Palma de Mallorca

From Nice we flew first to Barcelona, and then onto Palma, the capital of the island of Mallorca. I stayed there for four weeks working on courses toward my teacher's certification while Tracy joined me for two weeks before flying home. While Palma has a reputation for being an endless stretch of resorts overrun with British and German tourists, the old part of the city is a beautiful spot, reminiscent of Nice. Below are a few photos which attempt to capture that charm [click on any image for a full screen version]


Our tour begins with the harbor that forms the southern boundary of the city. It is a bustling place, full of cruise ships, sailboats, and powerboats. It also serves as a major port. There is a lovely corniche along its entirety, where I ran and Tracy walked daily. In the background you can see the spires of the Le Seo gothic cathedral.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


Bellver Castle overlooks the harborTurning your gaze inward from the Marina, Bellver Castle stands watch over the harbor. In its heydey this prominently positioned fortress warned of pirates. Today it witnesses an endless profusion of cruise ships filling the west end of the harbor. Below is a 360 panoramic tour of the Castle.




Virtual Tour of Bellver Castle

Entrance to Bellver CastleSnap Content
Instructions: You may take the tour by clicking on the round navigation icons in each scene, or by selecting the thumbnail option [Thumbnail icon] from the menu at the bottom of the screen. You may view the tour in full-screen mode by clicking on the "full-screen" icon [fullscreen icon] on the menu at the bottom of the page. If you are using an older computer and experiencing some "jumpiness" in the panorama, click on the compass icon [compass icon]from the bottom menu to smooth things out.


Traditional Spanish sailing craftOne of my favorite spots as an avid sailor (something I finally got to do here) was the far end of the marina where the local sailors moor their boats. Pictured here are the traditional Spanish sailboats, doubled-enders with wooden lapstrake hulls.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 



Old fort on the Passeig MaritimThis fort is located on the waterfront across from the marina. Mallorca was plagued through the 18th century by pirates plundering the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea. Fortresses such as this dot the waterfront. It was for this reason that most of the major cities were located inland, using Mallorca as their supply depot.
 
 
 


 

Dining at the WaterfrontThe waterfront is lined with wonderful restaurants which feature both seafood of every imaginable type, and also tapas, the traditional Spanish dish consisting of a variety of appetizers. Here Tracy and I take a breather from our seafood platters at the Caballitos de Mer.
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 


 

The Palau de Almadaina Courtyard at the entrance to the palaceJust down the street from the restaurant is the Palau de Almadaina, a fortified palace that is still used by the King on his summer trips to Mallorca. The king also had a second, more modest palace next to Bellver college where I studied--this palace is used primarily for ceremonies. The photo to the left shows the castle from the sea, while the picture at the right shows the garden entryway.
 
 
 
 
 



Fishing port at PalmaFishermen tending their netsContinuing along the harbor toward the east, we arrive at the fisherman's docks. Palma has a very active fishing fleet, providing hungry tourists like us with the "fruits of the sea." On the left is a picture of the docks, while the photo at the right shows the daily ritual of fishermen mending the nets when they return to port in the early afternoon--just in time for siesta!
 
 
 
 
 



Facade of Le Seo CathedralSide profile of Le Seo CathedralCatedral-Basilica de Santa Maria de Mallorca has been described as a huge ship anchored at the end of the harbor. As you can see from the first photograph on this page, it dominates the Palma skyline. Gothic in its exterior (as shown from the facade at the left, and the side profile to your right) its interior was redesigned in modernista style by Antoni Gaudi at the beginning of the 20th century. The original cathedral was begun in 1230 and was completed in 1600. This is considered rapid progress by island standards! Below is a tour featuring two panoramas, one of the cathedral in the daytime and one at night.





Catedral-Basilica de Santa Maria de Mallorca
Harbor ViewSnap Content
Instructions: You may take the tour by clicking on the round navigation icons in each scene, or by selecting the thumbnail option [Thumbnail icon] from the menu at the bottom of the screen. You may view the tour in full-screen mode by clicking on the "full-screen" icon [fullscreen icon] on the menu at the bottom of the page. If you are using an older computer and experiencing some "jumpiness" in the panorama, click on the compass icon [compass icon]from the bottom menu to smooth things out. 


Return to Travel Archives