Is it better to stay in Palma or in a resort?+
If you're interested in the city, food and sightseeing, then Palma — it has the best restaurants in the Balearics, runs year-round, and has good bus and train connections. For a classic beach holiday, resorts on the north and east of the island are better, since Playa de Palma is long but busy and sits under the flight path.
How much time do I need for Palma?+
One well-planned day is enough for the main sights: the cathedral, the Almudaina, the old town and the market. Two days let you add Bellver Castle, Es Baluard and an evening in Santa Catalina. Anyone staying a full week can use the city as a base, taking the train to Sóller and buses into the mountains.
Can you visit the cathedral for free?+
Entry to the museum section costs around ten euros, but you can visit the cathedral for free during Mass, usually held in the early evening — it's polite to stay at the back and not take photos. On two dates each year, 2 February and 11 November, it also opens early in the morning for a light phenomenon through the rose window, with free admission then.
Do I need a car in Palma?+
No, quite the opposite. Much of the old town is a restricted-access zone monitored by cameras, and fines follow you abroad too. Parking in garages costs around twenty-five euros a day. The city itself is walkable; for trips around the island, it's better to rent a car for just that specific day, or use the train and buses.
Where can you eat well for reasonable money in Palma?+
In Santa Catalina around the covered market, and at the bars right inside Mercat de l'Olivar, where they'll cook fish from the counter for the price of the ingredient plus a few euros. A three-course menu del día lunch costs fourteen to twenty euros. Terraces on Passeig del Born and around the cathedral, by contrast, charge for location.
Is there a beach in Palma?+
Yes, several. The six-kilometre Playa de Palma starts near the airport and is the main swimming zone, with hotels, a promenade, and crowds in season. Closer to the centre are the quieter Ciutat Jardí and the fishing quarter of Portixol, with a small beach and cafés, reachable from downtown in fifteen minutes by bike along the coastal cycle path.
What's Palma like in winter?+
Open and cheap. Temperatures hover around fifteen degrees, restaurants, museums and shops run as normal, and hotel prices are the lowest of the year. Swimming isn't an option and some of the island's resorts close down, but the city itself is pleasant in December and January, and the cruise ships are gone.
How do I get from the airport to the centre?+
By bus A1, which runs every fifteen minutes, takes twenty minutes and costs five euros; it stops at Plaça d'Espanya and the harbour. A taxi costs around twenty-five euros, and there can be a queue for one at the terminal in peak season. Line A2 goes to Playa de Palma. Car rental companies have desks right at the terminal.
