History · Palma de Mallorca · Spain
7 historic sites to see in Palma de Mallorca
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: palma aquarium, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with La Seu cathedral, Bellver Castle and Royal Palace of La Almudaina. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 3 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Old Town, El Terreno and Passeig Marítim and La Lonja
Historic sites in Palma de Mallorca
Religious site · Old Town
1.La Seu cathedral
Inside, one of the largest Gothic rose windows in the world floods the nave with colour, Gaudí designed the iron canopy over the altar, and Miquel Barceló covered a side chapel with a ceramic mural of loaves, fish and sea creatures.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Art
- Photo spot
Castle · El Terreno and Passeig Marítim
2.Bellver Castle
It sits in pine woods on a hill about 3 km west of the centre, houses the Museum of the History of Palma and has the best panoramic views over the city and the bay.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Palace · Old Town
3.Royal Palace of La Almudaina
Visitors see the Gothic royal chapel of Santa Anna, tapestried halls and a courtyard with views over the bay.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Old Town
4.Arab Baths
The visit is short but atmospheric.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Old Town
5.Old town courtyards
Many can be glimpsed through open gates in the streets around Carrer de la Portella, Carrer de Can Savellà and the Basílica de Sant Francesc, and the Plaça de Cort town hall square has an ancient olive tree.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Town
6.Basílica de Sant Francesc
It holds the tomb of Ramon Llull, the 13th-century Mallorcan philosopher and writer, and a statue of the missionary Junípero Serra stands outside.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · La Lonja
7.Sa Llotja
It is used for temporary exhibitions, and the square outside is the heart of the La Lonja bar district.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | La Seu cathedral, Royal Palace of La Almudaina, Arab Baths, Old town courtyards and Basílica de Sant Francesc | 1–1.5 hours + 1 hour + 20–30 minutes + 1.5–2 hours + 45 minutes |
| El Terreno and Passeig Marítim | Bellver Castle | 1.5 hours |
| La Lonja | Sa Llotja | 30 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 2 free, 3 low cost, 2 mid-priced. Book ahead for La Seu cathedral. The longest visit is Old town courtyards; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- La Seu cathedral: Buy tickets online in summer to skip the ticket queue, especially on cruise-ship days.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town): La Seu cathedral → Royal Palace of La Almudaina → Arab Baths → Old town courtyards, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Town, El Terreno and Passeig Marítim and La Lonja): Basílica de Sant Francesc → Bellver Castle → Sa Llotja, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 5 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Almond trees blossom across the island; mild days are good for hiking and city sightseeing.
- January: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 6 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cool and quiet, with sunny days between showers; many resort hotels close but the city stays open.
- March: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 5 rainy days, quiet crowds. Spring arrives, with green countryside and good walking; the sea is still cold.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town — Medieval lanes, stone mansions and courtyards behind the cathedral
- La Lonja — Tapas bars and terraces around the Gothic Llotja near the harbour
- El Terreno and Passeig Marítim — Hillside villas below Bellver Castle above the marina and club strip
More of Palma de Mallorca
All things to do in Palma de Mallorca · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Palma de Mallorca?
La Seu cathedral. Begun after the Christian conquest of 1229 on the site of the main mosque, Palma's Gothic cathedral rises above the old sea walls with flying buttresses facing the bay.
+Which of these are free in Palma de Mallorca?
Old town courtyards and Sa Llotja.