Visit Palma de Mallorca

Palma's monumental heart stretches along the old ramparts, the Dalt Murada, facing the bay. The cathedral was begun in the 13th century after the Christian conquest, on the site of the great mosque, and the Almudaina royal palace, a former alcazar, stands opposite. Below, the Parc de la Mar and its lake reflect the facades: it is the best viewpoint at sunset. Allow half a day for both monuments, and arrive at opening time on days when cruise ships are in port.

Behind the cathedral, the Sa Calatrava quarter and the streets around Sant Francesc form a web of cobbled lanes lined with aristocratic palaces. Their patios, inner courtyards with columns and stone staircases, can be glimpsed behind the gates; some open to the public, notably around the Corpus festival in spring. Here too are the Arab Baths, one of the few remains of Muslim Palma, and the Santa Clara convent, where nuns still sell pastries. Allow three hours on foot with no fixed plan: getting lost is part of the visit.

The Passeig del Born, a broad promenade shaded by plane trees, links the old town to the shopping districts. To the south, the Llotja area, named after a 15th-century Gothic exchange, gathers tapas bars and terraces that come alive at night. To the north, the arcaded Plaça Major leads to the Olivar market, the city's largest covered market, where you can grab a quick lunch of seafood or ham. Shops often close between 2 pm and 5 pm and on Sundays: plan your shopping accordingly.

West of the centre, ten minutes' walk from the Born, the former fishermen's quarter of Santa Catalina has become the liveliest area for eating and going out. Its covered market, open in the morning from Monday to Saturday, is the starting point, before the restaurants of pedestrianised Carrer Fàbrica. Right next door, Es Jonquet keeps its low houses and a few windmills on a rise facing the marina. Book ahead for dinner in summer: popular places fill up from 9 pm, the usual dinner time in Mallorca.

On a wooded hill about 3 km from the centre, Bellver castle has overlooked the bay since the 14th century; the walk up through the park takes around thirty minutes, or a few minutes by bus or taxi. Below, El Terreno, a former resort district, keeps early 20th-century villas. Further west, Cala Major is home to the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation, set in the studios where the painter worked in his last decades. The castle usually closes on Mondays: check before combining both visits in the same half day.

To the east, a promenade and cycle path run along the sea from the cathedral to Playa de Palma, for some twenty kilometres. After 3 km, the small harbour of Portixol and the Es Molinar district, with its colourful fishermen's houses, offer small beaches and quiet terraces. Further on, Can Pastilla and then s'Arenal line a long urban beach that is very busy in summer, with strict rules on drinking in the street. Rent a bike for half a day: it is the most pleasant way to reach these beaches from the centre.

The mountain range in the island's north-west, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, starts half an hour's drive away. The Sóller train, running since 1912 with its wooden carriages, reaches Sóller in about an hour through orange groves and tunnels, then a tram runs down to the port. Valldemossa and its charterhouse are about twenty kilometres away, Deià a little further. One day covers the main loop, two allow for hiking. Palma can also be reached by overnight ferry from Barcelona or Valencia, an alternative to flying if you want to bring your car from mainland Spain or beyond.