Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the Balearic Islands, but its old town feels like a compact Gothic city: golden stone, shaded courtyards and a cathedral that rises straight from the old sea walls. Romans, Moors and Catalan kings all left their mark here. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Palma
- Roman roots: the city was founded in 123 BC by the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus, after he conquered the Balearic Islands.
- A palace still in royal use: the Almudaina Palace next to the cathedral began as a Moorish fortress. Today it is an official residence of the Spanish king, used for state ceremonies.
- Baths from Madina Mayurqa: under Moorish rule the city was called Madina Mayurqa. The Banys Àrabs, a small domed bathhouse in a garden, are one of the few buildings left from that time.
- A merchants' hall with palm-tree columns: La Llotja, the Gothic exchange by the harbour, was designed by Guillem Sagrera in the 15th century. Its slender twisted columns rise like palm trunks into the vaults.
- A round castle: Bellver Castle, built in the early 14th century for King James II of Majorca, is circular, a rare shape for a European castle. It stands on a wooded hill with views over the whole bay.
- A figure of eight made of light: on the mornings of 2 February and 11 November, sunlight shines through the cathedral's great rose window and projects it onto the opposite wall, just below the other rose window, forming a glowing figure eight.
- A train paid for by oranges: the Sóller train has run from Plaça d'Espanya over the Tramuntana mountains since 1912. It was financed with profits from Sóller's citrus trade and passes through 13 tunnels on the way.
- A square on the site of the Inquisition: Plaça Major stands where the Mallorcan headquarters of the Inquisition, known as the Casa Negra, once stood. After it was torn down, the arcaded square was built from 1825 onwards.
- Miró's island: the painter Joan Miró lived and worked in Palma from 1956 until his death in 1983. His studios in Cala Major are now the Fundació Miró Mallorca.
- Chopin's winter: Frédéric Chopin and George Sand arrived in Palma in November 1838 and spent the winter on the island, mostly in a former monastery in Valldemossa.
1229: the conquest of Madina Mayurqa
In September 1229, King James I of Aragon sailed from the Catalan coast with a large fleet, landed at Santa Ponsa and laid siege to the walled Moorish city. Legend says that when a storm hit his ships on the crossing, he vowed to build a great church to the Virgin Mary if he survived. The city fell on 31 December 1229, and the cathedral did rise on the site of the main mosque. Palma still remembers the day: every 31 December, the Festa de l'Estendard brings the king's banner out in procession, one of the oldest civic celebrations in Europe.
La Seu, explained
Palma Cathedral, known locally as La Seu, took nearly four centuries to build and was finished in the early 1600s. Its main rose window is among the largest Gothic rose windows in the world, with more than 1,100 pieces of glass. In the early 1900s Antoni Gaudí was asked to reorganise the interior, and he worked on it until 1914: the crown-shaped canopy hanging over the main altar is his. A century later, the artist Miquel Barceló covered the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament with a ceramic mural of loaves and fishes, created between 2001 and 2006.
What to eat in Palma
- Ensaïmada: a light, spiral pastry dusted with icing sugar, protected as an EU geographical indication. Have one with coffee for breakfast.
- Sobrassada: a soft cured pork sausage coloured with paprika, spread on bread and sometimes drizzled with honey.
- Pa amb oli: bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil, topped with cheese, ham or olives, the island's everyday lunch.
- Tumbet: layers of fried potato, aubergine and pepper in tomato sauce, Mallorca's answer to ratatouille.
- Herbes de Mallorca: an aniseed liqueur with local herbs, sweet or dry, served after dinner.
Good to know before you go
- The Sóller train leaves from Plaça d'Espanya and takes about an hour. It is popular in summer, so go early, and continue on the old tram from Sóller down to the port.
- Walk or take a taxi up to Bellver Castle for the best view of the cathedral, the harbour and the bay.
- Valldemossa, where Chopin spent his winter, is an easy half-day trip into the mountains by bus or car.
- When several cruise ships are in port, the old town is busiest around midday. Mornings and evenings are much calmer.
Explore Palma with World City Trail
Our Palma scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 38 minutes of walking, past places including the Sóller train station, Plaça d'Espanya and Plaça Major.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
Play the Palma scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.