hire a scooter/bike and go along the promenade. This is such a great way to explore and cover a lot more ground. Also, the scooter/bike paths are great along the sea front!
You can read a much longer list of great things to do in Palma on my Best Things to do in Palma De Mallorca post.
What To See in Palma De Mallorca
Firstly, Palma is such a beautiful place and there is so much to see here. So, I’ve put together my top 3 things to see that complement my top things to do, in this Ultimate Palma, Mallorca Guide.
- La Seu Cathedral needs to be at the top of your list. It’s large and in charge, standing proudly in the centre of Palma. You can admire its beauty from the outside, or book to go inside where you’ll really be able to admire its Gothic Roman beauty.
- Castell De Bellver and the pine tree forest. This is a bit of a hike to get to, so come prepared with water. The pine tree forest also offers great respite from the sun. Castell De Bellver is one of the few circular castles built in Europe. You don’t need to spend long here.
- Admire the sunset. Enjoy a drink or sit on the beach and admire the beautiful sunset. The sky fills with red/purple/ blue heus and the Palm trees glow as the sun sets. It’s truly beautiful.
Don’t forget to check out my Best Things to do in Palma post for more inspiration!
Where to Eat in Palma De Mallorca
Hey, foodies! This is my favourite part too! Eating great food while you’re on holiday obviously makes the experience so much better. Am I right? Palma is filled with fantastic cafes and restaurants and it can be overwhelming to decide on where to eat. Here is a list of my top 3 places to eat in Palma that had to be added to this Ultimate Palma, Mallorca Guide.
- Ombu Restaurant. Not only are the tapas and cocktails a 10/10, but our server, Blas, was the firendliest and best server we had the whole trip. Ombu has a terrace and plenty of seating inside. You have to order the mini cornet with tuna! Address: Passeig del Born, 5, 7, 07012 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- Fervor Restaurant. Located in Old Town, this small restaurant will blow you away with the flavourful dishes it offers. Especially the shrimp tacos. They are the best shrimp tacos, I promise! I would go back to Palma for these shrimp tacos alone. Address: Carrer dels Hostals, 4, 07002 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
- L’Ambigú Restaurant. Hello cute terrace behind the Cathedral! Forget the location for a minute though because everything on this menu is incredible and such fresh ingredients. The portions are large and the food full of flavour. The falafel on lettuce, is *chefs kiss* perfection. The Goat cheese salad is incredible. The Beef Carpuccino is my favourite! Oh, and the sangria is top notch too! Address: Carrer de la Carnisseria, 1, 07001 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
I’ve added a few more great places to check out on my mini food guide for Palma, check it out!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Palma De Mallorca
What is Palma Mallorca known for?
Mallorca, also known as Majorca, is in Spain’s Balearic Islands. It is mostly known for its limestone mountains, caves, beaches, coastline, Spanish architecture, fresh seafood and local produce.
Is Palma expensive?
Well, it isn’t the cheapest of places, but you can visit on a budget. I would recommend planning to spend anywhere between 30 to 100 euros a day. Of course, this all depends on how much you want to eat out or drink. We ate a small lunch and dinner out every day and spent roughly 80 euros per day, not including any sangria!
Can you drink tap water in Mallorca?
The fact of the matter is that the Spanish and EU standards state that the water is safe to drink. (Accurate as of August 2021) But, restaurants will give you a strange look if you ask for it. In our experience, most restaurants only served bottled water. Despite that, there are drinking water stations dotted around Palma where you can fill up your water bottles for free. You can read more about this great initiative here!
I hope you enjoyed my Ultimate Palma Mallorca Guide and that I have inspired you to visit this beautiful place. Let me know in the comments if you would add anything to see and do!
Palma Mallorca looks beautiful and like a great time! When I visit Spain, I’ll be sure to include this 🙂
It’s such a beautiful place. I’m confident that you will love it and I’m so pleased you’ll include Mallorca in your Spain travels!
I’m dying to visit Mallorca! This guide was very helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Brittany! I’m so glad you found it helpful. Thank you for the great feedback! I hope you get to visit soon.
Mallorca sounds amazing! And, all that delicious looking food is making me hungry
It really is amazing! Honestly, Elyse, the food was probably one of my favourite parts of the trip. Haha!
i have has Mallorca on my bucket list for some time! i can’t wait to visit, especially the La Seu Cathedral.
The Cathedral will not disappoint you. It is truly so beautiful. We walked by every night just to get an extra look at it. I definitely recommend paying to go inside. It’s just as beautiful!
Being able to fill up your water bottle for free is so liberating if you want to wander. We had the same thing in Italy – and it we’re so glad we packed reuseable water bottles! The L’ambigu Restaurant sounds heavenly as well.
I totally agree! It’s so nice to be able to use your reusable water bottles rather than buying so many plastic ones. Fantastic that Italy is the same. I can’t wait to visit there again. PS, L’Ambigu was FAB! 🙂