Palma old town: lanes, courtyards and cathedral

Palma's old town between the cathedral, Plaça Major and the old city walls: a Moorish street plan, major Gothic buildings, Renaissance courtyards and Art Nouveau around the edges. Six architectural periods within a square kilometre. This is postcard Palma, yet only a small part of the city.

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Casc Antic

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The essentials at a glance

Worth visiting for: A longer stay
Best for: History, architecture and museums
Best months: January–April, September–December
Time to allow: A full day for the cathedral, Almudaina and lanes. Two days with museums.

Without a car: Better without a car
Parking: Don't try the lanes. Use the Parc de la Mar car park on the southern edge, then walk up to the cathedral.
Highlight: Cathedral, courtyards and old town lanes
Keep in mind: An easy visit by car through the narrow streets
Access: Slopes and cobbles vary by route; plan step-free options ahead

Neighbourhood

Get a feel for Mallorca. Find your kind of place.

Looking up at Palma cathedral's massive honey-coloured sandstone flying buttresses against the sky.

The buttresses support one of Europe's tallest Gothic naves.

La Seu's richly decorated main doorway, with statue niches, reliefs and a wrought-iron lantern in front.

The cathedral's main doorway — Renaissance decoration on a Gothic building.

A Gothic arcaded courtyard in Palma with a round-arched gallery, stone well and a large banana plant.

The cathedral cloister, with arcades on slender columns and a well in the middle.

A glimpse of Casc Antic

Looking straight up into a ribbed stone dome, with round windows between the sections and a central keystone.

More photographs of Casc Antic →

Season guide for Casc Antic

November Worth a visit

The cathedral's light display returns around 11 November.

Quiet Open

Worth a visit Worth considering Less suitable Closed

Worth visiting in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December. Less suitable in July and August.

La Seu

The cathedral is Casc Antic’s landmark. Its history as a Christian cathedral began after the Catalan conquest in 1229, and the building was largely completed in 1601. Its nave is among the tallest in European Gothic architecture, and the great rose window, almost 14 metres across, is among the largest. It occupies the site of the main Islamic mosque, in a part of the city with Roman origins.

Two later interventions shape the interior. Antoni Gaudí moved the choir between 1901 and 1914, opening the view towards the altar and hanging the canopy that still looks unfinished; he left following a disagreement. From 2001 to 2007, Miquel Barceló covered the Sant Pere chapel with a ceramic wall of fish, loaves and cracking earth — both controversial and much visited.

Twice a year, around 2 February and 11 November, sunlight projects the image of one rose window directly beneath the other. The display lasts just a few minutes. Check arrangements well ahead if you hope to see it.

The Moorish street plan

From 903 to 1229, Palma was Madina Mayurqa. The old town still retains its Islamic street pattern: narrow winding lanes, dead ends and courtyards rather than front gardens. The Banys Àrabs on Carrer Can Serra are a rare surviving building from that period: a small domed bathhouse with reused columns, standing in a garden and often surprisingly quiet.

A narrow paved Palma old town lane between tall walls, ending at an archway with a view beyond. — The lanes are narrow and shady — built to offer shelter from the sun.

The patios

The neighbourhood’s particular attraction is its patis: courtyards of town palaces from the 15th to 18th centuries, usually with arcades, outdoor stone staircases and cisterns. Around 150 survive, and many gates open during the day. You can spend an afternoon looking in without paying a single entrance fee.

They are most concentrated along Carrer de Morey, Carrer de Can Savellà and Carrer de Sa Portella, in the triangle between the cathedral, Museu de Mallorca and Plaça de Cort.

Porta de la Portella, an archway with a coat of arms in Palma's old city wall, with a paved lane beyond. — Porta de la Portella still stands on Carrer de la Portella. The walls around it have long since gone.

Churches beyond the cathedral

The 13th-century Basílica de Sant Francesc has one of the island’s finest Gothic cloisters. Ramon Llull, Mallorca’s leading medieval thinker, is buried here. Santa Eulàlia and Sant Miquel both stand on former mosque sites. All three are rarely overcrowded.

Palma's Gothic Santa Eulàlia church, with a pointed doorway, rose window and tall bell tower behind bare branches. — Santa Eulàlia is the old town's other great church, in a much quieter setting.

The squares

Plaça de Cort, with the town hall and an ancient olive tree, is the city’s symbolic centre. Plaça Major occupies the site of the former Inquisition building and is now a square of cafés and street performers. Passeig del Born, the grand avenue between the old and newer city, follows a former torrent bed.

The old Olivera de Cort olive tree on Palma's Plaça de Cort, with buildings and café parasols behind. — The Olivera de Cort, the square's remarkable old olive tree.

When to go

Before 10am or after 6pm. In between, particularly when several cruise ships are in port, the cathedral–Born–Plaça Major route gets extremely busy. In winter that is much less of an issue, and local life comes to the fore again.

Palma town hall on Plaça de Cort, with its Renaissance façade, clock, balconies and flags above the entrance. — Another view of the Ajuntament. The city clock sits beneath the projecting wooden cornice.

Photographs

Casc Antic in Mallorca

Plaça de Sant Jeroni, a small Palma old town square with a church, stone façades and a central fountain. — **Casc Antic**Plaça de Sant Jeroni lies away from the main routes — a quiet square in the old town.

A historic Palma mansion's patio, with a segmental arch, surrounding gallery and curved stone staircase with wrought-iron railings. — **Casc Antic**The sort of patio hidden behind the old town's mansion gates. From the lane, you only see the gateway.

The Estudi General Lul·lià courtyard in Palma, with rounded arches on Ionic columns and plants in tubs. — **Casc Antic**The Estudi General Lul·lià courtyard. The island's first university grew out of this institution.

A tall, narrow corner house on Plaça d'en Coll in Palma, with green shutters and colourful neighbouring façades. — **Casc Antic**A house barely a room wide on Plaça d'en Coll. Space was always scarce in the old town — this photograph once won me a balloon flight.

Can Balaguer's bright courtyard in Palma, with rounded arcades on columns, potted palms and café tables. — **Casc Antic**The Can Balaguer patio. The city owns the house, and the courtyard is open.

Can Vivot's palace courtyard in Palma, with arcades on slender columns, a broad stone staircase and wrought-iron railings. — **Casc Antic**Can Vivot is regarded as one of the old town's finest courtyards.

The Can Catlar del Llorer courtyard on Carrer de Can Savella in Palma, with a pointed arch, gallery and potted plants. — **Casc Antic**Can Catlar del Llorer stands on Carrer de Can Savella.

Can Juny's palace courtyard in Palma, with arches, an open staircase and large earthenware jars. — **Casc Antic**Can Juny, also called Can Junio. The jars are part of the courtyard's character.

The covered passage El Tunel on Carrer de la Mar in Palma, with a vaulted ceiling, street signs and pedestrians. — **Casc Antic**El Tunel on Carrer de la Mar — a house with a street running underneath it.

Can Forteza Rey's Art Nouveau façade in Palma, with ceramic mosaic, curving windows and wrought-iron balconies. — **Casc Antic**Can Forteza Rey. Palma's Modernisme architecture often comes as a surprise.

The Forn des Teatre bakery front on Plaça de Weyler in Palma, with a green-and-gold Art Nouveau frame and display window. — **Casc Antic**Forn des Teatre on Plaça de Weyler, now Fornet de la Soca.

Looking up the sloping lane at Plaça de Weyler in Palma, with the Art Nouveau bakery façade on the right. — **Casc Antic**From the lane you can see just how narrow the building is.

The bell tower and plain side wall of Sant Nicolau church in Palma beneath a blue sky. — **Casc Antic**Sant Nicolau stands in the shopping district and is easy to overlook.

A horse-drawn carriage waiting in a narrow Palma old town lane between high buildings. — **Casc Antic**Carriages wait at designated stands and follow set routes.

Washing hanging from a balcony above a narrow Palma old town lane with ochre façades. — **Casc Antic**People live above these lanes. This is no museum district.

A narrow Palma old town lane with an old natural-stone wall and barred window on the left. — **Casc Antic**Some old town walls are older than the houses beside them.

A Palma old town lane with a red-plastered house, archway and shop signs. — **Casc Antic**The lane carries on beyond the arch. You'll find passages like this throughout the old town.

Practical details

Parking: Don't try the lanes. Use the Parc de la Mar car park on the southern edge, then walk up to the cathedral.
Public transport: EMT services stop around the old town's edges, particularly at Plaça d'Espanya and Avinguda d'Antoni Maura. Explore the interior on foot.
Time to allow: A full day for the cathedral, Almudaina and lanes. Two days with museums.
Good to know: The Banys Àrabs on Carrer Can Serra are a rare surviving building from the Islamic city — a small domed bathhouse in a garden, easily missed and rarely crowded.
Bus: EMT buses and the A1 airport bus
Coordinates: 39.5679,2.6497 Google Maps Apple Maps

The main sights at a glance

Sight	What it is	Time to allow	Admission
La Seu	Gothic cathedral, with work by Gaudí and Barceló	60–90 minutes	Paid
Palau de l'Almudaina	Moorish fortress and later royal palace	45–60 minutes	Paid
Banys Àrabs	Domed Islamic bathhouse with a garden	15–20 minutes	Paid
Basílica de Sant Francesc	Gothic monastery church and cloister	30 minutes	Paid
Museu de Mallorca	Island history in the Can Aiamans palace	60–90 minutes	Paid
Patios	Around 150 courtyards visible from the lanes	1–2 hours	Free
Plaça Major / Plaça de Cort	The old town's central squares	As you pass	Free

Admission prices and opening hours change regularly, so check before visiting. Several venues have set free-entry days.

Within reach

Places to visit

Nearby

Inside Palma’s Arab Baths, with a brick dome pierced by round skylights, horseshoe arches and slender stone columns.

Banys Àrabs 0 km south-east (straight-line distance)

An 11th-century brick chamber in an old-town garden, with twelve columns, horseshoe arches and a dome pierced by …

Palma’s illuminated cathedral at blue hour, with Palau de l’Almudaina in front and reflections in the Parc de la Mar pool.

La Seu 0 km west (straight-line distance)

Palma’s cathedral was begun in 1230 and built over several centuries. Its Gothic buttresses rise above the water …

Palau de l’Almudaina in Palma with a battlemented tower, arcades and sandstone walls above palms and cypresses beneath a blue sky.

Palau de l'Almudaina 0 km west (straight-line distance)

The royal palace beside Palma cathedral began as a Moorish alcázar, later converted into a residence for …

The Palau March terrace in Palma, with a semicircular arcade in pale natural stone, balustrades and a modern bronze sculpture in the courtyard.

Palau March 0 km west (straight-line distance)

The March family's city palace between the cathedral and the Almudaina: a terrace filled with 20th-century …

Passeig del Born in Palma, with tall plane trees, pale façades and people on the central promenade.

Passeig del Born 0 km north-west (straight-line distance)

Palma's grand promenade between Plaça de la Reina and Plaça del Rei Joan Carles I. It follows the bed of a torrent …

The pale sandstone wall of Sant Pere’s Renaissance bastion in Palma, with tall palms and a path in front.

Es Baluard 1 km north-west (straight-line distance)

Sant Pere bastion, built in the late 16th century on the western edge of Palma’s old town, became home to a …

A marina in Palma harbour with closely moored sailing yachts, tall masts and calm water.

Hafen von Palma 1 km west (straight-line distance)

The Balearics' largest harbour sits in the city, in front of the old town. Cargo quays, cruise terminals, marinas …

The circular Gothic Castell de Bellver in pale stone, with round towers and enclosing walls on a wooded hill above Palma.

Castell de Bellver 3 km west (straight-line distance)

A striking circular Gothic castle, built above Palma between 1300 and 1311. Inside is a two-storey round …

Distances without a driving time are measured in a straight line. The road journey can be much longer; known driving times are shown alongside.

Where to swim nearby

Beaches and swimming nearby

Paved waterfront promenade beside the low rocky coast at Can Pastilla, with clear water and the Bay of Palma beyond.

Can Pastilla 7 km south-east (straight-line distance)

At the western end of Playa de Palma, ten minutes from the airport by car: a marina, a rocky waterfront promenade …

Palmanova's bay with pale sand, rows of blue loungers, a promenade and multi-storey hotels, with turquoise shallows in the sea.

Palmanova 11 km south-west (straight-line distance)

Broad sandy bays with pale, shallow water, right beside Magaluf but with a different feel. The quieter neighbour …

Explore from here

La Seu 0 km Palau de l'Almudaina 0 km Banys Àrabs 0 km Esporles 12 km Valldemossa 16 km

Your questions answered

Your questions about Casc Antic

How long do I need for Palma's old town?

Allow a full day for the cathedral, Almudaina and a walk through the lanes. Add museums such as Museu de Mallorca or Es Baluard and you'll need two days. A walk focusing on lanes and patios takes two to three hours.

What are Palma's patios?

Courtyards of town palaces dating from the 15th to 18th centuries, usually with arcades, an outdoor staircase and a cistern. Around 150 survive. Many gates are open during the day, letting you look in from the street without a ticket, tour or booking. The greatest concentration is around Carrer de Morey, Carrer de Can Savellà and Carrer de Sa Portella.

What did Gaudí do in Palma cathedral?

Between 1901 and 1914, Antoni Gaudí remodelled the interior, moving the choir out of the nave to open the view towards the altar, reopening windows and hanging a canopy above the altar. It still has a provisional feel — Gaudí left after a disagreement before the work was finished.

What is Miquel Barceló's chapel?

A remodelling of the cathedral's Sant Pere chapel, carried out between 2001 and 2007 by Mallorcan artist Miquel Barceló. His ceramic wall covering shows fish, loaves and cracking earth. It remains controversial and is also one of the church's most visited sections.

When is the light display in Palma cathedral?

Twice a year, around 2 February and 11 November, sunlight through the large rose window projects its image directly below the opposite rose window. It lasts a few minutes in the early morning. Check the cathedral's arrangements well ahead.

Is Palma's old town accessible?

Only partly. Much of the paving is cobbled, many lanes slope, and the old town rises between the cathedral and Plaça Major. Main routes such as Passeig del Born and the squares are easier to negotiate; smaller lanes are much harder.

Practical questions

When is the best time to visit Casc Antic?

Recommended months: January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December. Sant Sebastià on 19–20 January: street fires and concerts in old town squares, with a largely local crowd.

Is Casc Antic worth visiting in July and August?

July: another month may suit you better. Usually busy. Above 33°C between stone walls that hold the heat. Before 10am is more manageable. August: another month may suit you better. Usually busy. Large cruise crowds and many independent shops taking their summer break. The least appealing month.

How far is Casc Antic from Palma airport?

About 10 km from Palma airport. Allow roughly 20 minutes by car.

Do I need a hire car for Casc Antic?

A car can be more trouble than it’s worth EMT buses and the A1 airport bus

Where can I park in Casc Antic?

Don't try the lanes. Use the Parc de la Mar car park on the southern edge, then walk up to the cathedral.

Words and photographs: Friedhelm Fischer. Exploring Mallorca since 2013 — by bike, on foot and with a camera.