A cathedral above the sea, a medieval kingdom and legends still told in its streets.
Palma was a Roman town, an Andalusi capital called Madina Mayurqa and, in the Middle Ages, the court of a kingdom of its own. Its old town hides Islamic baths, Gothic palaces, noble courtyards, Modernista façades and the memory of communities that history treated harshly. Three free walking routes to explore it at your own pace, from the Born to La Seu.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the mixed route.
From the governors' fortress to the church where Mallorca's first king was crowned, past Islamic baths, the old Jewish quarter and the cloister of Sant Francesc.
A saint who wrestled with the devil, a mysterious stone head, a crocodile with a legend and a cathedral of vows and light. With documented fact kept apart from tradition.
City Hall square, the Modernisme of Can Forteza Rey and the Gran Hotel, the Born, Sa Llotja and the walls of Es Baluard on a walk that leads down to the bay.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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Itineraries
We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.
All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.
See the itinerary 2A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.
See the itinerary 3The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.
See the itineraryWhat to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
The foundation of Mallorcan cooking: dark country bread rubbed with ramellet tomatoes and olive oil, topped with ham, cheese or cured sausage. In Palma the classic sandwich is the llonguet, a crusty roll that Bar Bosch has been serving at the top of the Born since 1936.
Where to try it
«Dirty rice» owes its name to its dark, spice-laden broth. It brings together pork, chicken or rabbit, mushrooms, vegetables and sometimes sobrassada, and is served soupy. Order it for dinner at Celler Sa Premsa, a cellar of huge wine barrels that opened in 1958.
Where to try it
A hearty fry-up of potato, pepper, onion, fennel and lamb or pork offal. It is a market dish, best at lunchtime: in the Mercat de Santa Catalina, Can Joan Frau has served it at the counter since 1966, a short walk from Es Baluard.
Where to try it
Sopes are thin slices of dark bread soaked in a broth of cabbage, vegetables and meat. Tumbet layers fried potato, aubergine and pepper with tomato sauce. Two home-cooking classics you can still find in family-run cellers such as Celler Pagès, open since 1956 just off the Born.
Where to try it
The ensaïmada, a coiled, flaky pastry made with lard and dusted with icing sugar, is Palma's breakfast; try gató too, an almond sponge served with almond ice cream. Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo, which proudly traces its origins to 1700, is the classic place for both, and Forn Fondo has been baking ensaïmadas since 1911.
Where to try it