What to Do in Palma de Mallorca: 10 Things We Loved Ranked
Palma has so many markets, rooftops, and tours that look amazing online, so deciding what to do in Palma de Mallorca can be overwhelming. We spent three days in this beautiful Spanish city, walking all over, and fitting in as much as we could, including time to relax. Here are the 10 things we loved most, ranked, including the activity we’d prioritize if you only have time for one.
👉 Planning your days in the city? Check out our Palma de Mallorca itinerary for 3 perfect days.
What to Do in Palma de Mallorca: How We Ranked Our Top 10
We spent three nights in Palma, and we never needed a taxi once we arrived at our hotel from the airport. We ranked these from #10 to #1 based on how much we loved them and what we’d recommend most to our friends and family. Everything in the city is in walking distance, and the tours will either pick you up at your hotel or leave from the marina near the Old Town.
Warning: If you can help it, don’t plan your sightseeing for a Sunday. Markets, museums, the cathedral, and many restaurants and shops are closed. But there is a great option for Sunday, which we’ll cover at the end.
10. Walk Sa Feixina Park and the Torrent de Sa Riera
Sa Feixina Park is a lovely green space between Santa Catalina and the Old Town, and it’s about a 5 to 10 minute walk from Mercat de Santa Catalina. We enjoyed walking from Santa Catalina along the Torrent de sa Riera to the Old Town and spending some time in the park.
9. Explore Plaça Major and Museu Fundación Juan March
Plaça Major is Palma’s big square, just down the street from Mercat de l’Olivar. While you’re over there, the Museu Fundación Juan March has an excellent (and free) collection of 20th-century Spanish art with works by Miró, Picasso, Dalí, and Juan Gris.
8. See Palma Cathedral and Wander the Old Town
Palma Cathedral, which locals call La Seu, is right by the water, with the Almudaina Palace next door. You can admire both from Parc de la Mar. Plan ahead if you want to go inside the cathedral. We didn’t do this, but you can check the latest times and buy tickets on the official cathedral website.
After checking out the cathedral, wander the narrow streets of the Old Town. The Arab Baths are a short walk away. They date back to a time when Palma was influenced by the Moors. It’s a small site with beautiful architecture and a shaded garden. After that, head down the famous Passeig del Born.
7. Spend a Morning in Santa Catalina
Mercat de Santa Catalina is a small neighborhood market in the middle of Palma’s best food district. You’ll find fresh fish, handmade cheese, and local meats, fruits, and vegetables, plus an oyster bar and a few counters where you can sample some dishes while you shop. Be sure to wander the streets around the market, too, where you’ll find cool cafés, galleries, and restaurants. We love this neighborhood.
Pro Tip: We’ll probably book Hotel Hostal Cuba next time, at least for a few nights, mainly for the location in Santa Catalina. Its rooftop is open to everyone all day, so it’s an easy stop for a drink even if you’re not staying there.
6. Shop and Snack at Mercat de l’Olivar
Speaking of markets, you must check out Mercat de l’Olivar, which has been open since 1951 and has dozens of fish and seafood stalls, butchers selling local charcuterie, cheese counters, and greengrocers. Many Palma chefs do their shopping here, so you know the quality is good. There are also tapas bars inside that use ingredients from the market.
Planning Tip: Go in the morning. The market is closed on Sundays, and the stalls close in the early afternoon. For more on what to order at the markets and around the city, check out the Foodie Frontiers guide to Palma de Mallorca food.
5. Enjoy Lunch on the Harbor at Marina Bay
Marina Bay was our favorite restaurant near Palma’s Old Town. The seafood is fresh, and the windows look right over the yachts in the marina. We shared the gambas al ajillo, the tuna tataki, and a burrata salad, and all three were great. It isn’t cheap, but you’re paying for the setting and the seafood. We paid $125 for lunch for the two of us. Book ahead if you can, and order the seafood even though the menu offers a lot more.
Pro Tip: If you have a little time after lunch, grab a cocktail at Mar de Nudos right next door. The drinks are pricey, but you can’t beat the view of the harbor and the Old Town in the distance.
4. Have a Drink at a Rooftop Bar in Palma
Palma has a lot of lovely rooftop bars that are perfect for sunset or nighttime views of the city. A $20 cocktail is worth it for the view, though you can find much cheaper options at street level, especially a few blocks from the tourist center.
- Nakar Hotel has a small, intimate rooftop with a beautiful view of the cathedral, and it opens to the public at night. You can see the cathedral lit up in the distance beyond the ambient blue light of the pool. It’s very small, but it was our favorite rooftop of the trip.
- Hotel Saratoga has a bigger rooftop, also with views of the cathedral and the port, and you can have dinner there, too.
- Hotel Hostal Cuba has a rooftop with 360-degree views that’s open to everyone all day. So, this is a good photo op for daylight views of Palma de Mallorca.
👉 You can explore more in this Foodie Frontiers guide to the best rooftop bars in Palma de Mallorca.
3. End the Night With Pinchos at Molta Barra
Molta Barra is a lively and fun tapas spot that gets packed with locals. Order a plate of pinchos from the bar, like shrimp, chorizo, morcilla, roasted peppers, and patatas skewered on bread. We added vermut over ice, which was also fantastic. The prices are a fraction of what they are in the more touristy areas.
Pro Tip: Check it out on a Tuesday for possible deals, if you can. Molta Barra was the last stop on our Palma food tour (more on that below).
2. Book a Food Tour or Sunset Catamaran in Palma
We loved both of these tour options, and they’re easy to fit into a three-night stay in Palma de Mallorca:
Food Tour With a Local Guide
Our food tour had four stops over about three hours, and our guide, Luciana, was so much fun. We tried jamón y queso at La Llotja Café, a coca and a panada at the Forn Fondo bakery, a Spanish omelette at Vi Vermell, and pinchos with sweet local vermut at Molta Barra. We paid about $100 per person for a local guide, a full dinner’s worth of food, and a few drinks along the way. Sure, you could do this cheaper on your own, but you might miss the best spots, the local insights, and meeting fun fellow travelers. 👉 Read our full Palma de Mallorca food tour review.
Sunset Catamaran in Palma de Mallorca
We paid $262 for two people on a two-hour sunset catamaran trip, with a welcome drink and included tapas. We loved that they were real tapas rather than a bowl of chips and side of olives. We also enjoyed the sunset views of the cathedral from the water and a gorgeous moon on the way back in. 👉 Read our full boat tour in Palma de Mallorca review, including the 4-hour day trip options with swimming and snorkeling.
1. Take a Private Day Trip From Palma
While Palma itself is amazing to explore, you need to get out and see the whole beautiful island. Our private island tour with YOLO Tours Mallorca was a highlight of our trip. We explored historic mountain towns, beaches, and even a winery with a tasting. We also fell in love with Port de Sóller on this tour and can’t wait to go back on our next trip to Mallorca. 👉 Read our full Mallorca island tour review.
What to Do in Palma de Mallorca on a Sunday
Most of Palma is closed on Sundays, so you’ll need to carefully plan your day. Bellver Castle is a great option that’s actually open on Sundays. It’s a 14th-century Gothic castle on a hill about 3 kilometers from the center of Palma. The castle is too far to walk from the Old Town, so plan on taking a taxi or Uber. Another option that sounds super touristy but is a great way to see a city without renting a car is to take the hop-on hop-off bus, which stops at the castle.
Planning Tip: Bellver Castle is free on Sundays and open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but it’s closed on Mondays. Check the latest hours on the official Bellver Castle website before you go.
Where We Stayed in Palma
- We stayed at Nakar Hotel and would definitely book it again for the location, the posh boutique vibe, the included breakfast, and the rooftop with a view of the cathedral.
- Hotel Saratoga is the best pick for groups and families. It’s a larger hotel with three pools and a central location.
- Hotel Hostal Cuba (which is a boutique hotel, not a hostel) is in the middle of Santa Catalina’s restaurants and bars, and its rooftop is open to everyone all day.
👉 We compare all three in our guide on where to stay in Palma de Mallorca, and you can read our full Nakar Hotel review.
What to Do in Palma de Mallorca at a Glance
- Best tour: A private Mallorca island tour to Valldemossa, Deià, Port de Sóller, and a winery
- Best evening: A sunset catamaran from the marina
- Best food experience: A Palma food tour, ending with pinchos at Molta Barra
- Best rooftop: Nakar Hotel for the cathedral view
- Best lunch: Marina Bay on the harbor
- Best market: Mercat de l’Olivar
- Best free things to do: Sa Feixina Park, Plaça Major, Museu Fundación Juan March, and the cathedral from Parc de la Mar
- Best Sunday activity: Bellver Castle by taxi or hop-on hop-off bus
- Day to avoid: Sunday
👉 Planning a longer trip to Mallorca? Check out our full guide: Ultimate Mallorca Travel Itinerary: Where to Stay and What to Do
What to Do in Palma de Mallorca FAQs
What Is the Best Thing to Do in Palma de Mallorca?
Our favorite was a private island tour from Palma to Valldemossa, Deià, Port de Sóller, and a winery. Within the city, we loved the sunset catamaran, the food tour, and just wandering the beautiful Old Town and marina.
What Can You Do in Palma de Mallorca in One Day?
In one day, you can see the markets, the Old Town, the cathedral, and the harbor on foot. 👉 We mapped out our full route in our 1 day in Palma de Mallorca walking itinerary.
What Is There to Do in Palma de Mallorca at Night?
Head to a rooftop bar for swanky cocktails, book a sunset catamaran, or join a food tour for dinner. For a lively local night, try some pinchos and vermut at Molta Barra.
What Are the Best Free Things to Do in Palma de Mallorca?
Walking the Old Town, Sa Feixina Park, and the Torrent de sa Riera is free, and so is browsing the markets. The Museu Fundación Juan March has a free collection of 20th-century Spanish art, and you can admire the cathedral and the Almudaina Palace from Parc de la Mar.
What Should You Do in Palma de Mallorca From the Cruise Port?
Most of the top things to do in Palma are in walking distance of the Old Town, so you can see the markets, the cathedral, and the harbor in one day. Our Palma de Mallorca walking route works well for cruisers, and a private Mallorca island tour like the one we took can also pick you up at the cruise terminal.
Have you been to Palma? Tell us what you’d add to our list in the comments.