The perfect weekend in Palma, Mallorca: Best places to Stay & Eat

Palma the capitol of the Mallorca located on the islands south coast. Palma is the largest city of the Balearic Islands has a great mix of artist and chilled vibes.

Looking for some inspiration for the rest of your time in Mallorca? Check out Our 8 Top Towns to visit in Mallorca

*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission.

How to get to Palma?

To get to Palma from London it is a short 2 hour 30 minute flight which is offered by most airlines departing from all airports.

Palma is a well known destination for all inclusive holidays. If you choose to opt for an all inclusive holiday through a company such as Loveholidays, as part of your all inclusive package they will provide your flights and transfers from the airport.

When to visit Palma?

As Palma is a very attractive location for those from the UK coming to escape the cold make sure to pick a quieter time in the year to visit Mallorca. We would recommend visiting in shoulder season which would be from May/June and again from Sept/Oct (however outside of school holidays and bank holiday weekends). Palma is also a very large port city, regularly you will also have large cruise liners docking in the port which makes the town a lot busier. If you are staying over the weekend you will find that you will have a day where you are able to avoid this.

Want to explore the other towns of Mallorca? Check out Our 8 Top Towns to visit in Mallorca

Things to do in Palma?

There is so much to do in Palma! Whether you have decided to head there for a sunny weekend away full of relaxation and dinning. Or perhaps you are looking for more of an active weekend hunting through art galleries and sailing in the ocean. Palma is so far our favourite city destination!

Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca

Just above the port in Palma lies the impressive Cathedral of Palma. Its beauty can be seen from various angles throughout Palma and is one of the main attractions of the city. In the 20th century the famous architect Gaudí worked on the internal features of the cathedral, tickets to view the inside of the cathedral can be purchased on site. As it is located close to the port be aware that on days which cruise ships are in port the area can become very busy.

Musea Fundacio Joan March

Located on a busy shopping street, this museum and gallery is home to a large collection of 20th century Spanish artists. The museum is free to enter and is a great space away from the hustle and bustle from the street below. If any of the artworks within the gallery peak your interest, they have a good selection of prints available to take home for a very affordable price. We paid about €10 each for prints of the artworks that we loved.

Joan Miro Museum

This museum is located outside of Palma itself in the Cala Major district, where the artist himself lived and worked. To reach it you can get bus nos. 46, 4, 20 or 104. Tickets for the museum must be purchased in advance and are €10 for Adults. The museum offers guided tours as well as has an onsite cafe located in the grounds garden.

Mercat de l’Olivar

This is one of Palma’s many fresh produce markets. Mercat de l’Olivar is centrally located and a great place to stop to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables or some Mallorca specialties including wines and meat. The market also has a few resturants and bar which are great for tapas and wine while watching everyone pass by.

Paseo del Born

This long tranquil street is lined with designer brands is a beautiful spot to take a stroll along. Lined with trees this street is also a lovely shady spot for those sunnier days.

Es Baluard Musea d’Art Contemporani

Opened in 2004 this Museum is home to artists from the Balearic Islands. It is located in the Porta de Santa Catalina area and tickets start from around €6.

Want to spend some time at the beach in Mallorca? Check out Our 5 most beautiful beaches in Mallorca

Where to eat and drink in Palma?

There are an abundance of restaurants throughout Palma, you will not find it difficult to be able find something you are looking for.

Breakfast & Coffee:

El Perrito

If you’re after a quiet breakfast and a good coffee then this small but very popular cafe of El Perrito is a great place to go. They have a very health conscious menu full of bowls and bagels. Hot tip: make sure to get a side of avocado they add some sweet paprika to the top of it and it is amazing!

Nano Coffee Lab

A very small specialty coffee shop right off a main street in Palma. The shop itself is only small however they do also have a few benches for outside seating. They also stock a small range of sweet and savoury pastries.

La Molienda Bisbe

A small cafe with a small menu however the menu is created to serve up organic and local produce. They have a large variety of vegan and gluten free items on their menu.

Fornet de la Soca

If you’re feeling like baked goods for breakfast then Forget de la Soca is a small traditional bakery located in central old town. As its located in Palma it is on the slightly more expensive side compared to other bakeries you may come across around the island however if you’re in the city it is worth checking out.

Lunch and Dinner:

Cafe La Lonja

If you love people watching and delicious food then definitely check out Cafe La Lonja. Located in a beautiful square next to Llotja de Palma it is a great place to sit out and enjoy the sunshine.

Cafe Ca’n Toni

Make sure to book here if you want to get in for dinner! We walked past this restaurant and the smell of the food was amazing. The inside of the restaurant is only small and they have another smaller terrace out the front for seating. Even if you are only a small group bookings are essential as they do not have the space.

Bodega Can Rigo

This was our favourite restaurant of our time in Palma, it was also one of the cheaper resturants that we ate at in Mallorca. We accidentally stumbled across this small bar after not being able to get into any other resturants around the area. The small quaint bar was full atmosphere between the delicious octopus and the fact their phone was still a wall mounted landline. They prepare lots of local food and drinks and would highly recommend checking them out if you’re ever in Palma.

Drinks:

Flora

If you are looking for a place for a nice date night or a quiet romantic drink then make sure to check out Flora. The prices on the drinks are much higher than most places around Palma however the beautiful aesthetic of the bar is well worth it.

Where to stay?

HM Palma Blanc

During our trip we stayed at a different HM hotel however we then wandered past this HM hotel and would recommend it as our top choice due to its location to town.

HM Balanguera

We spent our first two nights at the beautiful HM Balanguera. It is located on the outskirts of town however there is a city circle bus that can take you into town or it is about a 15 minute walk. The hotel has a small pool roof area which was a great place to be able to relax in after a long day of site seeing.

Purohotel Palma

Melia Palma Bay – Half Board

If you’re looking for a more relaxed holiday then why not choose a hotel with Half board. For more all inclusive and package holidays check out Loveholidays Mallorca Holidays.

Palau Sa Font

The Boc – Hostel

Heading out of Palma and not sure where to go? Check out Our 7 day itinerary in Mallorca

*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission.