Palma Holidays

Each region of Mallorca has its own particular appeal - for Palma it's the thriving art scene, lively café society and beautiful stretch of beach known as Playa de Palma. Discover the tree-lined promenades of La Rambla and Passeig des Born, built in the 19th century on dried up river beds, or explore the city's main sights, bounded by ancient walls and wrought-iron gates. But you have not truly seen Palma until you have surveyed it from the waterfront, with the cathedral and Almudaina palace rising proudly above the defensive walls of the old city, their golden sandstone lit up by the afternoon sun.

Known to the Arabs as Medina Mayurqa and to Mallorcans as simply Ciutat, or City, Palma is in fact named after the Roman city of Palmaria. Here you can almost literally uncover the different layers of Mallorcan history. The Roman city still exists, a metre or two beneath the ground; inhabitants of houses near the cathedral are still discovering Roman remains. The cathedral was built on the site of a mosque, once a Roman temple; the royal palace replaced an Arab alcázar.

Read more on this destination in the AA Pocket Guide to Mallorca.