Comparison · Barcelona vs Palma de Mallorca · Spain
Barcelona vs Palma de Mallorca
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Choose Barcelona for Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture; choose Palma de Mallorca for La Seu cathedral and Old town courtyards. Palma de Mallorca is generally less expensive, and the two are about 206 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 206 km
- Less expensive
- Palma de Mallorca
- Best time for Barcelona
- May–June and September–October
- Best time for Palma de Mallorca
- May–June and September–October
Side by side
| Barcelona | Palma de Mallorca | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Spain | Spain |
| Known for | Sagrada Família, Gaudí architecture and Gothic Quarter | La Seu cathedral, Old town courtyards and Ensaïmada |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September–October | May–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 5 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $180–$300 | $160–$270 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 29°C (84°F) | August, 31°C (88°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 15°C (59°F) | January, 15°C (59°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 7 | 8 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 7 |
| Beaches | Barceloneta | Can Pere Antoni |
| Airports | BCN, GRO, REU | PMI |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Barcelona for…
Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture. Barcelona combines a medieval core — the Gothic Quarter and El Born — with the grid of the 19th-century Eixample, where Antoni Gaudí and his contemporaries built the Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. The Mediterranean runs along the city's eastern…
Choose Palma de Mallorca for…
La Seu cathedral and Old town courtyards. Palma, the capital of Mallorca and the Balearic Islands, is dominated by La Seu, the Gothic cathedral that rises straight from the old sea walls above the bay. Behind it, the old town is a warren of lanes with stone mansions and hidden courtyards, Moorish…
Top sights compared
| # | Barcelona | Palma de Mallorca |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sagrada Família | La Seu cathedral |
| 2 | Park Güell | Royal Palace of La Almudaina |
| 3 | Casa Batlló | Bellver Castle |
| 4 | Casa Milà (La Pedrera) | Es Baluard |
| 5 | Gothic Quarter walk | Fundació Miró Mallorca |
Food compared
| Barcelona | Palma de Mallorca |
|---|---|
| Bread with tomato | Ensaïmada |
| Patatas bravas | Sobrassada |
| Bomba | Pa amb oli |
| Black rice | Tumbet |
Which is cheaper?
Palma de Mallorca is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $160–$270 per person there, against $180–$300 in Barcelona (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Palma de Mallorca on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca are about 206 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 4 days in Barcelona and 5 in Palma de Mallorca.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Barcelona or Palma de Mallorca cheaper?
Palma de Mallorca is usually less expensive: about $160–$270 a day mid-range against $180–$300 (estimates).
+Is Barcelona or Palma de Mallorca better for a first trip?
Pick Barcelona for Sagrada Família and Gaudí architecture, or Palma de Mallorca for La Seu cathedral and Old town courtyards.
+How far is Barcelona from Palma de Mallorca?
About 206 km in a straight line.