Free Walking Tour Palma: From La Seu to the Lonja

Your Palma Walking Tour, Nine Stops in Order

1. 1

   Palma Cathedral

   

   You start at La Seu, the cathedral of Santa Maria, which stands right on Palma's seashore against the old city walls, with the Royal Palace of La Almudaina on one side and the Episcopal Palace on the other. Look up at the west front: its pointed gable is a 19th-century neo-Gothic addition, built when structural problems forced a renovation of what had been a flat-topped façade.

   The story begins in 1229, when King James I took the city, then called Madina Mayurqa, from its Almohad rulers. He re-established the diocese at once, and work began on the site of the city's largest mosque; Bishop Pere de Morella consecrated it in 1230. The oldest part still standing, the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, was finished in 1327 as a burial place for the kings of Mallorca. By 1386 the last traces of the mosque had gone, and the bell tower was completed in 1498, around the time the naves and their vaults were closed. The rood screen and choir stalls that followed were set, unusually, in the middle of the nave.

   Inside is where La Seu earns its reputation. The nave rises 44 metres, the eighth-highest in the world, and the rose window measures nearly 14 metres across, the second-largest Gothic rose window still in existence. After the Council of Trent the church filled with Baroque murals and altarpieces, and in 1903 Antoni Gaudí was invited to oversee a restoration that reshaped much of the interior.

   It is Palma's most popular sight, and rightly so: if you go into only one building on this walk, make it this one, especially if light, height and Gothic engineering move you. The Royal Palace of La Almudaina sits directly opposite, 110 metres and one minute away.

   Local name

   La Seu

   Hours

   Mon–Sat 10:00–18:15, Sun closed

   Price

   14 EUR general; free for Balearic residents (ID) and under-12s

   Website

   catedraldemallorca.org ↗

   Location

   Palma Cathedral on Google Maps ↗

2. 2

   Royal Palace of La Almudaina

   

   Facing the cathedral rises the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, still one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family. Its core was an Arab fortress, the alcázar known at the time of the conquest as the Zuda, and the site itself goes back to Roman times.

   The palace you see is largely a work of the 14th century. James II of Mallorca launched a programme in 1298 to reshape the city, and the conversion of the alcázar into a royal residence began in 1305, with the main works between 1309 and 1314: the Great Hall, a sculpture of the Archangel Gabriel and the Chapel of St Anne. Building continued under Sancho and James III until 1343. La Almudaina was the seat of a prosperous Mallorcan kingdom until Peter IV brought it under the Crown of Aragon in 1349; after that, Aragonese and then Spanish monarchs held court here. Charles V added the upper floor in the first half of the 16th century, and Philip II gave the Great Hall, the Tinell, to the royal court of justice and installed the Captaincy General of the islands in the rest.

   Inside, the King's and Queen's palaces, the Chapel of St Anne and the baths are the highlights. The ground floor recreates a medieval atmosphere with works from the 15th to the 20th centuries, while the upper floor, still used for official royal functions, is furnished with pieces from other Royal Sites of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Go in if you enjoy palaces and court history; if Gothic architecture is all you are after, the cathedral has already given you that.

   From here it is 710 metres, about 11 minutes, to the Arab Baths. On the way you pass the Museum of Sacred Art of Mallorca and the Museu de Mallorca, both worth keeping in mind for another day.

   Local name

   Palau Reial de l'Almudaina

   Hours

   Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00 (Apr–Sep), Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00 (Oct–Mar), closed Mon

   Price

   8 EUR general, 5 EUR reduced (ages 5-16, seniors 65+, students up to 25); guided tour +8 EUR supplement

   Website

   patrimonionacional.es ↗

   Location

   Royal Palace of La Almudaina on Google Maps ↗

3. 3

   Arab Baths

   

   Tucked away at number 7 Carrer de Can Serra, the Arab Baths date from the 11th century and are among the few pieces of Muslim architecture left on Mallorca. You have just seen a cathedral built on a mosque and a palace built on an alcázar; here you finally stand inside a building from Madina Mayurqa itself.

   You enter through a horseshoe arch into the central hot room, a cube-shaped space where 12 columns carry horseshoe arches beneath a brick dome pierced with skylights. Look closely at the capitals: they do not match, which suggests the builders reused pieces from older structures. Traces of chimneys and of pipes for hot water and steam are still visible. Originally a narrow corridor led to a changing room, then to the warm room and finally to this hot room, the hammam. A second rectangular room with a barrel vault and remarkably thick walls also survives.

   The baths and their garden once belonged to Can Serra, the house that gives the street its name. In the 19th century the Fontirroig family, who lived on the same street across the way, bought them and built a little bridge over the lane to reach them. Today you walk straight in from the street.

   The visit is short and the ticket modest, and it is the most direct encounter with Muslim Palma on the whole route, so it is worth it for almost everyone. The Basilica of Sant Francesc is only 80 metres on, a one-minute walk.

   Local name

   Banys àrabs de Palma

   Hours

   Apr–Nov 09:30–20:00, Dec–Mar 09:30–19:00

   Price

   2 EUR

   Website

   mallorca.es ↗

   Location

   Arab Baths on Google Maps ↗

4. 4

   Basilica of Sant Francesc

   

   On Plaça de Sant Francesc, the Franciscans began a Gothic convent in 1281, in the reign of Jaume II. In front of the church stands a monument to Junípero Serra, a Franciscan missionary. Take a moment at the portal on the 17th-century Baroque façade: a sculptural group by Francisco de Herrera, with the Immaculate Conception at its centre.

   Inside, a single nave runs through eight bays lined with side chapels under pointed arches; the original timber beams were later replaced by ribbed vaults. After the cathedral, this is the largest church in the Balearic Islands, and Pope Pius XII raised it to a minor basilica on 20 July 1943.

   Many visitors come for what lies behind the Baroque high altar: the Gothic tomb of Ramon Llull, made by Francesc Sagrera in 1480. Then step out into the cloister, where 115 columns with pointed arches frame a trapezoid courtyard. The north gallery was built first and the south was only finished in the 15th century, so you can read the shift in styles as you walk round; the remains of an old well sit in the middle.

   Music lovers should look up at the organ: a modern instrument by Gerhard Grenzing with 55 registers on three manuals, modelled on historic Mallorcan organs and set in a historic case that keeps display pipes and Spanish trumpets made by Jordi Bosch in 1772.

   The cloister and Llull's tomb alone justify the ticket. Plaça de Cort is 300 metres away, about 4 minutes on foot.

   Hours

   Mon–Sat 09:30–12:30 and 15:10–18:00; Sun and holidays 09:00–12:30

   Price

   3 EUR

   Location

   Basilica of Sant Francesc on Google Maps ↗

5. 5

   Plaça de Cort

   

   Plaça de Cort is Palma's civic heart and home to the City Hall. Its name comes from the courts and administrative bodies that once gathered here, and it is the island's kilometre zero, the point from which distances on Mallorca's main roads are counted.

   From 1249 the city's jurats met in the old Hospital de Sant Andreu, founded by Nuno Sanç in 1230, where the City Hall's main building now stands. The building went up in phases between 1649 and the 19th century, and its façade, the real showpiece, follows the pattern of a Mallorcan manor house. Jules Verne stopped to describe it in his 1895 novel Clovis Dardentor, claiming no foreigner would come to Palma without wanting to admire such a remarkable front. Look for the details locals love: the Banc dels vagos, the idlers' bench, the clock known as d'en Figuera, the dragon and the snail.

   The square used to be much smaller. In 1865 it was a fraction of today's size; the opening of Carrer de Colom brought the first enlargement, and in 1922 the block in the middle, home to the newspaper Última Hora, was demolished. Since 1989 a huge olive tree has stood almost in the centre, transplanted from Pedruixella Petit in Pollença and donated by businessman Jaume Batle i Manresa. It is thought to be more than 600 years old and weighs about 4 tonnes.

   This is also where Palma comes out to protest and to celebrate, from the festivities of Sant Sebastià to the Festa de l'Estendard, one of the oldest civic festivals in Europe. Plaça Major is 310 metres away, about 4 minutes.

   Hours

   Daily: 24 hours (public square)

   Price

   Free

   Location

   Plaça de Cort on Google Maps ↗

6. 6

   Plaça Major

   

   Plaça Major is a rectangular square ringed by arcades, with buildings of three or four storeys rising above them, framed by Carrer de Sant Miquel, Carrer Rubí and Carrer del Sindicat. The church of Sant Miquel and the Teatre Principal are only a few metres away.

   The calm arcades hide a dark past. The square occupies the site of the old convent of Sant Felip Neri and some neighbouring houses, and until 1823 it was the seat of the Inquisition. After that building was torn down, ten years passed before work began on the first wing, finished in 1838. Construction dragged on well into the 20th century, ending with an underground car park and shopping arcades.

   Before you move on, find Plaça del Marquès del Palmer just off the square. At number 1 stands the Àliga building, and beside it Can Rei: two early 20th-century buildings in the style of Catalan modernisme that share the metal structure of their lower floors. Their façades are lavishly decorated, above all with polychrome ceramics from the Mallorcan factory La Roqueta. It costs nothing and is one of the most photogenic corners of the walk.

   From here it is 800 metres, about 11 minutes, to Passeig des Born.

   Hours

   Open 24/7

   Price

   Free

   Location

   Plaça Major on Google Maps ↗

7. 7

   Passeig des Born

   

   Passeig des Born runs from Plaça de les Tortugues, also called Plaça Joan Carles I, to Plaça de la Reina. Its long, straight line follows the old bed of the Torrent de la Riera, a stream that once flowed through the middle of the city.

   Down the centre runs a pedestrian promenade with a roadway on either side, though one of them has since been given over to pedestrians too. Along the way, look out for the old Cinema Born, now converted into a department store with an exhibition space.

   The Born is free and made for strolling, a good stretch to slow down after the dense old town. Es Baluard is 340 metres away, about 5 minutes.

   Hours

   Open 24/7 (public outdoor promenade)

   Price

   Free

   Location

   Passeig des Born on Google Maps ↗

8. 8

   Es Baluard

   

   Es Baluard is Palma's museum of modern and contemporary art, and the building is part of the show. Designed in 2003 by Lluís García-Ruiz, Jaume García-Ruiz, Vicente Tomás and Angel Sánchez Cantalejo, it covers 5,027 m², of which 2,500 are exhibition space. Its three storeys connect to the outside, to the city walls and to each other through ramps, skylights and large interior balconies, an attempt to bring the idea of a street indoors.

   The museum opened on 30 January 2004 and holds more than 700 works by artists from the Balearic Islands and of international standing. Its original core came from the Fundació d'Art Serra together with works deposited by Palma City Council, the Consell de Mallorca and the Government of the Balearic Islands, and it has grown since through purchases, donations and loans from artists, collectors and institutions.

   The collection runs from the late 19th century to today. It opens with pictorial modernism and the renewal of landscape painting in Spain, showing how important Mallorca was to that movement, and continues with the artists and currents that have converged on the islands ever since. Temporary exhibitions and cultural programmes run alongside.

   Give it an hour if modern art is your thing; if not, enjoy the building from outside and carry on. The Lonja de Palma is 390 metres away, about 5 minutes.

   Hours

   Tue–Sat 10:00–20:00, Sun 10:00–15:00, Mon closed

   Price

   8 EUR general, 5.50 EUR reduced

   Website

   esbaluard.org ↗

   Location

   Es Baluard on Google Maps ↗

9. 9

   Lonja de Palma

   

   You finish at the Llotja, the merchants' exchange, built by Guillem Sagrera between 1426 and 1447 for the Col·legi de la Mercaderia and completed by Guillem Vilasclar. It is one of the leading works of civil Gothic in the Balearics and counted among the finest in Europe. Its south façade was once part of the sea wall and was reflected in the water; today the sea lies at a distance.

   Walk around the outside first. Octagonal towers mark the four corners, and smaller turrets between them line up with the columns inside, acting as buttresses. From them jut large gargoyles by Sagrera in the shape of lions and dragons; from the mouth of one come the words “O com es fret”, oh, how cold it is!

   On the east side, the main portal is split by a central mullion, and its tympanum holds a large sculpture of the Guardian Angel of the merchants, cloaked and carrying a scroll that reads Defenedors de la Mercaderia. The smaller west portal shows the Virgin and Child in Burgundian style.

   Inside, the rectangular hall is four bays long and three wide, all under pointed vaults, and the original layout has survived several restorations well. Entry is free, so if the doors are open, go in. This is the end of the walk; if you want to return to the cathedral, the GPS navigation can lead you back.

   Local name

   Llotja de Palma

   Hours

   Apr–Oct 10:30–13:30 and 17:30–22:00; Nov–Mar 10:30–13:30 and 16:00–18:00

   Price

   Free

   Location

   Lonja de Palma on Google Maps ↗

Shorter Ways to Walk Palma

Not every day has room for nine stops and five tickets. These three cuts keep the walk coherent.

The cathedral quarter

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4

For history lovers with a morning to spare: the cathedral, the royal palace, the Arab Baths and Sant Francesc, all within 13 minutes of walking. All four charge entry, so this is the version where you go inside everywhere.

Squares, promenade and harbour

Stops: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

For an afternoon stroll: from Plaça de Cort through Plaça Major and along the Born to Es Baluard and the Lonja, 25 minutes on foot. Only Es Baluard charges entry; skip its interior and the whole stretch is free.

All nine from the outside

Stops: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

For a first look on a tight budget: the full route in 43 minutes of walking, admiring façades, squares and the Lonja without buying a single ticket. Good for deciding which interior to come back for.

How Long This Palma Tour Takes, Inside and Out

Of the 43 minutes on foot, the two longest legs take 11 minutes each: from the palace to the Arab Baths, and from Plaça Major to Passeig des Born. Every other leg is five minutes or less, so your time really goes on the interiors.

Plan roughly an hour in the cathedral, 45 minutes in the palace, a quarter of an hour in the Arab Baths, 20 minutes in Sant Francesc and an hour in Es Baluard; the two squares, the Born and the Lonja need about ten minutes each. That comes to close to five hours in all. The cathedral quarter with its four interiors takes about two and a half hours; the second half from Plaça de Cort takes about two hours with Es Baluard and about one without.

Before You Set Off from La Seu

• Start: Palma Cathedral is the recommended start, since the order follows the city's story from the conquest onwards. You can join the route at any stop, though.
• End: Lonja de Palma, near the old waterfront. If you want to return to the cathedral, the GPS navigation in your browser can lead you back.
• Tickets: Palma Cathedral, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, the Arab Baths, the Basilica of Sant Francesc and Es Baluard charge entry. Plaça de Cort, Plaça Major, Passeig des Born and the Lonja are free. Check opening days before you go, as not every building opens daily.
• Time of day: Start in the morning. The four ticketed buildings sit at the beginning, and the Spanish lunch, which starts after 1 pm, then falls around Plaça de Cort and Plaça Major.

Food and Breaks Between La Seu and the Lonja

Palma eats late and well, and the best value is at lunchtime, when a menú del día costs far less than dinner à la carte. Here is where to refuel between the stops.

Tourist Traps to Avoid in Palma's Old Town

• Bodega Mayor: Fine for a drink, but it sits on the most tourist-saturated square and is not where locals eat. (Plaça Major)
• Restaurants waving you in: Staff aggressively beckoning passersby are a warning sign, and most places with smart decor near the cathedral are aimed at tourists. (Around Palma Cathedral)
• The shell game: Walk past without even pausing to watch. If someone in the crowd wins loudly, that is your cue to walk faster. (Passeig des Born and the walk from Palma Cathedral to the Arab Baths)
• Fake police wallet check: Someone flashes a badge and asks to inspect your cash; part of it does not come back. Hand nothing over, ask for their carnet profesional and offer to go with them to the nearest police station. If they refuse, walk away and call 112. (Around Palma Cathedral and Passeig des Born)
• Friendship bracelets and dropped cameras: Pull your hand back and say a clear no, gracias to anyone tying a bracelet on you. Be wary when a stranger asks you to take their photo: the camera gets dropped, and you are asked to pay for the damage or your wallet goes while you bend down. (Around La Seu and the lanes near Plaça Major)
• Pickpockets: Keep bags closed and phones out of back pockets where crowds gather. (Around Palma Cathedral and Plaça de la Llotja by the Lonja)

Common Questions About Walking Palma