Palma de Mallorca (Majorcan Ciutat), capital of Majorca and of the Autonomous Community of the Balearics, is picturesquely situated on the Bahía de Palma, which reaches inland for some 20km/12.5mi on the southwest coast of the island. This lively city is an important Mediterranean port, the economic and cultural center of the islands and the see of a bishop. It was the birthplace in 1235 of the famous mystic, philosopher and writer Ramón Llull (Raimundus Lullus). With its busy central area, its historic old town and the extensive beaches surrounding the whole of the bay, Palma is one of the most popular holiday resorts in Spain and a good base from which to explore the rest of the island, since Majorca's whole road network is centered on the town.
The Castillo de Bellver features Romanesque and Gothic arcades surrounding the courtyard. The castle houses the Museo Municipal, and offers public viewing of several first floor rooms.
To the south of the Town Hall, is the Palacio Ayamans, which now houses the Museo de Mallorca, with collections of Moorish, medieval and 18th/19th century art.
Address: Museo de Mallorca, Calle de la Portella 5, E-07001 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
On higher ground to the west of the town center is the Pueblo Español, with reproductions of important and characteristic old buildings from all parts of Spain. Many of them are occupied by craftsmen's workshops.
Address: El Pueblo Español, Calle del Pueblo Español, E-07014 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
On the east side of the Museo de Mallorca, at Calle Serra 7, is the Casa Font y Roig, in the garden of which are the remains of a 10th century Arab bath house.
Adjoining the Lonja is the Consulado del Mar, the old Admiralty Court, with a beautiful Renaissance gallery around the upper floor. It is now occupied by the government of the Autonomous Community.
Directly opposite the choir of the Cathedral is the Bishop's Palace, which now houses the Diocesan Museum, with liturgical utensils, incunabula, ceramics, etc.
Below the cathedral is the modern Parque del Mar, on the south wall of which is a tiled panel with a picture by Joan Miró. This leads into the palm-shaded Paseo Sagrera, which runs alongside the harbor. On the right is the Lonja (originally the Commercial Exchange), built in the 15th century in Gothic style by the Majorcan architect Guillem Sagrera.
In Calle de los Apuntadores, a little way north of the Parque del Mar, is the Mansión del Arte, with all Goya's etchings in original copies and works by Picasso.
Opposite the west doorway of the cathedral is the Palacio de la Almudaina, once the residence of the Moorish viziers and from 1230 a royal stronghold. It is now occupied by military offices and by the Museo Nacional (National Museum). In the courtyard is the Gothic Capilla de Santa Ana.
From the Old Harbor the Avenida Rey Jaime III runs north by way of the Plaza de la Reina to the Paseo del Borne, Palma's principal promenade. On its west side is the large Palacio Morell (Palacio Sollerich; 1763); the interior, with its valuable furniture, is open to the public.
From the near end of the Rambla, a large flight of steps leads up to the Plaza Mayor, the central feature of the old town. From here Calle San Miguel runs north to the church of San Miguel, which was originally a mosque.
From the north end of the Paseo a street leads east past the Law Courts (Palacio Berga) and the Theater (Teatro Principal) to the Rambla (Via Roma), the city's second promenade. The flower market is held under the plane-trees here.
To the east of Santa Eulalia, in Plaza de San Francisco, is the church of San Francisco, built between 1281 and 1317, with a Plateresque/Baroque doorway. The second chapel on the left contains the alabaster tomb of Ramón Llull. The Late Gothic cloister is surrounded by slender columns.
The parallel coast road runs from Palma Nova through a number of old fishing villages and past the extensive sandy beaches of the Playas de Palma to El Arenal, one of the great centers of mass tourism. This stretch of coast is now an almost continuous tourist resort, well provided with hotels, restaurants, shops and places of entertainment.
Facilities: Beach, Gift shop, On-site accomodations, Restaurant or food service
Location: Province of Balearics; on Majorca, 4.5km/3mi west of Palma at Génova; entrance beside a house. Features: A series of chambers, with large numbers of delicate stalactites and stalagmites in a variety of colors. Conducted tour.
At Palma Nova the C 719 comes to the Coll de sa Batalla (Battle Pass), where Jaime I's army defeated the Moors. The motorway runs east from Palma to the airport of Son San Juan (10km/ 6mi).
The fertile Huerta de Palma, to the west of the Palma de Mallorca, is dotted with numerous villages, estates and country houses (Majorcan son). The best known of these houses are Son Vida (5km/3mi west), once the seat of the Marqués de la Torre, and Son Berga (6km/4mi north), which dates from 1776. Near the artists' colony of Genova (5km/3mi west) can be found an interesting little stalactitic cave. There are still large numbers of the characteristic Majorcan windmills in the Huerta.
The road continues from Bahía de Palma by way of Magalluf, an unfortunate example of the excesses of the tourist boom, to the village of Portals Vells, at the southern tip of the peninsula, with an old cave church in the bay. Above the coast road runs the motorway, which passes close to the Castillo de Bendinat (13th century).
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Castillo de Bellver
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Castillo de Bellver, Palma de Mallorca
Cathedral, Palma de Mallorca
Castillo de Bellver, Palma de Mallorca
Castillo de Bellver, Palma de Mallorca
Castillo de Bellver, Palma de Mallorca
Cathedral, Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
