Where to stay in Palma de Mallorca
Palma is small enough that most of what a visitor wants sits within twenty minutes' walk of the cathedral, so you choose on mood and noise more than on distance. Stay in the old town to be among the sights and the lanes, in Santa Catalina to eat well in the evening, and in Portixol if you want the sea and a quieter pace. The Paseo Marítimo and El Terreno are practical and a little dated. The big resort strips outside the city, Magaluf and s'Arenal above all, are the thing to think twice about for a city break.
The short answer
- First trip
- The old town around the cathedral, or La Lonja if you want evenings out.
- Couples
- La Lonja for evenings out, or Portixol for a quiet harbor and the sea.
- Families
- The Paseo Marítimo: flat, with space, and the old town a short walk or bus ride away.
- Tight budget
- Plaça d'Espanya or El Terreno, fifteen to thirty minutes from the cathedral.
- Food and nightlife
- Santa Catalina for the restaurants, La Lonja for the bars.
How we judge an area of Palma de Mallorca: walking time to the sights, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Palma's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Cathedral | Plaça Major | Plaça d'Espanya station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The old town (Casc Antic) | Sights, first visits | Moderate; loud near the squares | 5 min | 5 min | 15 min | On foot; buses at the edges | €€€ |
| La Lonja | Evenings out, couples | Loud on weekends | 10 min | 15 min | 20 min | On foot; buses on the avenues | €€€ |
| Santa Catalina | Food, a local feel | Loud on weekends | 20 min | 25 min | 30 min | On foot; buses on the avenues | €€€ |
| Son Armadams | Calm, seafront walks | Quiet | 25 min | 30 min | 35 min | Buses on the avenues | €€ |
| El Terreno | Value, Bellver | Loud near Plaça Gomila | 35 min | 40 min | 45 min | Buses to the center | €€ |
| The Paseo Marítimo | Families, sea views | Traffic by day, quiet at night | 20 min | 25 min | 35 min | Buses on the avenue | €€€ |
| Portixol and Es Molinar | Quiet, the sea, longer stays | Quiet | 35 min | 35 min | 40 min | Buses to the center | €€€ |
| Around Plaça d'Espanya | Value, transport | Busy by day; quiet at night | 20 min | 10 min | 5 min | Intermodal station | € |
Walking times are the straight line between two points plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. They are measured from the middle of each area, so a hotel at its edge will be a few minutes either way. Palma is flat apart from the hill under Bellver Castle. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
The old town, for a first visit
The lanes and courtyards around the cathedral, Plaça Major and the Born: the sights at the door and the most atmosphere in Palma.
The old town is the grid of narrow streets between the cathedral, the Almudaina palace, Plaça Major and the Passeig des Born. The cathedral, the Arab Baths, Plaça Cort and many of the best shops are within ten minutes on foot, and a lot of the hotels are restored mansions with courtyards.
The lanes are narrow, cobbled and partly closed to cars, so you will wheel your case the last few streets. Squares near Plaça Major and the Born fill with tables in the evening, and some bars run late. Rooms in old buildings can be small and some have steep stairs. Expect to pay more here than anywhere else in the city.
Good for
- Sights, shops and cafés on foot
- A first visit of two or three nights
- A hotel in a restored mansion with a courtyard
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly: ask for a room off the square
- You will be arriving with heavy cases and want a taxi at the door
- You want value: this is among the dearest areas
Staying in The old town (Casc Antic): nearby sights, food and getting around
La Lonja, for evenings out
The old quarter by the harbor, around the Gothic exchange hall: restaurants and bars, and the cathedral ten minutes away.
La Lonja is the part of the old town west of the cathedral, around the Llotja building and the lanes that run to the port. It is the place to eat and drink in the evening, with a long run of restaurants and cocktail bars, and the Es Baluard modern art museum a few minutes to the south.
It is livelier and louder at night than the streets around the cathedral, with weekend crowds and terraces open late. Hotels are mostly small and boutique. Pick a room away from the main restaurant street if you want to sleep before midnight.
Good for
- Restaurants and bars at the door
- The harbor and Es Baluard on foot
- The cathedral in ten minutes
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly: weekend nights are loud
- You want a big hotel with a pool
Santa Catalina, for restaurants and the market
The old fishermen's quarter west of the center, now the city's busiest place to eat, with a covered market at its heart.
Santa Catalina was once a district of fishermen and port workers. It is now full of restaurants, bars, small shops and the Mercat de Santa Catalina, and it feels more like a neighborhood than the old town. The cathedral is about twenty minutes' walk east.
Weekend evenings are busy, with groups outside the bars and noise in the main streets. Hotels are fewer and often smaller, and many visitors rent apartments here. It is a good base if your days are built around meals. If sightseeing comes first, the old town is closer.
Good for
- Restaurants and bars at the door
- A neighborhood feel
- The market for breakfast and lunch
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly on a weekend: the bars run late
- You want to walk to the cathedral in under ten minutes
Staying in Santa Catalina: nearby sights, food and getting around
Son Armadams, for calm streets by the sea
A residential district between Santa Catalina and El Terreno, with the Paseo Marítimo as its front door.
Son Armadams lies west of the center, on the land side of the Paseo Marítimo. It is mostly apartment blocks, small cafés and quiet streets, with a few hotels on the seafront avenue. Santa Catalina is five minutes away, and the cathedral about twenty-five minutes' walk.
It is calm at night compared with the old town, and the seafront promenade is good for an evening walk or run. It has little of its own to see, and the avenue next to the sea is noisy with traffic in the day. A taxi or a bus into the old town takes ten minutes.
Good for
- Quiet streets and a seafront walk
- Santa Catalina's restaurants within five minutes
- Calmer nights than the old town
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the sights
- You want old-town atmosphere on the doorstep
Staying in Son Armadams: nearby sights, food and getting around
El Terreno, for lower prices and Bellver
A hillside district west of the center: older hotels and apartments, a nightlife strip, and Bellver Castle above it.
El Terreno rises from the seafront toward Bellver Castle, around Plaça Gomila. It has older hotels, apartments and a long-established bar and nightlife strip, and it is a mixed neighborhood: some pleasant streets, some tired ones. The cathedral is about thirty minutes' walk, or a short bus or taxi ride.
Prices are lower than in the old town and the area is handy for the Bellver walk and the seafront. Some of the bars around Gomila are noisy late, and the area is less polished than Santa Catalina. Read recent reviews for the exact street.
Good for
- Lower prices than the old town
- Bellver Castle and its woods nearby
- Buses and taxis into the center
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the cathedral
- You sleep lightly near the bars on Plaça Gomila
Staying in El Terreno: nearby sights, food and getting around
The Paseo Marítimo, for families and sea views
The broad seafront avenue along the harbor: large hotels, flat ground and views of the bay, with the old town a short walk.
The Paseo Marítimo is the wide road between the port and the sea, running west from the cathedral. It has the city's larger hotels, marinas, cafés and a cycle path, and most rooms have a view of the bay or the yachts. The cathedral is about fifteen minutes' walk from the nearest hotels.
It is flat, easy with buggies and good for families. The avenue itself is busy with traffic, and the western end has clubs, so the stretch varies. It has no beach to speak of; the city sand is a bus ride away.
Good for
- Flat ground and sea views
- Larger hotels with pools
- The old town in fifteen minutes
Think twice if
- You want a beach on the doorstep
- You want lanes and atmosphere outside
Staying in The Paseo Marítimo: nearby sights, food and getting around
Portixol and Es Molinar, for a quiet harbor
Two old fishing districts east of the center: a small harbor, a seafront path and fish restaurants, away from the crowds.
Portixol and Es Molinar were the fishing quarters east of the city and still have a low, village feel, with a small harbor, a waterfront promenade, boutique hotels and restaurants that serve fish. The old town is about fifty minutes on foot, or a short bus or taxi ride.
They suit a slower stay: swimming off the rocks and small beaches, a walk along the water and dinner by the harbor. They are not a base for sightseeing, and buses run less often late in the evening.
Good for
- A quiet seafront
- Swimming and walking by the water
- Fish restaurants at the door
Think twice if
- You are visiting for a short sightseeing trip
- You want to walk to the old town
Staying in Portixol and Es Molinar: nearby sights, food and getting around
Around Plaça d'Espanya, for the airport bus
The district beside the main station: plain and practical, with cheaper rooms and the airport bus on the corner.
Plaça d'Espanya is the transport hub on the north edge of the old town. The intermodal station has the trains to Inca and Sóller, the long-distance buses and the airport bus, and the Olivar market is a few minutes away. The cathedral is fifteen minutes' walk south.
The streets around the square are busy and plain, and a few corners feel worn after dark. Rooms cost less than in the old town and the airport bus stops here, which helps with an early flight or a train to Sóller. It is not where you will want to spend the evening.
Good for
- Lower prices a short walk from the old town
- The airport bus and the Sóller train at the door
- The Olivar market nearby
Think twice if
- You want charm at the door
- You will walk back alone late at night around the square
Staying in Around Plaça d'Espanya: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Palma, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Palma de Mallorca. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- Magaluf or s'Arenal, for a city break
Cheap, with big hotels and a long beach, but 12 to 25 kilometers from the cathedral, and Magaluf in particular is built around nightlife. Stay in Palma itself unless a resort week is what you want.
- A cheap room above a bar in the old town on a weekend
The squares run late and the lanes are narrow, so the noise stays. Ask for a room at the back, or stay in Son Armadams.
- A room on the busy Paseo Marítimo road in summer, facing the traffic
The avenue is loud by day. Ask for a room at the back or on a high floor.
- A cheap room near the Plaça Gomila bars in El Terreno
The bars run late and the noise carries uphill. Look at the streets above, or choose Santa Catalina.
- A hotel near the airport to save money
The saving is small once you add the bus, and the sights are twenty minutes away. Palma is small: stay in the middle of it.
Which neighborhood suits you
Families with children
The Paseo Marítimo: flat, with large hotels and pools.
A tight budget
Restaurants and the market
Santa Catalina, with the covered market at its heart.
Calm and the sea
Portixol, or Son Armadams beside the Paseo.
An early flight or the Sóller train
Plaça d'Espanya, with the airport bus and the train station together.
Before you book a room in Palma
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Palma de Mallorca makes a good stay.
- The tourist taxThe Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night, from age 16, in registered tourist accommodation, and is added to your bill. From 1 May to 31 October a three-star hotel pays about €2 plus VAT, and the rate rises to about €3 for a four-star and €4 for a five-star; from 1 November to 30 April the rates are lower. The tax is halved from the ninth night in the same place. Rates depend on the hotel category, so check the exact figure on your booking.
- From Palma airportThe A1 bus from outside arrivals runs to Plaça d'Espanya, the main station, in about 20 minutes, every 15 minutes or so. A single costs about €5 in cash and is cheaper by contactless card. A taxi to the old town takes about 20 minutes.
- From the stationPlaça d'Espanya is the intermodal station, with trains to Inca and Sóller, long-distance buses and the airport bus. The old town is a fifteen-minute walk south, and the Sóller tram and train leave from beside the square.
- SummerJuly and August are hot, crowded and the most expensive, with highs of about 31°C. Air conditioning is not standard in small old-town hotels, so check before you book. April to June and mid-September to October are the best weeks for a city break.
- The old town and carsMuch of the old town is restricted or closed to cars, and parking is expensive. If you have a car, choose a hotel with parking, or leave it at the edge, and use your feet and the bus.
- Lifts and stairsMany old-town hotels are in historic houses with small lifts, or none, and cobbled lanes. If stairs are hard for you, check the floor and the lift before you book, not when you arrive.
Where to stay in Palma de Mallorca: questions people ask
What's the best area to stay in Palma for a first visit?
The old town around the cathedral, or La Lonja if you want evenings out. Both are within fifteen minutes' walk of the cathedral, the Arab Baths and the Born.
Is it better to stay in the old town or Santa Catalina?
The old town for the sights and the lanes, with more crowds. Santa Catalina for the restaurants and a local feel, about twenty minutes' walk from the cathedral.
Is Palma good for a beach holiday?
Not really, as a city break. The beaches are outside the center, at Portixol, Can Pere Antoni, Platja de Palma or further out. If the beach comes first, stay in a resort.
Should I stay in Magaluf or s'Arenal instead of Palma?
Not for a city break. They are resort strips 12 to 25 kilometers out, built around the beach and nightlife. They suit a beach week, not sightseeing.
How do I get from Palma airport to the center?
Take the A1 bus to Plaça d'Espanya, about 20 minutes. A single costs about €5 in cash, and the bus is cheaper by contactless card. A taxi takes about 20 minutes.
Can you walk everywhere in Palma?
The old town, La Lonja, Santa Catalina and the Paseo Marítimo are within about twenty-five minutes of each other. Portixol and El Terreno need a bus or taxi.
Which area is best for restaurants?
Santa Catalina has the densest run of restaurants and bars, and La Lonja has the evening scene. The old town has more traditional places in its lanes.
Is there a tourist tax in Palma?
Yes. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night from age 16, with rates that depend on the hotel category and season. Check your booking for the exact figure.
