Palma: Art, History and Urban Culture
Accommodation in Palma de Mallorca
Palma brings together contemporary art, historic buildings, traces of the city walls, and culinary destinations. If you’re looking for hotels in Palma, you can tailor your choice to the interests that matter for your stay. Museums, castles, and markets offer different points of interest, as do the architecture and the city’s public transport network.
Art in a Historic Fortification Setting
The Es Baluard Museu d'Art Contemporani de Palma is located on the edge of the Bastion of Sant Pere. The bastion is part of the Renaissance city walls that surrounded Palma until the beginning of the 20th century. The museum presents temporary exhibitions and a significant collection of contemporary art in a historic fortification setting. Its central courtyard hosts cultural activities and makes it possible to visit the museum outdoors. Here, the art and the architectural setting are two distinct aspects of the same place.
You can also explore surviving sections of the walls: a simple route takes you to four key stops. This means the walls can be experienced both at a specific site, such as the bastion, and at several stops along a route.
Castles, Palaces and City History
Palma’s streets are home to palaces, churches, castles, monasteries, courtyards, and gardens of Roman, Muslim, and Christian origin. One specific example is Bellver Castle: the Gothic castle has a circular floor plan, three original towers, and the later addition of the Torre del Homenaje. It houses Palma’s Museum of City History, which presents the city’s development under Roman, Muslim, and Christian rule. From the castle, the 360-degree view takes in the Bay of Palma and the island of Mallorca.
The Royal Palace of La Almudaina also reflects the Roman, Islamic, and Christian phases of Palma’s history and served as the residence of the Kings of Mallorca. Together with the Museum of City History, it gives you two different points of interest for planning your trip: a museum about the city’s development and a palace with several historical phases.
Market and Getting Around the City
The Mercat de l’Olivar is located in Palma’s historic center. Its stalls offer tastings and tapas, as well as food to take away or eat on site. This lets you choose between eating at the market and taking food away when you visit.
Palma has an extensive urban public transport network. EMT operates the 31 bus routes that make up the city’s public transport network. When considering where to stay, you can take urban mobility into account alongside your sightseeing interests as you plan your trip.
Palma Within the Wider Destination of Mallorca
For those planning to explore Mallorca beyond Palma, the Serra de Tramuntana offers a distinct landscape theme. It is the largest protected natural area in the Balearic Islands and a UNESCO World Heritage mountain landscape, with cliffs descending to the sea, green valleys, and clear mountain streams. Its cultural landscape includes agricultural terraces, interconnected waterworks including watermills, dry-stone structures, and farmhouses. The GR-221, also known as the Ruta de la Pedra en Sec, crosses the Serra.
Palma’s art, architecture, and city history can therefore be contrasted with a Mallorcan mountain landscape with its own natural and cultural landscape features. This comparison helps you set the focus of your stay without conflating regional experiences with Palma’s attractions.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Can Pastilla, Establiments, Son Vida, S'aranjassa, Son Ferriol, Vileta, Es Pil Larí, Gènova, Cala Major, Son Gual, Son Sardina
For the main travel overview: Mallorca.
