18 Of The Best Things To Do In Palma For First Time Visitors

So you’re planning a trip to Palma, Mallorca for the first time? Let me tell you, you are in for a real treat. This gorgeous city is the perfect place to spend a long weekend or even as an introduction to Mallorca before a longer holiday around the island’s beaches and mountain villages.

Spend your days wandering the streets of the old town, enjoying all the cute shops or soak up the city’s history at Le Seu Cathedral or Bellver Castle. Palma is also a great base to enjoy day trips from – you can easily head out to the mountain town of Soller on the vintage train or out to one of Mallorca’s gorgeous beaches.

Other things to do in Palma include a boat trip – perfect if there’s a group of you travelling together – or a self-guided tapas and wine tour. Whatever you decide to do in Palma, it’s a great place for a European city break. The best part is, it’s only a short flight (between 2-3 hours) from the UK and there’s even direct flights from the east coast of the USA making it a really easy destination to get to for some Spanish sun.

How Much Time To Spend In Palma

3 nights is the perfect amount to enjoy Palma – this way you can fit in most of the activities below as well as a day trip to Soller. You can tick off the highlights on a day trip with a well planned one day itinerary or if you prefer to travel a bit slower, 4 or 5 nights is perfect and give you plenty of time to enjoy Palma and a few places around Mallorca too.

Where To Stay

HM Jaime III is a hotel I’ve stayed at a couple of times. It’s location is ideal if you’re getting the bus from the airport – there is a bus stop right outside – and it’s only 5 minutes walk into the centre of Palma or from the lively area of Santa Catalina. The hotel has also recently been refurbished so the rooms are fresh and airy and I’d recommend booking a balcony room if you can.

Other hotels on my wishlist include Nakar Hotel and Summum Boutique Hotel – both look absolutely gorgeous and are slightly further towards to centre of Palma but in the same area as HM Jaime III.

How To Get From The Airport

By Bus: Catch the A1 bus from Palma Airport into Palma de Mallorca. A single ticket costs €5 and you can pay in cash to the driver. Buses run regularly, around every 15 minutes in peak periods and run from 5.30am to 3am.

By Taxi: Taxis are available from the signed taxi rank and will cost between €28 – €37 euros. Most taxis take card but it’s also best to have some cash ready just in case there’s not this facility.

Private Transfer: Your holiday to Palma might already have transfers included but if not, and you want to travel in style, why not treat yourself to a private transfer that will take you from airport to hotel door. Perfect if you’ve travelled to Mallorca after a long journey!

Restaurant Recommendations

There are many places to eat in Mallorca but some of my tried and tested recommendations in Palma include:

• Mouna
• La Malvasia
• Casa s’Oli
• Brutal
• Primo Taqueria
• Bocalto

Coffee Shop Recommendations

I love hunting down cool, independent coffee shops whenever I’m travelling and here are some of my favourite in Palma:

• Nano Lab
• HOTTO
• Surrey Hills
• Arabay
• Acco

Here Are 18 Of The Best Things To Do In Palma, Mallorca

1. Bellver Castle
2. Self Guided Tapas and Wine Tour
3. Tour Of Le Seu Cathedral
4. Customized Walking Tour Of Palma de Mallorca
5. Enjoy Palma’s Speciality Coffee Shops
6. Wine Tasting At Son Juliana
7. Sunset Boat Trip Around Palma Bay
8. Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour
9. Catch The Vintage Train To Soller
10. Enjoy Palma’s Rooftop Bars
11. Spend A Day At The Beach
12. Take A Trip To Valledemossa
13. Enjoy A Mallorcan Cooking Workshop
14. Quad Bike Tour Of Mallorca
15. Jet Ski Tour
16. La Almundaina Palace
17. Sandal Making Workshop
18. Miro Foundation

Bellver Castle

Perched high upon a hill, around 3km from the centre of Palma is Bellver Castle. Spain’s only round castle offers wonderful views across the city of Palma, the Bay of Palma and the Tramuntana mountains. 

Built for King James II of Mallorca, it’s clear this structure was built for defensive purposes as well as a residence for royalty. If you have a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket, you’ll get dropped off right outside the entrance. Otherwise, you can walk or catch a bus to Bellver Castle – although wear comfy shoes because there are around 450 steps to the top! With 3 levels to explore though and with an entry fee of only €4, this is probably one of the best value attractions in Palma.

Self-Guided Tapas and Wine Tour

A self-guided tapas and wine tour of Palma is a great way to get your bearings around the city and to sample a few places to eat while you’re at it. This was easily one of my favourite activities I did in Palma and I’d recommend enjoying this early on in your trip. That way you have time to revisit some of the tapas bars if you enjoy them!

On our tour we got to eat at Fervor, Bocalto, Bodega Mayor, Maura and Casa s’Oli which were all within a few minutes walk of each other in the centre of the old town. My favourites were Casa s’Oli thanks to its location in a quiet square and Bocalto where we got to sit outside on a tree lined street – perfect in the summer heat!

You can start this tour any time between 1pm and 5pm and you have until 10pm to finish visiting all 5 of the restaurants on the trip. You’ll get to try a huge variety of dishes including padron peppers, calamari, Spanish omelette, ham and cheese croquettes and many more traditional tapas dishes. Enjoy everything with a white or red sangria, a glass of cold wine or a refreshing beer and you’ll have a great afternoon eating and drinking your way around Palma!

Tour Of Le Seu Cathedral

Le Seu Cathedral, also known as Cathedral of Mallorca, Palma Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, is one of the main attractions in Palma. Located right on the seafront, above Parc de la Mar, this 14th century Gothic cathedral is hard to miss and is well worth a visit inside if you have time. 

There are two ticket options here, you can buy a ticket just to visit the inside of the cathedral. It’s a good idea to buy this in advance if you can so you can jump the queue and this can be done via Get your Guide or through Palma Cathedral’s website. 

You can also buy a ticket where you get access to Le Seu Cathedral’s Terraces which have incredible views across the city as well as access to close up views of the cathedral’s stained windows. 

Terrace access tickets can be purchased through Palma Cathedral’s website but access is limited to those aged 9 and above and people who are able to walk up the 140+ steps up to the top. If it’s a hot day, take a fan as there’s little shade to shelter under.

Customized Walking Tour Of Palma

One way to get acquainted with Palma and to learn more about its varied history is to enjoy a guided walking tour. There are plenty available through the city but a customised walking tour allows you to tailor to walk to your time and interests.

We enjoyed a guided tour with Theo from Guydeez who took us into the quiet streets of Palma’s Old Town, through Plaza Major, and past the Basilica de Sant Francesc. He also pointed out several rooftop bars and view points (which are all on my list for next time), and took us to Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo where we got to try out a delicious Palmeras pastry and a refreshing sweet almond drink called Granizado de Almedras.

The best thing about this tour was that we were able to start and finish with what worked best for our schedule so it’s perfect if you want to make the most of your time in Palma.

Enjoy Palma’s Speciality Coffee Shops

One thing I love doing when travelling is finding great coffee shops and Palma has lots of specialty cafes waiting to serve you up the perfect coffee. I tried out Nano Lab, Hotto, Albaray, Surrey Hills, and Acco but there are many more – including Mama Carmen’s, Fika Farina, Noti, Batx, and Rosevelvet.

Even if you’re not a caffeine fiend, most places serve up non-coffee related drinks so if you’re looking for a non-sangria related drink break in Palma, these are the places to try out!

Wine Tasting At Son Juliana

Wine tasting is never a bad idea and this experience lets you dive head first into several Mallorcan wines and the culture and history surrounding them. Only 20 minutes from Palma, in the heart of the Mallorcan countryside, Son Juliana started developing wine in 2013 and now has seven hectares of land growing nine varieties of grapes without the use of any chemical products.

Wine tastings can be booked directly through the Son Juliana website where you can pick from either a 4 or 6 wine tasting experience. Or you can also book through Get Your Guide which is super easy if you already have an account and you like all your tour and activity bookings to be in one place.

You can also enjoy a guided tour to two of Mallorca’s wineries, enabling you to experience two of Mallorca’s most popular wineries with an expert guide

Sunset Boat Cruise Around Palma Bay

Now this is a bit of an indulgent activity but one that might just end up being one of the most memorable when you’re planning things to do in Palma. Setting sail at 6pm, we boarded our private boat with Sailin’ Palma for a 3 hour trip on the Mediterranean Sea. Playing our own music (a delightful mixture of Fleetwood Mac, Sabrina Carpenter and Queen) we took a steady journey around the bay of Palma to a popular Bay perfect for snorkelling, swimming and stand up paddleboarding. 

Sailin’ Palma also provided us with a glorious amount of cava for our evening and one of the most delicious meals of tapas through our whole trip. Although the sun sets behind the hills of Palma, rather than over the sea, this is still a really special activity and you get to see Palma from a completely different perspective. One to do if you’re visiting with family or with a group of friends!

Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour Of Palma

If you’re short on time or only have one or two nights in Palma, a hop-on, hop-off bus tour is a great way to see all of Palma’s main sights. Travelling around key attractions in Palma including Bellver Castle, La Rambla, Passeig Martim, Poble Espanyol, and Le Seu, you can see a lot with a 24 hour ticket. An audio guide and headphones are included so you’ll get to learn about Palma as you travel around too.

Catch The Vintage Train To Soller

I know what you’re thinking, you didn’t come on a city break to Palma to venture out on a train to another destination. However, this train journey is worth making a day trip around. The Palma to Soller train is one of the main attractions in the city and transports you to a completely different part of Mallorca. 

The one hour journey takes you through Mallorca’s countryside, past the olive groves and into the Tramuntana Mountain Range. You’ll pass through 13 tunnels and make your way to Soller, one of the main mountain towns on the island, known for its fresh oranges (definitely try out a glass of fresh orange juice while you’re here!) and pretty church.

You can buy tickets at Palma’s Ferrocarril de Soller Train Station but I’d recommend buying Palma to Soller train tickets online as tickets are limited and can sell out on the day. Online tickets are available to book 7 days in advance and it’s best to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure to get a good seat – the left hand side of the train offers gorgeous views of the mountains as you travel to Soller.

Once you’re in Soller, there is also the option to enjoy the short tram journey to Port de Soller. If you have a day, this is a great way to see one of Mallorca’s most beautiful bays. There are plenty of restaurants here and you can also have a dip in the sea on a warm day. 

If you’re doing a day trip you’ll want to get on the first train of the day from Palma at 10.10am. You’ll arrive in Soller just after 11am where you can spend a couple of hours exploring the streets and shops, and relaxing with a drink in the town’s main square. Around 1pm, get the tram to Port de Soller and enjoy lunch at one of the many waterside restaurants – Villa Luisa and Nunu are a couple of my favourites. If you’ve brought your swimwear, spend a chunk of the afternoon relaxing on the beach and swimming in the sea before catching the tram and train back to Palma.

If you don’t want to do this trip independently, a great day tour you can take includes the train to or from Soller, a visit to Port de Soller, and a boat trip to the gorgeous Sa Calobra beach. There are plenty of tours like this available so take a look at the options to work out which one is best for you.

Enjoy Palma’s Rooftop Bars

Palma knows a thing or two about rooftop bars so before dinner one evening, why not pop by one for a pre-dinner cocktail with a view? The rooftop bar at Nakar Hotel is open to non-hotel guests from 7.30pm and has gorgeous golden hour views over Le Seu Cathedral and the sea.

It’s free to enter, all you need to do is ask at reception if there’s space and they’ll show you the directions. A Hugo Spritz goes down a treat here, as does a jug of sangria to share with your friends.

Other rooftop bars include the Sky Bar at Hotel Hostal Cuba – perfect if you’ve enjoyed a good dinner in the Santa Catalina area of Palma, and Almaq, the rooftop bar at Es Princep, came highly recommended

Spend A Day At The Beach

If you have a little longer to enjoy Mallorca, venture out of Palma for the day to one of the island’s many beaches. You can easily get to Port de Soller in 20 minutes by car, taxi, or bus. Alternatively, nearby there’s the beach of Platja de Can Pere Antoni which is about a 30 minutes walk from the centre of Palma. If you have a car, other popular beaches include those in Palma Nova as well as Calo del Moro and Cala Lombards.

Take A Trip To Valledemossa

Another mountain town of Mallorca is Valledemossa. With gorgeous streets and golden stone buildings, it’s worth getting up early one morning to see Valledemossa before the main crowds descend.

You can easily get a bus to Valledemossa from Palma, this takes around 30 minutes and costs approximately €3. Alternatively, you can get a taxi which will take around 20 minutes and cost between €30 to €35 although this may depend on the time of day and year you’re visiting.

If you have a hire car, it’s worth going here as early as possible as parking in Valledemossa is limited. Another option would be to enjoy an organised tour to Valledemossa which combines a trip to Deia and Soller – perfect if you want to tick off a couple of places in one go!

Enjoy A Mallorca Cooking Workshop

This workshop combines a visit to one of Palma’s lively markets to pick out your food for a traditional cooking class. After a tour of the market, and learning about seasonal and local produce, you’ll identify ingredients to cook a delicious 4 course lunch – ready to devour alongside local wines!

I love doing these kind of activities as it’s a great way to see where locals shop, experience one of the city’s popular markets which are always bustling with people, and get hands on cooking your own delicious meal – often with recipes you can recreate back at home!

Other Things To Do In Palma That You Might Enjoy On Your First Visit To The City

Quad Bike Tour of Mallorca

If you’re a thrill seeker enjoy a quad bike tour around Mallorca. A fun adventure filled couple of hours where you get to see Mallorca’s stunning landscape. If you want to add on snorkelling and cliff jumping, extend your day trip to enjoy some time in the ocean!

Enjoy A Jetski Tour

Get out onto the Mediterranean Sea for 30 minutes of jet-skiing fun. Ride through Palma Bay to see Le Seu Cathedral and Bellver Castle and just enjoy your time out on the water!

La Almundaina Palace

Enjoy entry to La Almundaina Palace on this self-guided tour to a building that is one of the official residences of the Spanish Royal Family. Wander through the grand rooms of the palace, up the Royal Staircase and the palace gardens – make sure to add on an audio tour if you want to really delve into the history of La Almundaina Palace.

Sandal Making Workshop

Gather your friends and get together to do a sandal making workshop one evening on your trip to Palma. You’ll learn the process of making sandals by cutting, measuring and sticking leather to make the perfect sandal for you. You’ll get to choose from a variety of different styles and leathers so you come away with something unique!

Visit The Miro Foundation

Visit the studio and gallery of surrealist artist Joan Miro. Miro lived and worked here for over 30 years and is now home to the artist’s masterpieces and a beautiful sculpture garden.

So which of these activities will be on your list of things to do in Palma? Hopefully this has given you a good starting point for your holiday and you have a great trip to Palma on the gorgeous Balearic island of Palma.