Planning to spend just one day in Palma de Mallorca on your visit to the Spanish island? Then you’re in the right place.
Whether you’re going on a day trip to Palma de Mallorca from the town you’re staying or you do like we did on our last trip and had a late flight home, so we spent our last day in Palma, this is a great itinerary with plenty of “breathing room” to soak in the wonderful atmosphere of this historic city.
Without any further ado, here’s my one-day Palma de Mallorca itinerary.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi, I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Brainy Backpackers. I’ve been based in Spain for the last 10+ years, and travel locally and abroad whenever I have a chance. I’m passionate about responsible travel, slow and off the beaten path travel, and outdoor activities, especially hiking. I’m currently slow traveling in my van Persistence (Persi among friends) with my fiancée Mohammed and rescue puppy Atlas. I’m excited to help you explore this planet responsibly!
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One day in Palma de Mallorca itinerary
Brunch in the old town
Start your day in Mallorca with a nice brunch in the old town. I suggest you walk around to find a spot that speaks to you.
We really enjoyed Enrike’s Coffee, which had amazing coffee and homemade bread. They didn’t have any vegan options on the menu, but they made me a delightful vegan sandwich with my bread of choice. Mohammed really enjoyed the croissant, and it was huge!
TOP TIP! Book this joint Cathedral and Royal Palace of La Almudaina tickets
Visit the cathedral and its rooftop
After filling up your belly, it’s time to stroll to the beautiful cathedral in Palma de Mallorca. It dates back to the 13th century and is an incredibly beautiful building with over 300 statues decorating the exterior.
But I also love the inside of Palma Cathedral. It’s massive, with incredible details, and you can easily spend an hour walking around there.
I especially love the stained glass windows contrasting with the stone columns and ceiling. Mohammed was particularly impressed by the “crown” above the altarpiece.
There’s also an art piece dedicated to the sea on the right side of the main altar, which I found intriguing, a bit dark, but unusual.
The cathedral also has a nice courtyard with a central well, which is a nice place to walk around.
You can also get tickets to climb the narrow steps to the rooftop terrace of the church, which offers sweeping views of the city in all directions.
Needless to say, this is one of my highlights of the cathedral visit!
I highly recommend booking tickets in advance to save time upon entry. We had to book online while standing outside the door, which took up extra time.
Visit the Royal Palace of La Almudaina
The Royal Palace of La Almudaina in Palma de Mallorca was originally a Moorish fortress, but after the reconquest in 1229, it was turned into a Gothic palace. It was soon established as the seat of the kingdom of Mallorca.
To this day, it’s used as an administrative center in Mallorca and a summer residence for the King of Spain.
Inside, you can see different halls, and there’s a lot of information about the Spanish kingdom up to the present day. Mohammed loved that Rafael Nadal was represented in one of the halls with pictures!
If you’re a resident of Spain, entry is free; however, for everyone else, I recommend booking your ticket in advance.
TOP TIP! Book this joint Cathedral and Royal Palace of La Almudaina tickets
Walk around the waterscapes to see the view of the cathedral
After visiting the palace, take a walk around the waterscapes in front of the cathedral, where you’ll get the best views of Palma Cathedral.
It’s a really beautiful cathedral with so many nice details, and from the old town, you can’t really get a grasp of its grandeur.
I suggest walking counterclockwise to get to the Arab Baths more easily.
Visit the Arab Baths
Next, head to the Arab Baths in the old town. They’re only a few minutes walk from the cathedral. The Arab Baths in Palma were built in the 10th century during muslim rule and are in an incredibly good state.
It’s a small site, but it was one of my highlights when visiting Mallorca and is easy to fit into a 1-day Palma de Mallorca itinerary as they’re centrally located.
Besides, there are some beautiful gardens outside of the remains of the baths where you can take a stroll.
Note that the Arab Baths can only be paid for at the entrance with cash!
Grab some lunch in the old town
Before you get to explore the rest of the old town, you might be hungry, so I suggest grabbing some lunch.
We really enjoyed Ca n’Ela Vegan Restaurant when we went there for dinner one evening, but they also do lunch. It’s a fully vegan restaurant with a lot of great options on the menu and lovely people working there.
Stroll around the old town
The rest of the day, I suggest spending time walking around the old town. Maybe you find some hidden corner that attracts you or an art museum that you want to visit.
Among the sites I suggest seeing is the Gothic La Lonja, which dates back to the 15th century and hosts different art exhibitions. It’s free to enter, and I just loved the architecture!
I also recommend walking up La Rambla de Palma, which is a beautiful pedestrian street lined with tall trees and several bars. There are some beautiful buildings alongside it.
The 17th-century Town Hall building is also stunning, set on the vibrant Placa de Cort. Further past the Town Hall, you can also enter the Palau del Consell to see the impressive entrance hall and stained glass window.
Grab tapas and drinks in a bar
There are plenty of hip bars that are perfect for tapas and a last drink before you end your one day in the lovely Palma de Mallorca.
I suggest walking around and picking a spot that attracts you. There are so many lovely places to choose from, so you won’t have any trouble finding one!
Best time to visit Palma de Mallorca
In short, Palma de Mallorca is fantastic all year round. But if there’s one month I’d avoid, it’s August. In fact, I’d avoid visiting Mallorca in August as a whole, due to the crowds. It can get quite overwhelming.
But the worst for us, when we visited Palma in August, was the humidity. One August evening, we drove into the city to have dinner, and as we got out of the car, we were met with a wall of humidity and a heat that felt more like Bangkok than anywhere near Europe. We were drenched within the minute.
While the locals said it’s not always like that, they mentioned that it’s normal that they get humidity waves like that in August.
If you’re traveling to Mallorca in winter, however, Palma is the perfect place to go, even though it might rain. Luckily, there are many things to do in Mallorca when it rains, and many of them are available right in the city.
How to get around Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca is a walkable city, and there’s no need to take public transport to get around, unless you have limited mobility.
If you’re headed to attractions like the Castell de Bellver, which is a little bit outside the center, you can take the tourist train rather than paying for a taxi.
Anyhow, this itinerary is centered around the cathedral area so that you can get the most out of Palma de Mallorca in one day without walking long distances.
Where to stay in Palma de Mallorca
There are many great places to stay in Palma. Here are my top picks for one night for different budgets.
LUXURY: Convent de la Missio boutique Hotel – set in a 17th-century convent, this 5-star boutique hotel has 27 unique rooms. It’s centrally located and has 2 swimming pools and a spa for when you need to relax.
MID-RANGE: Hotel Basilica – modern, with original, rustic features, this is a fantastic hotel in the heart of the old town with a rooftop pool overlooking the city.
BUDGET: Abelux – at a 25-minute walk from the cathedral, this is a nice and clean budget option in a quiet neighborhood with parking.
Summing up Palma de Mallorca in a day
Summing up, there are a lot of great things to do in Palma de Mallorca in one day, and I’m sure you can press in more than this too. But in all honesty, that would mean that you miss out on the great vibe that is Palma de Mallorca.
As a lover of slow travel, that means I prefer doing fewer attractions in a day to soak up the vibe of the city, and Palma has a lot of personality and several layers that need time to get to know.
Happy travels!