Last Updated on 04/03/2026
Visiting Palma de Mallorca and wondering what to do, where to stay and where to eat? Mallorca’s capital Palma has been on my city break list for so long after I enjoyed a day trip from Alcudia to Palma back in 2008. I was blown away by The Cathedral of Santa Maria and knew I had to return. Here I am ready to share what to do in Palma de Mallorca in 3 days to help you plan your own Palma itinerary!
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Disclaimer: My city break to Palma de Mallorca was provided by Jet2 Holidays, to showcase their exciting new Jet2 flights from London Luton Airport. However, I was able to choose my accommodation, explore Palma of my own accord and all activities, and places shared on this page are from my personal experiences. Thanks for reading & supporting my travel blog!
3 Days in Palma Itinerary
If you’re planning a short break to Palma, three days gives you plenty of time to explore the city, enjoy a day trip from Palma and time to relax. As with all my city break itineraries, I’ll be sharing local dining spots and the best Palma rooftop bars to enjoy after days exploring the popular sights.
Day 1 in Palma
La Seu Catedral Basilica de Santa Maria de Mallorca
Regardless of whether you explore Palma in one day on a day trip or are spending a longer holiday in Palma, you cannot miss Palma Cathedral of Santa Maria! The cathedral is visible from almost anywhere you visit in Palma, and is so beautiful inside that you must visit.
Often referred to as “La Seu”, meaning “the cathedral”, Palma’s Santa Maria Cathedral draws many comparisons to Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia that I wondered whether the cathedral was another magnificent creation of Antoni Gaudí’s. Palma Cathedral was undoubtedly influenced by Gaudí’s work and the Artist is understood to have made various contributions, most notably in the design of the crown canopy hanging above the altar, which was completed by his pupil.
The beautiful stain glass windows (61 in total) which are framed by the dramatic curved column archways are where those who have been mesmerised by La Sagrada Familia will draw comparisons.
Though, unlike La Sagrada Familia we avoided long queues, by purchasing skip the line tickets for Palma Cathedral on Get Your Guide for less than £9, which is an absolute bargain! As with all top attractions, I’d recommend visiting La Seu early in the morning or before it closes in the evening to admire the beauty of the cathedral with fewer crowds.
Royal Palace of La Almudaina
The mesmerising grandeur of Palma Cathedral can mean it’s easy to miss its neighbour, La Almudaina Royal Palace.
Dating back to the 14th century, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina is as the name suggests, the official residence of the King and Queen, and along with Palma Cathedral is considered the landmark of the capital of the Balearic Islands.
Visitors to Palma looking for affordable activities will be pleased to know entry to La Almudaina costs €7 euros per person, making it affordable for visitors looking to go inside the royal palace, as well as visit Palma cathedral.
If you don’t get a chance to venture inside, the pretty gardens which are open to the public for free have some beautiful flowers and fountain areas with seating to enjoy. Though, our peaceful time in the gardens was interrupted by some street sellers being chased out of the gardens by the police, making it also a great place to people-watch…
Explore Palma Old Town
Palma’s old town is considered one of the best preserved old quarters in Europe, and similarly to the old towns in Split and Valletta, Palma’s Old Town is the area situated within the city walls.
The Old Town is where you will find an array of beautiful art galleries, historic mansions with pretty courtyards and picturesque plazas. There are also a fabulous range of boutique hotels located in Palma’s old town, and we stayed at Summum Boutique Hotel Melia Collection, which I can’t wait to share more about in an upcoming post.
The Old Town area is split between Palma Baja and Palma Alta, the high and low areas of the city, which spans from the old wall near the harbour promenade to the upper area near Plaça Major, where you can find local delicacies such as traditional Mallorcan cakes.
One of the most popular areas is Passeig el Born, resembling a smaller and less hectic version of La Ramblas in Barcelona. Lined with palm trees and designer shops, Passeig el Born is known as The Golden Mile.
Taste Local Delicacies at Mercat de L’Olivar
Don’t miss trying local dishes at Mercat de L’Olivar situated in the heart of Palma’s old town. This popular local indoor market is where you can taste an array of local specialties including Mallorcan cheeses, sobrassada (a cured sausage made with paprika) as well as traditional Spanish tapas dishes. On this note, I must mention this trip began an addiction to padron peppers…
The arcade area has various small restaurants where you can relax and enjoy the fresh ingredients made into tasty dishes.
Mercat de L’Olivar is open Monday – Friday from 7am – 14.30pm (with an later opening Friday late afternoon until 8pm) and Saturday 7am – 15.00pm.
Gerhardt Braun Art Gallery
Gerhardt Braun Gallery is a must-visit contemporary art gallery in the heart of the old town in Palma de Mallorca. I loved browsing the quirky installations and colourful paintings, and was very pleased to stumble upon this hidden gem in Palma.
Gerhardt Braun Gallery is free to enter and is open Monday – Saturday 10am – 8pm.
You may also want to check out the nearby Kewenig Gallery, stop for a coffee at Rialto Cafe and browse their exhibition room upstairs or check out the Palma Contemporary Art Museum, as you are spoilt for choice with art galleries when visiting Palma.
Sky Bar Hotel Almudaina
Whilst exploring Palma’s old town it would be rude not to stop for a cocktail at Sky Bar Hotel Almudaina, which was my favourite of the rooftop bars in Palma.
The Sky Bar at Hotel Almudaina is situated over two floors, and if there’s availability I’d recommend heading to the top floor for breathtaking views of Palma Cathedral.
We arrived just before sunset and luckily managed to nab one of the best tables with sunset views over Palma. Rooftop bars tend to be on the pricier side as you’re paying for a view, though The Sky Bar was slightly cheaper than some others we visited – Adam and I had a beer and a strawberry daiquiri €19.50.
The Merchants steak n Grill Restaurant
This restaurant with its pretty garden area had caught my eye on Instagram and I knew I had to experience a charming dining experience here. I’d booked us a garden table earlier that day for us to dine after sunset.
Specialising in steak, I ordered the sirloin and Adam ordered the rib eye, and we shared mac n cheese, root vegetables and truffle & Parmesan fries.
The food did not disappoint and it was great to be dining al fresco in the garden area, which thankfully had heaters for each table.
One thing to note when ordering drinks, I was considering ordering a cocktail and then I looked at the sweet wines before ordering a bottle of Whispering Angel for Adam and I to share. Priced at €24 I believed the bottle of Whispering Angel to be a fair restaurant mark up price as I can purchase a bottle for £14 in my local Waitrose. However, upon paying the bill we discovered that the €24 price is by the glass only and the bottle price is in fact €89, which I felt was misleading as the price for the bottle is on the bottom of the food menu page, not with the other wines on the drinks menu page.
Understandably, we spoke to the waiter to query as the bottle of Rock Angel, not Whispering Angel we received was not the price we were expecting to pay. The waiter queried with his manager who did take 10% off the bottle of wine, though as you can imagine this was much more than we were expecting to pay. Therefore, this is definitely worth noting if you dine at The Merchants.
Day 2 in Palma
After experiencing Palma’s main sights, Palma’s day 2 itinerary is all about exploring Sóller known as the valley of oranges and its coastal counterpart port of Sóller.
I love doing a city and beach break combined on my trips, as it allows for some down-time after experiencing the main attractions. On this note, I will certainly be taking advantage of the new city breaks from London Luton Airport!
Take the Vintage Tram to Sóller
Don’t miss taking a day trip to Sóller when visiting Palma. This beautiful picture-postcard town can be reached in one hour by taking the vintage train from Ferro Carril de Sóller. We paid €46 euros for two vintage train tickets to Sóller from Palma, and whilst you can also take the bus, the old wooden train offers the most scenic views and even has a photo stop en route.
The journey from Palma to Sóller takes you through the Serra de Tramuntana World Heritage Site, where you can see rugged landscape with mountains, before the route takes you through a green valley dotted with ancient olive, orange and lemon groves.
The vintage train to Sóller was originally used to transport citrus fruit from Sóller Valley to Palma, and upon visiting Sóller you can see just how Sóller celebrates its heritage by enjoying an orange juice or orange ice cream on your visit.
On arrival to Sóller, I was most intrigued by the quirky modern artworks on display around the station. There’s even a free gallery you can visit at Sóller train station displaying art works from contemporary artists Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró.
Explore Sóller
Follow the tram line from the train station down Paseo D’es Born to Sóller’s main square, Plaza Constitución, where you can see people enjoying drinks in the sunshine, posing for pictures beside the citrus-filled fountain, as well as the imposingly beautiful backdrop of the Parish Church. The magnificent Parish Church, as well as the Bank of Sóller, are other incredible buildings designed by Architect Joan Rubió, student of Antoni Gaudí.
I loved the holiday feeling in the square, as among the dining tables a musician played whilst a few people danced to his tunes. Sóller also proved to be a popular area for groups of cyclists making the most of the scenic valley roads.
We walked along Calle de la Luna (Moon street), which had an array of boutique shops, bakeries and restaurants.
Take the Tram from Sóller to Port of Sóller
Head back up towards the train station and you will see a tram where you can get the tram to port of Sóller.
The tram to the port of Sóller takes 30 minutes, costs €10 per person and takes a scenic route through the orange groves and along the coast. For the best views, make sure you sit on the left side of the tram.
Port de Sóller Beach & Shops
Once you’ve arrived in the Port of Sóller you can enjoy the beach, walk the marina amongst the sail boats and luxury yachts, as well as take boat trips to La Calobra and Torrent de Pareis.
The Maritime Museum is where you can find out historical facts about the area, as well as tales from sea lions.
The boutiques in Port of Sóller are ideal to purchase souvenirs and gifts, I loved this store selling these cute kids tops (if only my nephew was still this small 🥹)…
Vint Restaurant Puerto Sóller
We stopped for a bite to eat at Vint Restaurant, located up the slope from the marina and overlooking the port area.
I always love dining on seafood dishes when I’m by the sea and the sea bass at Vint did not disappoint. Adam dined on steak and we enjoyed a couple of drinks whilst soaking up the views over the marina.
I’d highly recommend dining at Vint during a day trip to Port of Sóller, the food and service were great and our host was very friendly speaking five languages to accommodate various nationalities dining.
To return back to Palma you can take the tram and vintage train back from Sóller, alternatively, we took the bus back for as little as €2 per person.
Day 3 in Palma
Palma’s itinerary for day 3 is all about exploring some hidden gems, tasty tapas and relaxation time with a good sunset and Balearic beats.
Bellver Castle
Somewhat of a hidden gem in Palma located on the fringe of the city, don’t miss visiting Bellver Castle; a former royal residence built in the 1300’s by the order of King James Il of Mallorca.
Entrance costs as little as €4 Euros per person. To reach Bellver Castle you can take the bus from Palma bus station, take a sightseeing tour bus or walk to the castle in 45 minutes. The walk to Bellver Castle is scenic and fairly flat until you reach the 400 steps taking you up to the castle, as you can see from my Palma Instagram Stories…
Bellver Castle was originally designed as a royal residence and defensive fortress with unparalleled views looking out for threats by land or sea.
The castle was later used as a prison and a means to isolate influential figures needing to be silenced. Despite its turbulent history, Bellver Castle is a beautiful circular fortress, which opens up to blue skies above and has gothic structures and archways that only add to its charm.
As the route is downhill back to Palma, take a leisurely stroll back down to the marina area
Sky Nudos Rooftop Bar Palma
Formally known as 49 steps, Sky Nudos rooftop bar whilst on the pricier side of the rooftop bars we visited, boasts sunset views over Palma Marina.
Serving a range of food dishes from raw bar options such as ceviche, caviar, sushi to picky bites, pizza prices average €26 and cocktails are priced at €16+.
Ca’n Toni Restaurant
This family run tapas restaurant was my favourite meal we had in Palma. Adam and I enjoyed a variety of tapas dishes including ham croquettes, padron peppers, patatas bravas and Iberico pork served on a sizzling plate.
For all the food we ate and accompanying drinks, this meal cost us €63.10 and I highly recommend dining at Ca’n Toni restaurant when visiting Palma.
Perfect 3 Days in Palma Itinerary
I hope you have enjoyed reading this Palma 3 day itinerary and I trust it has provided you with plenty of inspiration to plan your own city break to Palma or exciting new range of Jet2 holidays from London Luton. Stay tuned on the blog as I’ll be sharing all about my stay at Summum Boutique Hotel, which is the perfect base in the Old Quarter to explore Palma.
Happy travels,
Jaz