brown concrete building near body of water during daytime

Palma

Palma suits a city break with a Gothic cathedral, a walkable Old Town and beach or mountain day trips on the same island.

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Palma de Mallorca is the capital of the Balearic Islands and of Mallorca. It sits on the island's southwest coast, around the bay that shares its name, and it is the island's main center for business and culture. With 438,234 residents in 2024, it is Spain's 8th-largest city. The cathedral, La Seu, stands by the sea. Building began there in 1229 and finished in 1601. Behind it, the Old Town has narrow, mostly pedestrian streets and many old houses that now open as small museums and galleries.

Plan a few days for the city and add a day trip to the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage mountain range north and west of Palma. The beach season usually runs from late April to early November. Outside those months, winters are mild and the city gets about 2800 hours of sunshine a year. Palma suits travelers who want a historic city, sea views and easy access to both beaches and mountains.

Palma in five

Ride the EMT loop through the old centrePalma's EMT city buses run 31 urban lines, and one loop goes through the historic centre. The buses are blue, ivory and green, so check the colors at the stop before you board.Getting around
Board TIB buses at Plaça d'EspanyaIntercity buses to other towns on the island leave from the bus station near Plaça d'Espanya. They are red and yellow, which sets them apart from the city's EMT buses.
Ride the Sóller railway from Plaça d'EspanyaThe historic railway opened in 1911 and runs through Buñola to Sóller with century-old trains. Sóller lies in the Serra de Tramuntana, so the line is a rail route into the mountains.
Allow time for the airport transferPalma de Mallorca Airport (Son Sant Joan) is about 8 km east of the centre, and it is Spain's third-busiest airport. Traffic is much heavier in summer, so leave extra time at both ends of the trip.
Say Ciutat when you mean the cityLocals often call the city Ciutat, the Catalan word for city, and residents are called palmesano in Spanish. Mallorcan Catalan is spoken alongside Spanish.

Things to do in Palma

See all attractions in Palma

Museum · PalmaFundació Joan March Palma

Museum · PalmaEs Baluard Museu d'Art Contemporani de PalmaFriday admission is by voluntary contribution, according to the available information.

Sight · PalmaAjuntament

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to PalmaPut the places you like in Palma on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Currency: Euro (EUR)
Entry: Schengen rules; visa-free for many passports, check before you fly Read more
Emergency: 112 for all emergencies; 091 National Police, 062 Guardia Civil
Tipping: Not expected in most places; rounding up is optional
Time: UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer; daylight saving applies

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryClear6 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Mild weather
FebruaryClear5 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Cycling race
MarchPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Mild weather
AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh19°Low12°Season opens
MayClear7 rainy daysHigh23°Low15°Warm, pleasant
JuneClear3 rainy daysHigh28°Low20°Warm, busy
JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh32°Low22°Driest, busy
AugustClear4 rainy daysHigh31°Low23°Hot, peak tourism
SeptemberClear9 rainy daysHigh28°Low21°Warm sea, calm
OctoberClear7 rainy daysHigh24°Low17°Warm, rain begins
NovemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh19°Low13°Season ends
DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Wettest month

Average daily high and low in Palma, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Palma

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 12°
Humidity: 67%
Wind: 10 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Palma

09:46 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today20°11°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 0%.
Tue13°10°83%Tuesday: Rain. High 13°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 83%.
Wed19°11°28%Wednesday: Rain. High 19°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 28%.
Thu21°12°10%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 21°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 10%.
Fri21°12°10%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 21°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 10%.
Sat18°13°10%Saturday: Fog. High 18°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 10%.
Sun22°16°10%Sunday: Fog. High 22°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 10%.

Updated 09:09 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Sóllerby train from Plaça d'EspanyaHistoric railway through Buñola, with century-old trains into the Serra de Tramuntana.
Serra de Tramuntanaby car, depending on the routeThe UNESCO mountain range north and west of the city, a common destination for day drives and walks.Read the guide
Cabreraby boat; check sailing timesA national park archipelago in Palma's municipality, reached by boat.

Before you go to Palma

Cabrera by seaCabrera national park, visited by boatRead the guide

Getting around PalmaEMT city lines and TIB busesRead the guide

eSIM for PalmaMaps and bus times on the moveRead the guide

Where to stay in PalmaOld Town, centre and beach areasRead the guide

Rules for Palma, checked

Spain's Schengen rules allow many passports 90 days in any 180. Check entry rules on the Spanish foreign ministry site before you book.Source
Declare cash of 10,000 euros or more on arrival or departure from the EU.
Carry your passport or ID; police can ask to see it.

Plan around Palma

All of Spain

Regions, entry rules, transport and money for a Spain trip

Read the guide Mallorca

The island around Palma, from the mountains to the beaches

Read the guide Getting around

City buses, island buses, the Sóller railway and airport links

Read the guide Money and costs

Cards, cash and typical prices for a Palma trip

Read the guide Visas and entry

Schengen rules and what to check before you fly

Read the guide Where to stay

Old Town, the centre and Playa de Palma compared

Read the guide

Palma FAQ

Is Palma worth visiting beyond the beach?

Yes. La Seu, the Gothic cathedral by the sea, and the Old Town are the main draws, with the Arab Baths, Bellver Castle and the Almudaina Palace nearby. The Es Baluard and Fundació Miró museums add modern art.

How many days do you need in Palma?

Two or three days covers the cathedral, the Old Town, Bellver Castle and a museum. Add a day for the Serra de Tramuntana or the Sóller railway if you want to leave the city.

Is Palma a good base for day trips?

Yes. The Serra de Tramuntana lies north and west of the city, Cabrera can be visited by sea, and the Sóller railway goes into the mountains. Plaça d'Espanya is the hub for the Sóller railway and the island buses.

Should I stay in the Old Town or in Playa de Palma?

Stay in the Old Town for sights and walking. Stay in Playa de Palma for beach days, since it is the beach resort area in the east of the city.

When is the best time to visit Palma?

The beach season usually runs from late April to early November, and the sea averages about 19.5 °C. Autumn is the wettest season, with December the wettest month and July the driest.

Why is the city called both Palma and Palma de Mallorca?

The Romans founded it as Palma. The suffix de Mallorca was added in the 19th century to tell it apart from other places called Palma, and the city council voted in January 2016 to make Palma the official name again.