Soak up the atmosphere in one of its many square and avenues
Sunny weather, an abundance of pretty plazas and plenty of outdoor seating are an ideal combination for people watching. Enjoy the view as the world goes by from restaurants and bars, or completely free from the many public benches dotted strategically throughout the city.
People watching provides endless entertainment throughout the year but especially during the summer months when the streets fill up with visitors from around the globe. Here are some of the best places to enjoy the comings and goings in the Balearic capital.
One of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Palma, Santa Catalina offers enticing restaurants and lively bars, most with outdoor seating. A former fishermen town brimming with character in its wooden shuttered windows, flower pots and colourful facades. The best street for people watching is the pretty tree-lined avenue Carrer de la Fabrica, which benefits from being fully pedestrianised. Although some of the restaurants open for lunch, the majority only serve dinner, so it's best to plan your visit for later in the day.
Palma's seaside promenade offers an alternative people watching experience with the ocean providing a stunning backdrop. Here you can breathe in the sea air while you watch the city's sportiest jog, cycle or skate on by. For those who get excited about boats, the promenade offers a great vantage point to view incoming cruise ships and yachts. We recommend heading to Portixol for its laid-back bars and restaurants with sunny terraces. Of course, one of the bonuses of people watching is that it's free and once again there are plenty of benches enjoying sun and shade all the way up the coast.
For more than a century this short, tree-lined promenade has been at the heart of city life; it has witnessed fiestas, demonstrations and countless generations of families enjoying an evening stroll. During the Franco era it was renamed after the dictator, but everyone still called it 'the Born'. Now lined with a selection of mid and high range shops, the central promenade also hosts music and dancing during Palma's many fiestas.
The small and charming square of Plaça Cort, located in the heart of the city, is famous for the ancient olive tree ('Olivera de Cort') that stands in the centre. The square is named 'Cort' because it was here where the feudal court gathered. The town hall dominates the plaça, built between 1649 and 1680 by local architects Pere Bauçá, Miquel Oliver and Bartomeu Calafat, its façade has been decorated with Mannerist and Baroque style features.
Until the 1960s the sea reached up to the city walls, providing the perfect reflection for the cathedral. When the building of a new road changed all that, an artificial lake was constructed to reproduce the effect. The park around the lake is now a popular weekend and summer spot, with several cafes, a mural donated by Joan Miro and an art gallery in the vaults of the old city walls.
The Plaça Major is Palma's main square and one of the busiest in Palma being also a city landmark. Rectangular in shape and surrounded by historic arcaded buildings, it was once the headquarters of the Inquisition. This rectangular space surrounded by traditional yellow buildings with green shutters has been the centre of the city life throughout the centuries.
At the centre, overseeing all the activity is a statue of Jaime I astride a horse. This is a popular meeting point. Ice cream parlours, tapas bars and fast food joints sit side by side along the pedestrianised zone. If you've hit your limit of 'cafes con leches' but haven't tired of observing life in the capital, then I suggest crossing the road and entering the park behind the station. From a grassy patch or a wooden bench, you can carry on watching without any obligation to spend a cent. Enjoy!
One of the best ways of getting to know Palma is to soak up the atmosphere in one of its many squares and avenues. You'll discover its rhythm and its people. Mallorca isn't a place for rushing about, so relax, take the weight off your feet, order a drink and settle in to watch the world go by.
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See allLatest News & ReviewsThe island hosts all sorts of events, including agricultural fairs in the spring and autumn, live music and DJs in the summer, religious fiestas and international sporting events. Some of the most popular are the Mallorca 312 cycling race in April, the Copa del Rey sailing regatta in July and the Moors vs Christians mock battle in September.
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