Mallorca, one of Spain’s four Balearic Islands, is a dream destination for a summer holiday. With gorgeous beaches, turquoise blue seas, mountains perfect for hiking, and charming villages to explore, Mallorca offers more variety than its neighboring islands. At the heart of it all lies Palma, a beautiful and vibrant capital city that’s perfect for a one-day adventure.

Whether you’re staying elsewhere on the island, arriving via cruise, or even squeezing in an extreme day trip from mainland Europe, Palma is compact, lively, and easy to explore in a day.

This one day itinerary for Palma will guide you through city’s rich history, vibrant food scene, and stunning city views. It might look like there’s a lot to do, and it will be a busy day but you won’t feel too rushed and there’s plenty of time to soak up the city while seeing a lot of the main sights of Palma.

---

This Is Your One Day Itinerary For Palma, Mallorca

8am – Early Morning Coffee at Nano Coffee Lab

Start your day with a specialty coffee at Nano Coffee Lab. You can tell a lot of pride goes into the drinks served here and you can sit and enjoy excellent espressos, matcha lattes, mochas, and a great selection of pastries. I personally loved their banana bread paired with an iced latte – the perfect little pick me up in the summer heat.

---

9am – Walking Tour of Palma (9am – 11am)

Dive into Palma’s history with a private walking tour booked through GetYourGuide. We booked ours through this platform and the two hours we spent wandering the streets of Palma were so insightful into Palma’s history.

As it’s a personalised tour, you can customize your route according to your interests. Alternatively, a great thing to do is to explore the highlights of the Old Town and let your guide take you through its quieter backstreets where there’s still plenty of history to learn about.

Our guide Theo even took us to one of Palma’s oldest coffee shops – Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo where we got to enjoy a delicious refreshing almond drink along with a traditional pastry. We probably wouldn’t have known about this if it wasn’t for Theo, so we found a real treat because of our guide’s local knowledge.

Suggested Stops:

• Church of San Francisco
• Ca’n Joan de s’Aigo for almond milk and pastries
• Plaza Mayor
• Palma’s City Walls
• Le Seu Cathedral area

It’s the perfect introduction to Palma’s charm and history and allows you to get your bearings around this compact but intricate city.

---

11am – Visit Le Seu Cathedral (11am – 12.30pm)

A visit to the golden sandstone structure of Le Seu Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma) is a must. Towering above the sea, this 14th-century Gothic marvel is one of the tallest of its kind in Europe and it’s impossible to miss as you arrive into Palma, and as you’re wandering the city’s streets.

We enjoyed an audio guided tour around the main cathedral along with its terraces which give incredible views over Palma and a detailed insight into the structure of Le Seu Cathedral. This was a great way to learn about the history of Le Seu Cathedral and the audio guide means it’s easy to tailor your visit to what interests you most.

If you’re not too bothered about an audio tour, inside the cathedral is still worth a visit. Take in the gorgeous Rose Window which casts colourful light through Palma Cathedral and take a seat to really absorb the building’s atmosphere.

Ticket Options:

• Main Cathedral: £8
• Cathedral + Terraces: £25 (with panoramic city and sea views)
• Audio Guide: £5

---

1pm – Self-Guided Tapas & Wine Tour (1pm – 5pm)

By now, you’ll be ready for a feast! Spend your afternoon hopping between local tapas bars, sampling delicious bites, regional wines and sangria at your own pace on this self-guided tapas and wine tour. It’s a great way to enjoy a leisurely afternoon with friends old and new and to try out several of Palma’s eateries in a few short hours!

I’d go as far to say it was my favourite activity I got to enjoy in Palma. Trying lots of small dishes, along with several glasses of sangria and cava in the Spanish sun? What a way to spend and afternoon!

Our Self Guided Tapas and Wine Tour Route:

• Fervor
• Casa s’Oli
• Bodega Mayor
• Bocalto
• Maura

From Spanish tortilla to sobrasada on toast, everything is shareable and flavorful. You can stretch this tapas crawl until 10pm, so feel free to pace it out!

---

5pm – Explore Palma’s Shopping Scene

After the heat of the midday sun has started to fade, Palma starts coming alive again for the evening so why not take a stroll through Palma’s shops? Wandering through the streets you’ll find high-street brands, unique local boutiques, and plenty of handmade souvenirs and homewares.

This is the perfect time to pick up a keepsake from your day – I had my eye on several ceramic pieces but sadly didn’t have much room in my suitcase. I’ll make a mental note to leave some spare room for next time!

---

6pm – Refresh & Relax

If you’re staying overnight in Palma, now’s the time to head back and freshen up. I recommend staying at hotel HM Jaime III — it’s conveniently located within walking distance of Palma’s Old Town and the upcoming area of Santa Catalina where there are plenty of restaurants to choose from for an evening meal!

Other hotels include Nakar Hotel, Hotel Born, or Nivia Born Boutique Hotel.

If you’re not staying in Palma, extend your shopping or go grab an ice cream at Rivareno!

---

7.30pm – Rooftop Drinks at Nakar Hotel

Head to the Nakar Hotel’s rooftop bar for stunning golden hour views over the city. Open to non-guests from 7.30pm, it’s an ideal spot to sip sangria or a Hugo Spritz as the sun sets over Palma.

The entry to Nakar Rooftop Bar is free, all you need to do is ask at reception if there’s space and they’ll show you the way! I’d recommend getting here as close to 7.30pm as you can, that way you can grab a prime spot by the pool and enjoy an uninterrupted view across to Le Seu Cathedral.

---

8.30pm – Dinner at Mouna

For a refreshing, lighter dinner, visit Mouna, Palma’s only 100% organic vegan and vegetarian restaurant. Located on Plaça de la Drassana, Mouna offers a wide range of fresh food including:

• Asparagus risotto
• Hummus & labneh
• Patatas bravas
• Tomato salad

Healthy, hearty, and full of local flair and the perfect place for people watching and enjoying a summer’s evening. What’s more, Mouna has a classy atmosphere without the premium price tag so it’s perfect for a special meal without breaking the bank.

---

10.30pm – Late Night Froyo at Yomaro

Finish your day with a sweet treat at Yomaro Frozen Yoghurt, right next to Mouna. Choose two toppings (try strawberries and chocolate chips) and a sauce (dulce de leche is amazing). Then take a final wander through the lively nighttime streets of Palma – making your way back to your hotel or into the several bars on offer.

---

Bonus Alternatives For Your One Day Palma Itinerary

Here are some alternative ideas to personalise your one day Palma itinerary:

Sunset Cruise – 6pm to 9pm

Swap dinner and dessert for a 3-hour sunset cruise, including:

• Swimming & paddleboarding in quiet bays
• Tapas on board
• Return by 9pm, in time for drinks in town

This is one of the most special ways to enjoy your evening in Palma and offers a completely different way to see the city. Bring your swimwear, your own playlist (Jorge provides the bluetooth speaker!) and a camera for a wonderful evening on the water. We booked with Sailin’ Palma and it was such a treat to be out on the water with friends, enjoying the summer sun.

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour – 10am to 5pm

A hop-on, hop off bus tour is a perfect activity if you want to cover more ground or if you’re travelling with young kids that might not want to walk a lot on a hot summer’s day.

Doing a hop-on, hop-off bus tour means you can see most of Palma’s main sights including Bellver Castle and Plaza Mayor without having to navigate the city by foot. I haven’t don’t a hop-on, hop-off bus tour in Palma before but I’ve done them in Barcelona and Hong Kong and loved being able to learn about the history of where I was visiting (via an included audio guide) but also to get my bearings with time to go back to places that piqued my interest!

Other Rooftop Bars

Rooftop bars are done well in Palma so if you fancy enjoying a drink in another place other than Nakar Hotel, try out either Es Princep or Hotel Hostal Cuba. Both have great views across Palma with great drinks to match – perfect for a sundowner either before or after dinner.

Read More: How To Get The Train From Palma to Soller With 5 Top Tips For Your Journey

---

So Can You Really See Palma In One Day?

Palma is a great city to enjoy over a day trip, you won’t get to see it all but you’ll see enough to get a flavour for the city that may leave you wanting to come back for more.

As it’s a small, compact city, you can easily pack in a lot of history, culture, delicious food, and even leisurely drink or two in one of Palma’s bars. If you do decide to visit on your holiday to Mallorca, I hope this one day itinerary for Palma helps you see all the city’s best parts and shows you what a beautiful, Spanish city this is.

Have you been to Palma before? Would you go and spend just one day in Palma or would you stay for longer? If you do follow this one day itinerary for Palma, I hope you have a great time seeing some of the best, and my favourite, parts of the city.