Palma de Mallorca is the capital of Mallorca, with approximately half a million inhabitants. It is a busy, compact city, but with mountains only 20 kilometres away and beaches on both sides, you can find many natural beauty spots close by. The modern Son Sant Joan airport handles close to 20 million passengers a year. Palma comes as a surprise to many people- it is stylish, sophisticated and bustling yet intimate and bursting with life. Half of Mallorca's population lives here, enjoying the island's best restaurants, shops and nightlife as well as a thriving arts scene and a lively cafe society.
A minute of History:
Palma's masterpiece is its Gothic Cathedral, rising out of the city walls, which once marked the edge of the sea. Close by is the old Arab quarter, its maze of narrow streets hiding museums, palaces and exquisite courtyards. Nevertheless, do not explore old Palma at the expense of its modern side. Take coffee in the former Gran Hotel, visit an art gallery in a converted mansion, join Palma's bright youth on their evening "passeig" along the waterfront, and you will begin to appreciate the variety this fascinating city has to offer.
Known to the Arabs as Medina Mayurqa and to Mallorcans simply as Ciutat (City), Palma is in fact named after the Roman city of Palmaria. Here you can almost literally uncover the different layers of Mallorcan history. The Roman city is still being excavated and inhabitants of houses near the cathedral are still discovering Roman Ruins when landscaping their gardens. The Cathedral was built on the site of a mosque, before that a Roman temple and the royal palace replaced an Arab Alcazar.
Where to go:
Most of the main sights are located within the area bounded by the old walls, especially to the north and to the east of the cathedral. Wander along any alley in the ancient Arab quarter, peering through wrought-iron gates and heavy wooden doors, you will be rewarded with glimpses of one magnificent patio after another with their stone staircases, galleries and arcades.
But you have not truly seen Palma until you have surveyed it from the waterfront, with the cathedral and Almudaina Palace rising proudly above the defensive walls of the old city, their golden sandstone lit up by the afternoon sun.
Getting Around:
A word to the wise- traffic can get quite congested in Palma; even some experienced locals shudder at the thought of parking in central Palma. Fortunately travelling by public transport is relatively quick, inexpensive and easy. The EMT city bus service is excellent (the Palma buses are grey and blue), with all areas of the city within easy reach. Most routes, which are coloured coded and numbered, are very frequent with buses running approximately every ten minutes, although some routes may be less frequent on weekends and public holidays. Go to www.palmademallorca.es and follow the link to EMT Transport for up to date information on prices and routes. Taxis are also reasonably priced, look for the registered white Palma city taxis.
Art and Culture:
Culturally, Palma has a lot to offer. For contemporary art, visit the Museum of Contemporary Art on Calle Sant Miguel, 11, opening hours: Monday to Friday 10.00 until 18.30, Saturdays 10.00 until 13.00. Palma city council operates a multi lingual guided bus tour (book in advance) which departs from Plaza Reina. Each tour lasts approximately two hours.
In recent years, the Auditorium on Paseo Maritimo has shown many great ballets and has been host for celebrities and musicians visiting the island. Of course, this just scratches the surface of what there is to discover. A local newspaper, the "Que!" provides up to date listings of what's on in Palma (in Spanish only).
Shopping:
Palma offers a great choice of shopping, and with most of the shops being located in the compact city centre you will discover more than you expect. Starting at the Jaime III where you will find elegant boutiques, turn right at the end for the Passeig D'es Borne where you can find some up-market clothes shops, or turn left for Las Ramblas. Following Las Ramblas, on your right you will come to Carrer Olms where you will find a great choice of shops. At the top of the street, you will come to the busy area known as San Miguel, packed full of shops to suit all budgets and tastes. From here, take the time to discover the charming winding streets and alleys where you will certainly discover something different every time you visit. For a one-stop shop, the main Corte Ingles, located in the Avenidas and with a smaller branch on Jaime III, is the main department store.
Attractions:
The glory of Palma- a magnificent Gothic Cathedral whose sandstone walls and flying buttresses seem to rise up out of the sea, is truly impressive. Its golden sandstone walls rise high over the city walls and are a popular tourist attraction. The cathedral known as La Seu, stands out wholly from its surroundings, a demonstration of the might of Mallorca's Christian conquerors to all who arrived by sea.
Tradition has it that a storm arose as Jaume I was sailing towards Mallorca. He vowed that if he landed safely he would build a great church in honour of the Virgin Mary on New Year's Day 1230, a day after the fall of Palma, the foundation stone was symbolically laid on the site of the city's main mosque. Work continued for 400 years- and had to resume in 1851 when an earthquake destroyed the west front. More touches were added this century by the Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi.
You enter through a side door, passing a small museum, and head for the west portal to gaze down the long nave. Light pours in through the rose window, one of the worlds largest: 12m across and studded with 1,236 pieces of stained glass. The columns are ringed with wrought-iron candelabra by Gaudi. His most controversial addition is the unfinished Crown of Thorns, fashioned from cardboard and cork and suspended above the altar.
Facts for Travellers:
The Palma tourist offices are located on Avenida Jaime III, 10. Tel: +34 971 712 216, Calle Santo Domingo 11. Tel: +34 971 724 090, and Plaza Espana. Tel: +34 971 711 527.
Weather:
JAN - FEB: 15º C - Cloudy - Low Season
MAR: 17º C - Wet - Low Season
APR: 19º C - Cloudy - Mid Season
MAY: 22º C - Sun - Mid Season
JUN - AUG: 27º C - Sun - High Season
SEP - OCT: 25º C - Showers/Sun - Mid Season
NOV - DEC: 16º C - Wet/Cold - Low Season
Nightlife:
There is plenty of choice available in the Palma area, just relax and take it all in your stride. You could start the evening with a fabulous dinner, then move on to one of the numerous chic bars or clubs. People here start to go out around 10.00pm and bars/clubs stay open until 03:00 or even 04:00, then it's time to hit the discos. During your stay in Mallorca, try and mix with the locals. Palma is full of clubs and bars, where you can mix with both young and old locals. Popular clubs include Tito's and Pacha, both on the Paseo Maritimo- expect a good mix of tourists and locals. The atmosphere is superb and the people are always warm and open for a chat.
|
(4)
