City of Palma de Mallorca
With a population of over 300,000, Palma is the only real city of the
Balearics yet its slow pace of life is quite distinct from the Spanish
city's of the mainland. The centerpiece of its beautiful historic quarter
with grand Renaissance mansions and Baroque churches is its Gothic cathedral
which took over 500 years to build and as an attraction compares favorably
with the better known cathedrals of Spain.
Most of the main sights of Palma are contained within the city walls and
it's easy to explore on foot. If you can be there after nightfall it is a
spectacular sight to see the floodlit Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace
from the waterfront. As well as the historical interest of Old Palma there
is also good shopping for the day visitor and a pleasant café culture to
enjoy.
Cathedral of Palma
As is the case all over Spain, Palma's Cathedral, Sa Seu, was constructed
on the site of a former Arab mosque. According to legend, whilst sailing to
Majorca in 1230 to recapture it from the Moors, Jaime I's fleet was hit by a
major storm. He prayed to the Virgin Mary and vowed that if he survived the
storm he would build a church in her honor. Work on it began in 1306 and has
continued to this day with controversial touches added in the 20th century
by Gaudi.
Bellver Castle
Bellver (meaning "beautiful view") Castle dates from the 14th century and
is unique amongst Spanish castles thanks to its circular design. Built
originally as a royal fortress located above the city, it attracts many
visitors these days thanks to its magnificent views across the Bay of Palma
towards the airport and beyond. The easiest way there is to take a taxi or
to walk up through the woods behind the El Terreno part of town.
Beaches of Mallorca
The island of Mallorca has outstanding beaches along all of its
coastline. And with over 300 days of sunshine a year you can't go far wrong
in choosing this island paradise for your beach holiday destination. The
larger beach resorts with excellent sand include Magalluf and Palma Nova to
the west of Palma and Pollenca and Alcudia on the north coast.
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A
great day out from Palma is to take the train to Soller. This narrow gauge
train has covered this route through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains since
1912. The one-hour trip leaves Palma from the rail station in Cala Eusebi
Estada near the Plaça de Espanya. The journey is beautiful as the vintage
train goes through some stunning countryside with orange, lemon and almond
trees everywhere. On arrival in Soller you can get on Mallorca's first
electric tram which will transport you at a snail's pace to the Port of
Soller 5km away. There are different summer and winter timetables for this
service. You can check the
