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Voykit pocket guide · Spain
Palma de Mallorca
Palma
Base in Palma 3 nights for the Old Town, cathedral and food; add beach or mountain days only if you have 5+ nights.
Palma is the capital of the Balearic Islands and the entry point for all of Mallorca: half the island's people live here. The Old Town, cathedral and Royal Palace fit in two days; the rest of a trip is beaches, the Serra de Tramuntana and the airport strip. Most visitors use it as a city break or a first and last night on an island road trip.
- Country
- Spain
- Local name
- Palma
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds and heat), peak holiday weeks
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €110–170 excl. bed · High €200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · National police 091 · Guardia Civil 062
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3 |
| Menu del día at lunch | €12–18 |
| Beer: caña at a bar / supermarket can | €2–4 / €1–2 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €10–15 |
| City bus ride | €2 (check) |
| Cathedral entry | €10 adult, €8 concession (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PMI · Palma de Mallorca Airport (Son Sant Joan)
- 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of the centre; EMT bus A1 to the centre, about 30 min, or taxi about 15 min5.6 mi (9 km) southeast of the centre; EMT bus A1 to the centre, about 30 min, or taxi about 15 min
Typical fares
- Airport → centre, EMT bus A1
- about €5, about 30 min (check)
- Airport → centre, taxi
- about €28 daytime, about €34 midnight–05:00 (check)about €28 daytime, about €34 midnight–5:00 AM (check)
- City bus single
- about €2 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The Old Town is walkable; use EMT buses for the beach strip and Castell de Bellver. Bus A1 links the airport to the centre. Trains and the metro leave from Estació Intermodal under Plaça d'Espanya; the wooden Tren de Sóller departs from C d'Eusebi Estada across the street.
See and do
Known for
- Palma Cathedral (La Seu)
- Royal Palace of La Almudaina
- Old Town (Casco Antiguo)
- Castell de Bellver
- Passeig Marítim nightlife
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sóller by Tren de Sóller | Wooden train from C d'Eusebi Estada, about 1 h, then tram to the port | About 1.5 h |
| Valldemossa | TIB bus from Estació Intermodal, about 30–40 min | About 1 h |
| Castell de Bellver | EMT bus 4, 20 or 50, then a short walk uphill | About 30–40 min |
| S'Arenal / Can Pastilla beaches | EMT bus A2 or local buses along the coast | About 30–45 min |
Sleep
- Old Town / Casco Antiguo
- Cathedral, Royal Palace and most sights on foot; quiet at night, pricier hotels.
- Passeig Marítim / Santa Catalina
- Waterfront promenade, bars and restaurants; 10–15 min walk to the Old Town.
- Plaça d'Espanya / Estació Intermodal
- Train, metro and bus hub; best for day trips and early flights, less atmosphere.
- Can Pastilla / S'Arenal
- Beach strip near the airport; cheap beds, but 20–30 min by bus from the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syas |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- Old Town streets are narrow and uneven: wear shoes you can walk in.
- Beach-strip hotels and the Passeig Marítim club area are far from the sights; check the walk before booking.
- Summer heat and crowded buses: start sights at opening.
- Pickpockets work the busiest streets and bus stops in season.
- Castell de Bellver closes Mondays; the cathedral and La Almudaina also keep shorter Sunday hours.
Palma is a safe city by day; the real risks are summer heat, pickpockets on busy buses and streets, and late-night bar strips where you should ask the total before you sit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Palma de Mallorca yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Palma Cathedral (La Seu)
- Royal Palace of La Almudaina
- Old Town (Casco Antiguo)
- Castell de Bellver
- Passeig Marítim nightlife
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Palma city council (official): www.palma.es/
- Tren de Sóller: trendesoller.com/
- Palma Cathedral: catedraldemallorca.org/
- Royal Palace of La Almudaina: www.patrimonionacional.es/en/visita/royal-palace-la-almudaina
- Castell de Bellver: castelldebellver.palma.es/
- Es Baluard Museu: www.esbaluard.org/
- Wikivoyage: Palma de Mallorca, revision 5327512 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327512
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Palma de MallorcaPalma
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Palma (check the address); most other countries: consulates in Palma or embassies in Madrid.
Tipping is optional: round up or 5–10% for good table service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/palma-de-mallorca). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.