City Breaks in Palma de Mallorca
Palma's perfect for a city break away from it all. It ticks all the boxes for today's savvy travellers; art, history and culture galore, high end shopping, a thriving cafe culture, a spectacular choice of restaurants and bars, live music a-plenty and superb accommodation in the heart of the city.
A short hop from most European airports, Palma is a truly cosmopolitan city which still retains a Mediterranean lifestyle which there's no getting away from. A busy city, but not overly so - there's always time for coffee in a Grand Cafe – and a working city, which means that entertainment and nightlife starts quite early.
It's a small city, so getting around is easy. Eminently walkable, we've divided it into three easily 'doable' sections for a three day city break with personal recommendations for sightseeing, places of interest, eating and drinking, entertainment and hints and tips.
West – Santa Catalina and the Paseo Maritimo
The newest area of Palma, the Paseo Maritimo (sea front promenade) is the perfect stroll zone past thousands of yachts, cruisers and mega-yachts bobbing gently in the breeze. It's also home to
Palma's big discotheques and late night fun pubs which cater for the young audience.
Santa Catalina on the other hand, is a traditional fisherman's quarter fast undergoing gentrification – a sort of Greenwich village in the making. Small squares, brightly coloured houses rub shoulders with funky bars and restaurants which are springing up almost daily giving the place a BoHo atmosphere – particularly when the many eaterie terraces fill up at night.
Centre – La Lonja and Borne Area
La Lonja is Palma's grandest barrio, full of palaces and mansions 400 or more years old, individual shops, art galleries, design studios and full of surprises in its narrow streets. A nocturnal
hive of activity, there are restaurants, tapas bars, cocktail bars and live music clubs which cater for all age groups.
Palma's best shopping areas are centred around the Paseo de Borne, Jaime III and Calle Union with a good mix of quality shops and traditional local retailers selling anything and everything from Hugo Boss power suits to designer luggage to some of Mallorca's most famous products – shoes by Lottusse, Barratts and Camper to name but three.
East – Calatrava and Sa Gerreria
Beyond the mighty cathedral, Calatrava is a labyrinthine maze of grand old houses – look out for the magnificent patios lurking behind unobtrusive gates – and history, sites and monuments around
nearly every corner.
Sa Gerreria , which butts up against Calatrava, heading back to the city is the tradesman's (mostly Jewish) quarter of old Palma where the streets still bear the names of the activities which took place in the them – silversmiths, basket makers, rope makers and even mattress makers. These days this formerly run down area has experienced a renaissance as bar after bar has opened -largely due to the popularity of the Ruta Martiana tapas run – earning it the nickname of SoHo (as in New York, not London!)
Our daily agenda roughly follows one area per day to minimise walking and maximise 'me' time.
Palma Day One
Palma Day Two
Palma Day Three
Tip 1: Avoid Sundays when all the shops and many restaurants are closed and Mondays when most museums and galleries have a day off.
Tip 2: July and August are way too hot for a comfortable break, however in those months the Thursday Night Fever promotion is on, when shops, galleries and museums are open late at night when the temperatures are lower.
