In the Mediterranean Sea, 100 miles off the south east coastline of Spain, lies the Balearics island of Mallorca. The city of Palma is located in Palma Bay on the south western side of the island.
Palma can trace its history back to the Moors, who ruled the city during medieval times. There are few traces of this era left, besides sections of the walls of Almudaina Palace and the Arab baths. The Mallorcan Moors employed Palma as a base to attack Catalan boats sailing from and to the mainland. In 1229, to remove the menace, James I of Aragon captured Palma from the Moor rulers.
The city was annexed into the Kingdom of Aragon. The Golden Age of Mallorca began, this was characterized a blossoming of the island’s trade, industry and agriculture. The imposing Bellver Castle and superb le Seu cathedral were constructed, and the Almudaina was rebuilt to form a marvelous Renaissance palace.
Mallorca's golden age came to end when the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were joined when Charles I, son of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, ascended the throne,to become the first King of all Spain. Mallorca became a forgotten outpost of the newly formed kingdom.
Thanks to the lack of interest from the King of Spain, the Berber pirates saw their opening and returned to attacking shipping out of Palma, becoming a problem that carried on throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Eventually the threat of the Berber Pirates was ended when the French invaded Algeria in the early 19th century. Palma’s business and trade began to thrive again.
Towards the end of the 19th century, tourists started to appreciate the gorgeous Mediterranean shores and the pleasant climate of Mallorca. Palma remains to this day a delightful city with a lot for the visitor to see. Its Old Town, with its narrow cobbled alleyways, character plazas and Renaissance palaces form the historic highpoints of the city.
Mallorca is located at the heart of the Western Mediterranean sea making Palma a very popular port-of-call for cruises. Lately, in main thanks to the large nearby airport, the island has also become a busy homeport for cruise ships.
Poniente/Paraires Cruise Terminals
Cruise terminals 1 through to 4 access ships berthed at the Poniente and Paraires quays. Services comprise of waiting areas, customs, health office, office, snackbar, telephone kiosks and police station. The Poniente quay is around a mile and a half to the southwest of the city center.
South Sea Wall Cruise Terminal
Occasionally cruise ships berth inside the south western outer wall of the harbor, Dique Del Oeste. Cruise terminal number 5 serves these dock.
For the port website see Port Authority of the Balearic Islands. For a full schedule of cruises see cruises from Palma.
La Seu
Palma’s magnificent cathedral la Seu is Palma’s number one draw. Construction started in the early 13th century, and continued for over 3 centuries. A significant rebuilding project commenced in the the 20th century, with the famous architect Gaudi designing several noteworthy alterations. Bellver Castle
The imposing Bellver Castle houses the Despuig Classical Sculpture Museum and the Palma History Museum. There are spectacular views from the castle’s walls across the beautiful Palma Bay. Bellver Castle is a short walk upwards from the cruise terminal.
Almudaina Palace
The signature Moorish architecture of the Palacio de la Almudaina tells of its origin as a Moorish castle. After the conquest of Mallorca by the Catalan army in the 13th century the fort was rebuilt to become a palace for the Mallorcan Kings. Today it is a museum with art like Flemish tapestries, exquisite oriental carpets and an excellent collection of paintings.
Palma To Soller Railway
This old-fashioned electric train joins Palma with the mountainside township of Soller, a trip of 27km. The route crosses a wide plain, then heads upwards through 13 tunnels to get to Soller. The journey, which takes just over an hour, is a great way of getting to know the delightful interior of Mallorca. The Palma station is located in the center of the city, by the modern train station.
Town BeachThe seafront below the city center has a thin ribbon of sand, which, if you walk for 5 minutes in an easterly direction, widens into the large C'an Pere Antoni beach. The sands shelve gently into warm waters. A few palm trees set back from the beach provide shade, and close by stalls sell snacks and beach gear.
Useful To Know
Timezone CET/CEST
Currency EUR
Language Spanish