Why Palma is the perfect city to visit right now
For a final dose of summer, head for the Mallorcan capital, says Chris Leadbeater.
Go now
The capital of Mallorca (visitpalma.com) clings to the last vestiges of summer; even in November there is a fair chance of 70F (20C) temperatures. Palma has an underappreciated cultural and gourmet side, and, due to Mallorca’s package-break popularity, is well served from the UK. British Airways (ba.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), easyJet (easyjet.com), Jet2 (jet2.com), Flybe (flybe.com) and Norwegian (norwegian.com) fly from various airports.
Graphic: City guide to Palma
Stay here
A fabulous five-star hotel tucked into a restored 17th-century palace, Can Cera (1) has doubles from £138, room only. Just as elegant is the Hotel Calatrava (2), a boutique property overlooking the sea. Doubles from £155.
Walk here
You can glimpse Palma’s soul by walking just a few yards of Carrer del Palau Reial. La Seu (3) (catedraldemallorca.org) is Spain’s most magnificent cathedral, a 13th-century Gothic masterpiece. Adjacent, La Almudaina (4) (patrimonionacional.es; €7/£6) is an Arabic fort, built by the island’s former Moorish rulers, which became a royal palace in the 13th century – all epic courtyards and archways.
See this
Palma displays its artistic side at Es Baluard (5), a gallery set into another former fort (esbaluard.org; €6). Brushsmiths include the Catalan painter Sebastià Junyer-Vidal, and Joan Miró, whose Ubu Aux Baléares (1971) is a colourful delight.
Try this
Food is the focus at Mercat de l’Olivar (6) (mercatolivar.com), one of several markets in Palma. Join the locals in shopping for olive oil, wine and fruit, or pause for lunch at Pink Gamba – which offers delicate portions of shrimp and salmon.
Shop here
Passeig del Born is the city’s most gilded shopping street, home to jewellers Tous (7) (tous.com). Over on Carrer de Sant Francesc, Llum de Sal (8) sells varied gastro-fare – including Mallorcan salt (llumdesal.es).
Drink here
On Carrer Arabi, La Biblioteca de Babel (9) (labibliotecadebabel.es) is a glorious Palma idiosyncrasy: a book shop that doubles as a bar with tables on the street outside. Cocktails (such as mojitos) from €7, glasses of wine from €3.
Eat here
Michelin-starred Marc Fosh (10) (marcfosh.com) is in the Hotel Convent de la Missió, where the titular British chef holds court.
A post shared by Marc Fosh (@marcfosh) on May 20, 2017 at 3:54pm PDT
The nine-course “menu degustacion” is €89, and features chilled almond and olive oil soup. De Tokio A Lima is similarly stylish in the Can Alomar hotel (11). Its roast duck tacos cost €18.
Off the map
Four miles south-west of town, the Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró (miro.palmademallorca.es; €7.50) is a museum in the studio where the Catalan artist worked from 1956 to his death in 1983. Bus 3 goes there from Plaça del Rei Joan Carles I (12) (emtpalma.cat; €1.50).
