Palma de Mallorca – What to See When Visiting on a Cruise

Palma de Mallorca is a popular port on many Mediterranean cruise itineraries.

It offers visitors a variety of experiences, and many cruisers mention it as their favourite Mediterranean port.

This is not only for its beauty but also for its accessibility, as the cruise port is located quite close to Palma.

Keep reading to discover the best attractions in the port of Palma, find the best ways to get there, and find the distance between them.

How do You Get From Palma de Mallorca Port into the City Centre?

The cheapest way to get from the port of Palma de Mallorca to the city centre is to walk. The journey will take around 45 minutes.

Most cruise lines also offer shuttle buses, and local buses are also options. Taxis are usually the most popular option, at around €15 each way. 

Walk

Walking is the cheapest way to get into the city centre from the cruise port.

The journey takes about 40-45 minutes and is a pleasant walk.

This walking time is based on the cruise ships docking in the Estacio Maritima cruise port.

Some cruise ships dock in the commercial port, on the western edge of Palma.

When I visited Palma onboard Costa Smeralda, we were docked at this port. We did walk as far as the Catherdral but it was a long way!

Considering how cheap the Costa Cruise was though, I am not surprised that they dock in faraway/cheap locations.

Find out about my inexpensive Costa Cruise here:

Shuttle Bus/Local Bus

Most cruise lines offer a shuttle bus to the city centre, and there are also cheaper local options.

If you are on a budget, taking the €3 local bus can be a great option to get to the city centre, but this can take longer and may be quite crowded.

The cruise company may lay on a shuttle bus, which may be free or chargeable – usually costing from €12.

Another option is to take the hop-on hop-off bus, which stops outside the cruise port.

Taxi

Outside the cruise terminal there is a taxi stop where you can pick one of the local cars which will drive you to one of the chosen locations mentioned below for around 15 euros (one way).

Taking a taxi over a shuttle bus gives you more freedom. You can even request to stop for a moment if you see something interesting on the way.

Palma de Mallorca – What to See On a Cruise, Buildings:

Palma Cathedral

Formerly known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma or “La Seu,” it is one of the most recognisable buildings in Mallorca.

Situated 4,7 km from the cruise terminal, it offers a good starting point for city exploring.

It’s one of the tallest Gothic cathedrals in the world, and it’s even bigger than the Notre Dame de Paris.

Royal Palace of La Almudaina

Just next to La Seu Cathedral is a beautiful palace, that is well worth a visit.

This building has two main focal points: the King’s Palace and the Queen’s Palace, with magnificent “Arab baths” situated between them.

It’s possible to visit the interior of the Palace since it partially serves as a museum, but it is still the official residence of the King and Queen of Spain, who sometimes decide to host summer receptions at the property.

You get a wonderful view out over Palma Bay from the gardens.

At the time of writing, the standard admission price is only €7, which is very good value for money compared to the prices of cruise line excursions.

La Lonja de Palma

Palma hosts far more historical monuments worth visiting in the city centre.

The area known as La Lonja in the old town of Palma has a great selection of restaurants, bars and clubs. 

La Lonja is the former maritime trade exchange which gave its name to the surrounding area.

The stone used to build it came from Santanyi, an area in southeast Mallorca. Transporting the stone back in the mid-15th century must have been no easy feat!

Plaza de Toros

Palma de Mallorca still hosts bullfighting games and can be visited by tourists.

I wouldn’t recommend that you go to watch bullfighting, but the building design is impressive.

Plaza de Toros is situated 5.5 km from the cruise terminal and around 1 km from the Cathedral.

A tour starts at only €6.

The visit consists of a free tour where you can get to know the Bullring with its main rooms, such as the Horse Court, the Bullfighters Chapel and the Ring itself. In addition, they will visit the exhibition rooms where they will find an important collection of bullfighting art with authors from Goya to Jean Cocteau.

Plaza de Toros

Castell de Bellver

On the way back to the cruise terminal, you can also visit Castell de Bellver.

Situated on a hill around 1 km from the previous points and around 3.7 km from the cruise terminal, this castle offers wonderful panoramic views of the whole city of Palma.

It is well worth a visit, but there are lots of steps up to it! It costs around €4 for a ticket.

Due to its shape, some people compare it to the Colosseum, even though it was never meant to look like a Roman amphitheatre.

If you like long walks, going up to the hill could be a nice exercise. However, driving to the top of the hill is possible – you can get dropped off by taxi.

Unfortunately, this castle is closed every Monday, so if Monday is your cruise port day in Palma, you won’t be able to visit.

Find out whether you are best to take a cruise line excursion, or do your own thing here:

Shore Excursions vs. Exploring Solo: Which is Better for You?

What Are The Best Beaches in Palma De Mallorca?

When it comes to the natural wonders of Mallorca, there are a lot of beautiful beaches you can enjoy during your stay in Palma.

Good: Cala Mayor

Cala Mayor is definitely Palma’s most popular and biggest beach. It’s roughly 2.6 km from the cruise port, and you can walk there.

However, even though the views are really nice, it usually is very crowded. We were there once with our July cruise and there were so many people on the beach that there was hardly a place to sit and the souvenir shops were laying one on another.

If you’re looking for a relaxing day, this beach isn’t the best choice for you…

Better: Cala Comtesa

Situated 9 km from the port, it takes less than 12 minutes with the local taxi (and around 15 euros) to get there.

When I first went there, I just expected to see a less crowded, secluded beach. But what I’ve found exceeded all of my expectations.

This beach is the best place to enjoy marvellous panoramic views of the surroundings and the magically blue waters.

It might remind you of a private island somewhere in the Caribbean.

There aren’t many people there, even during the high peak season, because it’s not as close or popular as Cala Mayor.

There is also a little beach bar from which you can catch a taxi back to the port.

Palma Aquarium

This cruise port has a wonderful aquarium that can be compared to those of Valencia or Genoa. It’s one of the biggest aquariums in the world.

It’s a little further from the port than the other attractions mentioned in this guide, but it’s around a 20-minute drive in a local taxi.

Coves del Drach

Many cruisers also love to visit Caves del Drach (literally translated as Dragon Caves) situated on the other side of the Mallorca island.

They are quite far from the port – around 70 km – which doesn’t make them easy to access on your own.

Most cruise lines offer excursions to Coves del Drach, but in my opinion, there are so many wonderful things to see and admire in Palma itself. A place like Cuevas del Drach would be a great choice for a second or third cruise to Palma.

I wouldn’t suggest fitting all of the possible attractions in one day.

Lluc Sanctuary

Another more distant attraction that cruisers love to visit is the Lluc Sanctuary, a stunning monastery and pilgrimage site.

It’s located around 55 km from the port, so it’s also not advisable to visit it on your own.

However, it can be visited either with a dedicated excursion or with a joint one that includes the Dragon Caves as well.

Before You Go

Find out the eleven things I look forward to when I go on a cruise here:

11 Things I Look Forward To When I’m Going On A Cruise

Find out what are the pros and cons of booking a balcony verses an inside cabin here:

The Pros and Cons of Booking a Balcony vs. An Inside Cabin