Four days in Palma for a Winter 2024 / 2025 City Holiday
I recently created an itinerary + custom map for a trip to Palma planned for the end of November. Four days in Palma is a pretty ideal length of time for a city holiday break in the winter. It’s less busy, it’s (most often) sunny, and the best part is that the quality of everything remains the same.
It was a fun challenge: their first time in Palma, visiting from Thursday afternoon until early Monday morning, and a desire to indulge in great food, sightsee without stress, get a good feel for Palma, and come home feeling relaxed. I wanted to introduce them to a mix of tried-and-true favourites along with some new and noteworthy places, make sure they get a true Mediterranean experience, see as much of Palma as leisurely possible, and throw some extra cafés in for flexibility. This itinerary takes into consideration that some places are closed on weekends, and which days are better to do certain things.
It feels good to share these with everyone, to celebrate these entrepreneurs, their wonderful businesses & their hard working teams, and to also know that I would fully enjoy this four day itinerary myself 💘
Please note that restaurant opening days and times may vary from what is listed below. The shoulder seasons are when small business owners and their staff take their holidays and some restaurants may close for periods of up to a month or so. Also note that summer hours are different than winter hours, and can even differ from spring & autumn hours, and this will be true across the island. Check opening times in advance of your trip, and ALWAYS make reservations when possible; certain places have limited seating and book up quickly, no matter the season.
If you are interested in an itinerary that is customized for your time in Palma, please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you plan your trip with more ease 💌
Click on images to see full size, details for each day included below
Thursday: Mediterranean essentials
• Lunch at Mercat de l’Olivar (food vendor recos: Mercat Negre, Degustación Buades, Daruma Olivar + fruit / veg stands)
• Drink at CAV.
• Wander around Old Town Palma
• Dinner at El Camino
More Mediterranean dining options can be found in this journal entry.
Mercat de l’Olivar
Local Fresh and Prepared Food Market
*worth a late morning, early afternoon visit
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
Central / Old Town Palma
Open 7am - 2:30pm; closed Sundays
🌞🇪🇸🍉🍒🍤🍴
Mercat de l’Olivar is close to the Old Town, and bigger than the market in Santa Catalina. You will find local merchants selling everything from produce and cheeses, to meats and seafood, plus bread, herbs and packaged goods here (there is also a grocery store upstairs, which stays open later.).
Lots of vendors selling ready-to-eat food, with the ultimate freshness attainable. Check out :
Degustación Buades for traditional Spanish tapas, like Ibérico ham and bread drizzled in olive oil
Mercat Negre for seafood tapas (pictured)
Daruma Olivar for Japanese, sushi and more
El Hummus for Middle Eastern food
Korean Bunsik for korean streetfood (corndogs, etc)
image of Mercat Negre via @viewmallorcamagazine
Palma markets
CAV. Natural wines
Wine Shop
*go for a tasting + bring some wine home with you
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
East of Old Town
Tu to Sa noon - 8pm; closed Su & Mo
WILL BE CLOSED starting December 01, 2024 - stay tuned via their IG for what’s to come in 2025
🌞🌛🍴🍷
If you want a more casual snacks and wine experience, CAV is the perfect spot. Or, maybe you want to grab some wines for the beach, your hotel, or to take home with you,
CAV is a wine store, tasting room, and distributor of natural wines. They have wine on tap, as well as a selection of hand-picked beers, ciders, vermouths and spirits. When you come in for a tasting, you can also enjoy some share plates.
image via @cav.vins
Palma wine bars, Palma wine shops
Old Town
Palma art nouveau buildings & plaças
*wander around & get out your camera
Some not to miss places / buildings:
La Seu (Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca)
Royal Palace of La Almudaina
Parc de la Mar
Llotja de Palma (free exhibit on until Feb 2025)
Plaça Major
CaixaForum Palma
Edifici Casasayas
Fornet de la Soca
Can Forteza Rey
Clinica dental I.F.REY.
Can Barceló
Plaça de Cort
Torrent de la Riera
image of Edificio de Ca’n Corbella via @heftiba.toa
Palma sites
El Camino
Modern Mediterranean (Spanish)
*best modern Mediterranean, in my opinion
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Central Palma
Lunch & Dinner; closed on Sundays & Mondays
🌞🌛🇪🇸🍴🍷
El Camino is my top choice for Modern Mediterranean. The space is beautifully designed, bright and modern, with a long seated bar area. More than three people might be difficult for conversation at the bar, unless you are seated at the corner seats. But, there are also a few additional and more private tables at the back of the room. Small space, reso required.
What to order: grilled octopus, Pan con Tomate (Spanish tomato toast, which is everywhere, but this one is my fave), something from the fresh sheet, and the beetroot, blue cheese and walnuts salad; What else to consider: padrón peppers, scallops, beef filet
They also recently opened their second restaurant @el_caminito_palma (book reserve here)
image via @el_camino_palma
Palma restaurants
Friday: indulge & relax
• Café of your choice (what neighbourhood do you want to see?)
There are many more destinations within our FREE Café, Bistro, Bakery & Gelato Custom Google Map
• Book in for a Thai Massage at SANUK Mallorca
• Lunch with a view at L’Atic at the Saratoga Hotel
• Dinner at Stagier Bar
BACAN
In between Central Palma & Santa Catalina
Mo - Su 9am - 2pm; open every day
Mama Carmen’s
Two locations in Santa Catalina
Google Maps (Mo - Fr 9am-3pm, Sa & Su 9am - 2:30pm)
Google Maps (Mo - Fr 9am-4pm, Sa & Su 9am - 2:30pm)
MAGÍ Coffee Bar
Santa Catalina
Tu - Sa 9am - 3pm; Su 9:30am - 2:30pm; closed Mo
Cafè Riutort
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
North of Central Palma
Open 8am - 4pm, Tu-Fr; 9am - 2pm, Sa; closed Su & Mo
SANUK Mallorca
Thai Massage
*treat yourself and relax
Central Palma / Old Town
Tu - Fri 10:30am - 7:30pm; Sa 12:30pm - 8pm; closed Su & Mo
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
💆👐🦶
A massage is always a great idea, and SANUK offers a variety of Thai massage options: from traditional Thai massage, to oil massage, reflexology and facial massage, or combos that incorporate 2-3 of their offerings.
Massages range from 50 min to 115 min, and from €55 to €130.
Shower facilities are available. Please note that oils may get into your hair, depending on which massage you choose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another excellent destination is: HEAT Palma. They offer restorative massage, body sculpt massage, EMS therapy, facial massage, infrared sauna, yoga classes + more
Palma spas
L'Àtic at Hotel Saratoga
Modern Mediterranean + International
*refined dining at a really great price
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Border between Old Town and Santa Catalina
We - Sa noon-midnight; closed Su - Tu
🌞🌛🇪🇸🌏🍴🍷
L’Àtic is the newly reopened restaurant on the 7th floor of the Hotel Saratoga. The innovative menu from Calvia-born chef Juan Pinel includes a mix of globally inspired dishes within the bites and starters sections, and more classically leaning Mediterranean mains, and ends with three lovely desserts. The setting is romantic, and the views are pretty spectacular too.
For the level of detail to both the menu and it’s presentation, the cost of dining here feels like an incredible value. You can dine a-la-carte for lunch and dinner, and they also offer a 6-course lunch menu for €38, and an 8-course Mediterranean dinner menu for €62.
image via @laticrestaurant
Palma restaurants, Newest restaurants
Stagier Bar
Mediterranean + Peruvian + Mexican
*my favourite in all of Palma
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Santa Catalina
Lunch We - Fr, Dinner Mo - Fr; closed Sa & Su (as of Sep 2024)
🌛🇪🇸🇵🇪🇲🇽🍴🍷
Stagier is the restaurant I recommend to everyone that visits Palma, and is the one I would book in at when dining with people who are visiting. It never disappoints, and I always Iook forward to dishes I’ve already had. The space is intimate and cozy, but on a busier street, which takes away slightly from the ambience, but the food more than distracts you from it. I would recommend almost everything on the menu. Get the smoky butter and warm sourdough bread to start, definitely at least a scallop each, and share dessert. You really, really can’t go wrong here though.
What to order: tiradito (similar to ceviche), scallops, the (pictured) gyozas with lomo saltado (marinated strips of sirloin), and either the frozen lemon pie or passion fruit pudding, plus a natural wine; What else to consider: tuna tortilla, cebiche, avocado cannelloni with lobster, and the wagyu hanger steak
image via @stagierbar
Palma restaurants
Saturday: A little bit of everything
• Breakfast treats & coffee at Fika Farina
• Shop & explore in Palma Centre
• Lunch in Santa Catalina (take your pick!)
• Dinner at Bar La Sang
Fika Farina
Bakery
*perfect croissants, nice takeaway treats
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
Old Town
Mo - Sa 8am - 8pm; Su 9am - 2pm
🌞🌛🇪🇸🥐🧁☕️
The best croissants in the city are from Fika Farina, and they also have a variety of other nice baked goods (their cardamom buns are also a must-try) and to-go coffee.
Perfect for when you want something light at any time of day.
image via @fikafarinapalma
Palma cafes, Palma bakeries
Mimado | Food bar
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
Santa Catalina
Mo - Sa 11:30am - 4pm & Th - Sa 8pm - 11pm; closed Su
image via @mimadomallorca
DADALÌA pizza bar
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Santa Catalina
Lunch + Dinner Sa & Su • Dinner Mo, We, Th • closed Tu
Marui Sushi Bar
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Santa Catalina
Lunch Th - Sa 1:30pm-3pm; Dinner Tu - Sa 7pm-11:30pm ; closed Su & Mo
NUS Palma
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Santa Catalina
Tu - Sa 1pm-4pm & 7pm-11pm ; closed Su & Mo
Rialto Living
Boutique Department Store
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
Central Palma
Mo - Fr 11am - 7pm; Sa 11am - 8pm; closed Su
A remarkable architecture and design experience to take in is the concept lifestyle store, Rialto Living. The building was originally an 18th century palacio style family home, and then became the Rialto Cinema in 1926, one of Palma’s most emblematic and historical picture houses, until it closed in 2002. A Swedish couple lovingly brought it back to life when it re-opened in 2007, as a tastefully curated lifestyle store. Architectural details were carefully restored and feature prominently throughout the store, and it truly is remarkable.
You can find a selection of fashion, decor for every room in your home, furniture and textiles, as well as books and thoughtful gifts. There are a lot of rooms to stroll through, and it is guaranteed you will find something you will want to bring home, if not many things! You can also visit their indoor courtyard Café Rialto.
image via @rialto_living
More shops in our Best of Palma blog guide:
See the guide to shops intro here.
Palma shops
Bar La Sang
Wine Bar
*fresh forward thinking wine bar
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Nord Palma
Mo 5-10pm; Tu - Sa 6pm -11:30pm; closed Sundays (winter hours)
🌞🌛🇪🇸🍴🍷
Bar La Sang is a cozy wine bar from a young and forward thinking team. For a lively, local and laidback vibe, I would come here. The staff are super warm and friendly, and the space is filled with bottles, local art, and a mishmash of seating, which adds to the charm. They offer an amazing selection of wines, and they also have a wine shop.
There is also a menu of super fresh and tasty Mediterranean inspired snacks and small share plates - plus, they often collaborate with chefs for pop-up dinners (and sometimes for a more Mediterranean inspired global menu), so you can expect something new here often.
image via @hank.and.beni
Palma wine bars, Palma restaurants
Sunday: Easy does it
• Brunch at Rosevelvet Eatery
• Wander where you haven’t been to yet, grab an espresso or a gelato, walk the seawall, hang out at the Es Baluard museum grounds, people watch in the areas and park around La Seu, go for a drink (some places are open in the afternoons)
• Lunch at Café Poupette
• Dinner at Spot Mallorca
On Sundays, a lot of restaurants close to give their staff a well deserved break, and the itinerary and recommendations for Sunday reflects that. If you are curious to see what else is open on Sundays, check out our Open on Sundays post for more options.
Rosevelvet Eatery
Café
*beautifully executed everything
Website • Instagram • Google Maps
Nord Palma
Mo - Fr 8:30am - 8pm; Sa & Su 9am - 4pm
🌞🌛🥐🥚🥗🧁☕️🍵
Rosevelvet Eatery is the well thought out second location for the Rosevelvet team, who opened their first bakery / café a decade earlier in 2014. And what a truly lovely and welcome new addition it is.
Choose between matcha and espresso drinks, breakfast items (my favourite is the croissant eggs benny), and baked goods (the pistachio croissant!). Plus, they offer juices, beers & wine and a daily menu that is usually a choice between 3 options: typically pasta, tacos and a salad (with coffee & water for €13)
image via @rosevelveteatery
Palma cafes, Newest cafes
Café Poupette
French Bistro
*located in the park, great patio
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
In between Palma Centre & Santa Catalina
10am - 7:30pm; open every day
🇫🇷🌞🌛🍴🍷
Serving a French bistro menu, the menu has something that everyone will love at Café Poupette, and they offer some really great items for sharing too.
What stands out about this place, is the location and the view: the only café in Parc de Sa Feixina, the main park that separates Palma Centre from Santa Catalina. The patio is where to sit when it’s sunny out, but they have an indoor space for the cooler days.
image via @cafepoupette
Palma restaurants
Spot Mallorca
Mediterranean + Various International
*trendy design & space
Website • Instagram • Google Maps • Book Reservation
Santa Catalina
Lunch & Dinner; open every day
🌞🌛🇪🇸🌍🍴🍷
The Spot Mallorca space in Santa Catalina is nicely designed (same group as Barcelona’s Bar Lobo and Green Spot). The food is good, but I will also say that it can be inconsistent. They have a very reasonably priced (around €20) 3-course weekly lunch menu that includes a drink - so it is definitely worth checking out for lunch. They also have an a la carte menu for lunch, and of course an la carte menu for dinner.
What to order: come for the €20 3-course set lunch menu, otherwise get the crispy cauliflower (almost worth a double order, this is a favourite), lamb kefta, pulled pork tacos, and banoffee pie for dessert; What else to consider: the croquettes, edamame, and Bluefin Tuna tartar
image via @spotmallorca
Palma restaurants
Monday morning: Coffee before the airport
• Whichever café you’re closest to, and is open!
Our (Free) Palma Café Directory
Let’s have the best pick-me-up of your day 🌞☕️🍒
Spending time at cafés is such a treat on holidays. And, knowing where to go is the first step - it’s why we’re sharing our favourites in our Palma Café Guide & custom Google Map.
We can’t wait to help you discover Palma’s best cafés for when you are craving coffee, matcha, breakfast, brunch, baked goods, gelato, or dessert.
Once connected to our free custom map, each location will auto-populate into your personal Google Maps. This makes it easy for you to see what cafés are close by, wherever you wander to.
This is our gift to you, no strings attached, we won’t even ask for your email.
If you are interested in an itinerary and map that is customized for your time in Palma, please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you plan your trip with more ease 💌
Or, join our membership platform, to access maps for all of our Palma (+ Mallorca wide) recommendations
Members will have access to searchable Directories and custom Google Maps Lists for Palma + Mallorca. Once connected, location markers for the best restaurants and cafés, shops and sites, beaches and destinations will auto-populate in your map.
A blog post exclusive discount
I hope that you found this helpful in planning your beautiful Mallorcan holiday!
As I’ve mentioned throughout the post, more details for cafés and restaurants, shops and sites, beaches and day trip options are available within the pages of the Guide (available in digital or paperback format), and many more locations are included as part of the WKDY Wanderer membership platform, via custom Google Maps and Online Directories.
For those of you who found me through this blog, I wanted to offer you a discount of 30% off both the Digital Guide, as well as the WKDY Wanderer membership. Enter code GRATITUDE30 at checkout*
*please note that the Digital Guide and Membership will need to be purchased separately; the discount is applicable to both
