Palma de Majorca, Balearic Islands » City Info

Palma (or Palma de Mallorca) is a historic Spanish city situated on the south coast of the Balearic island of Majorca in the Bay of Palma. A major port and the capital city of the Balearic Islands, Palma proudly traces its history to the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and the remains of a Talaiotic settlement.

Today, the city is a world-famous summer holiday destination for royals as well as international travellers due to its sunny weather and beautiful beaches. Its cosmopolitan heart embraces many people from Spain and Europe supplemented by migrants from South America and Africa.

In addition to its rich historical attractions such as Le Seu and Banys Àrabs, Palma’s busy nightlife and lively art scene also draw a large number of tourists to the city.

CountrySpain
Autonomous CommunityBalearic Islands
IslandMajorca
Area (city & municipality)208.63 km2 (80.55 sq.mi.)
Population (2020)City & municipality: 422,587
Time ZoneUTC+1(CET), Summer: UTC+2(CEST)

Top Palma FAQs

Q.1) Where is Palma located?
Ans: Palma is the capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. A major city and port on the island of Majorca, it is situated on the south coast of the island on the Bay of Palma.

Q.2) What is Palma famous for?
Ans: Set in the beautiful bay of Palma, Palma (i.e. Palma de Mallorca) is famous for its stunning beaches and heritage. The city’s huge 13th-century cathedral, the 10th-century Arab baths, and the old quarter of narrow winding streets and ornate squares enhance the beauty of the city.

Q.3) What is Palma’s climate like?
Ans: Palma de Mallorca enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate. Warm temperatures and seasonal rains are commonly observed. The weather is hot and dry in the summer as the temperature averages between 29ºC (84.2ºF) and 31ºC (87.8ºF).

During winter, the temperature at night falls to 5ºC (41ºF) or remains between 5ºC (41ºF) and 9ºC (48.2ºF). The rainfall patterns are very irregular. Months in autumn, between September and November, are the rainiest while droughts are common as well.

Q.4) Which is the main airport of Palma?
Ans: Son Sant Joan, the main airport of Palma serves over 30 million passengers per year.

Q.5) Do I need a visa to visit Palma as a tourist?
Ans: Citizens of the USA, the EU, Norway, Iceland, Japan, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand do not need a visa to enter Spain and are entitled to a visit and stay for 90 days. For a stay longer than that, ‘Permiso de Residencia’ (residency permit) is needed, which can be obtained at a police station, and you must prove that you can support yourself financially. If you get employed within this time period, the employers often provide help with the certificate. Nationals of all the countries other than those mentioned above should contact the Spanish consulate.

Q.6) What are the essential but basic phrases in Spanish that a tourist should know when conversing with locals?
Ans: Here are Spanish equivalent phrases and phonetics of some useful English phrases.

  • Hello: hola (O-la)
  • Good Day/Good Morning: buenos dias (bwen-os dee-as)
  • Good Night: buenas noches (bwen-as no-ches)
  • Bye/See you later: hasta luego (as-ta loo-ay-go)
  • Please: por favor (por fa-vor)
  • Thank you: muchas gracias (mu-chas grath-yas)
  • Excuse me: oiga por favor! (Oy-ga por fa-vor)
  • How much is it?: cuánto es? (kwan-to es)
  • Yes: si (see)
  • No: No (no)
  • I don’t speak Spanish: No hablo Español (no ab-lo es-pan-yol)
  • Can you speak English?: Habla Inglés? (ab-la in-gles)
  • Could you help me please?: Me puede ayudar por favor? (Me pwe-day a-yoo-dar por fa-vor?)
  • Where is …? Donde esta …? (don-day-es-ta)
  • Where are …? Donde estan (don-day est-an)
  • When?: Cuando? (Kwan-do)
  • Why?: Por qué? (Por kay)
  • What?: Que? Kay
  • Where is ‘......’?: Donde esta ‘…’? (don-day-es-ta ‘…’?)
  • Could you help me please?: Me puede ayudar por favor? (Me pwe-day a-yoo-dar por fa-vor?)
  • a.m. : de la mañana (day la man-ya-na)
  • p.m. : de la tarde (day la tar-de)

Q.7) What is the official language of Palma?
Ans: The official languages of Palma are Spanish and Catalan. The local dialect of Catalan is called Mallorquin, which is widely spoken in Palma and Spanish and English to some extent.

Q.8) Which is the best season to visit Palma?
Ans: The best season to visit Palma is during summer, from June to September. The temperatures between June and September usually rise to around 25ºC (77ºF). During the rainy season, one should avoid visiting Palma as the rain patterns are very irregular.

Q.9) Which currency is used in Palma? Are there any ATMs?
Ans: Euro is the local currency of Palma, Spain. EUR is the official currency code for the Euro. The airport and the city have many conveniently located ATMs for cash withdrawal. The banks in Palma have their Cash Machines (ATMs) and foreign currency facilities as well.

Q.10) Which is the cheapest mode of transport to explore Palma?
Ans: The cheapest option to explore and roam in-and-around Palma is travelling by bus. All the towns, as well as the remote areas in Palma, are well-connected by the bus transport system.

Q.11) I am in Palma for a week. Which area has the best budget hotels?
Ans: The best budget hotels in Palma are situated close to tourist attractions or the city centre. To know more about budget hotels in Palma, please visit Palma Hotels.

Q.12) Please provide the emergency numbers in Palma
Ans: Here are some helpful emergency contact numbers that are used across the whole island of Palma.

  • Police, ambulances, fire: 112
  • Civil Guard: 062
  • Fire Department: 080
  • Local Police: 092
  • Ambulance, emergency service:061

Q.13) Please suggest the best hospital in Palma.
Ans: Palma has a number of best hospitals. Here are the details of some of them.

  • Centro Médico Estético VitalMedic
    Phone: +34 601 40 65 07
  • Clonus
    Phone: +34 971 76 44 05
  • Urgencias Juaneda Miramar
    Phone +34 971 76 70 00

Q.14) Do I need to have medical insurance during my stay in Palma?
Ans: It has been observed that a minimum of 3 out of every 100 tourists experience some or other kind of unexpected illness, injury, accident, or surgery when travelling abroad. Tourists must note that local insurance does not cover health problems while being abroad in most cases. Hence, it is advised that all tourists be covered with good travel health insurance before their travel and arrival in Palma.

Q.15) Which are the most famous beaches in Palma?
Ans: Palma de Mallorca is bestowed with sun-kissed beaches. Cala Major is one of the famous beaches situated to the west of Palma de Mallorca. Other notable beaches include Formentor beach, Cala Pi de sa Posada, Pollenca, Alcúdia Beach (Platja de Muro), Cala Agulla Beach, Cala Millor Beach and Sa Coma Beach.