Making the most of Palma de Mallorca
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Most cruise ships in Palma berth at one of two locations:
The Estació Maritima ferry and cruise pier is beside the yacht basins, around a 40-minute walk from the city centre. Most ships use this modern terminal.
A smaller number of ships berth by the commercial and naval port near the Porto Pí fortress at Palma's western edge. This cruise pier is a 75- to 90-minute walk from the main tourist sights, but a large shopping mall is near the port entrance.
Energetic visitors can walk 6 kilometers from the cruise terminal to Palma's old city along the curving seafront. The route passes inner-bay yacht moorings, then commercial berths, before reaching the old city and tourist quarter on the left, with restaurants, museums, sights, hotels, bars and shops. The waterfront walk reveals the changing character of the harbour as you approach the city.
Less energetic travellers can take a local taxi to the Cathedral, a useful place to begin and end a tour. Taxis are plentiful, metered and fairly expensive, with a journey into town costing about 10 euros.
A regular town bus runs every 15 minutes: bus nr.1 costs 3 Euro into town and 5 Euro to the airport, cash only. Leave at Argentina stop and walk towards the cathedral.
The hop-on/hop-off bus () stops directly in front of the cruise terminal.
Most cruise lines also run a shuttle to a central point near the Cathedral for 12 Euro, making bus #1 the better bargain.
Passengers arriving from a Mediterranean cruise can check luggage in at Palma port. Before travelling to the airport, they can then enjoy Palma without suitcases and already have boarding passes. Bus 1 goes directly to and from the airport.
The City Council is proposing future cruise limits and extra port fees.
Port of Alcudia lies in a beautiful bay in northern Majorca. It is a small commercial port, suitable only for dropping anchor while passengers take excursions along the attractive north coast.
Take along the Port Authority printable map.
La Seu, Palma's magnificent Gothic cathedral, dominates the city. Most main sights are within the old walls, particularly north and east of the cathedral. Admission costs $9 and includes the adjacent museum, which has air conditioning for visitors.
La Seu and the Palau de l'Almudaina, or Royal Palace, both stand on the harbour and are worth seeing, along with nearby Banys Arabs, the ancient Moorish baths. Walking from the palace towards Plaça d'Espanya, consider taking the tree-lined Passeig des Born, which many regard as the heart of city life.
- The Estació Maritima ferry and cruise pier sits beside the yacht basins, about a 40-minute walk from the city centre, and most ships use this modern terminal.
- Only some vessels berth near the commercial and naval port by Porto Pí fortress on Palma's western edge. The pier is a 75- to 90-minute walk from the main tourist sights, though a large shopping mall stands near the port entrance.
Getting around
When many ships are in port, tour queues may be long.
Palma de Mallorca City Hop-on Hop-off Tour is an easy way to see Palma in a day and also visits Castell de Bellver, a castle-like setting with impressive city views.
Nearby places
Valldemossa's monumental groups rise between the Sierra de Tramuntana and the Mediterranenan, a few kilometers from Majorca's Costa Nord. Its carefully arranged town has steep streets, stone façades and significant religious buildings amid lush vegetation. Here the mountains descend into the sea, creating beaches and coves where vessels can anchor. Valldemossa port retains an old fishing-town character, and fresh fish with inland produce feature in delicious local cooking.
Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838-9 in the old monastery. Despite the beautiful outlook and a cell described as generally comfortable, they were unhappy, and George Sand wrote a book that may not have encouraged the locals to invite them back.
Soller is on Mallorca's north coast. Reach it on the train from Palma de Mallorca-Plz Espana; it is a pleasantly cool place to visit in summer. From Soller, take the famous tram to Puerto de Soller.
The Drach Caves, on Mallorca's east coast in Porto Cristo, are among the island's best-known attractions. They extend almost 1,200 metres and reach a maximum depth of 25 metres below ground, concealing Lake Martel, regarded as one of the largest underground lakes in the world.
Food and shopping
Shop in the atmospheric, often pedestrianised old-city streets. The terminal also has a small, competitively priced duty-free shop.
As elsewhere in southern Europe, Palma observes the siesta. Many shops, churches and museums shut for several mid-afternoon hours, though larger stores stay open.
Money
The currency is the euro.
Staying connected
Porto Pi centre has an Internet café open daily from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Many Cappuccino cafés and other fast-food outlets in town offer free WiFi.
For emergencies, dial 112 free of charge anywhere in Spain. In some tourist areas, the service operates in Spanish, English, French and German.
Opening Hours and
Common shop and business hours are Monday to Saturday, 9.30 h to 13.30 h and 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Large shopping centres and department stores trade without interruption from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h, and sometimes open Sunday.
Pharmacies usually open 9.30 to 13.30 h and 16.30 to 20.00 h. Major cities have pharmacies open 24 hours. A rolling late-hours roster is published in newspapers and displayed at all pharmacies.
Museums are generally closed on Mondays.
National details.