Palma de Mallorca: cathedral and old town

The Cathedral of Santa Maria, known as La Seu, faces the sea directly with a Gothic facade begun in 1229 and an interior restoration signed in the early twentieth century by Antoni Gaudí himself.

The Royal Palace of La Almudaina, next to the cathedral, was first an Arab fortress and then a residence of the Kings of Majorca, and is today one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family.

The Sa Calatrava neighborhood, a labyrinth of medieval alleys behind the cathedral, preserves glimpses of the sea among low houses and small squares rarely crowded with tourists.

The Bellver Castle, a rare example of circular fortress in Europe, stands on a wooded hill a few kilometers from the center and offers from its bastions a complete view of Palma Bay.

From the Bellver ramparts, La Seu appears small against the expanse of the bay, yet it remains the building that visually organizes the entire city as seen from land.

Sa Calatrava, just behind it, reminds us that Palma is not only the cathedral and postcard waterfront, but also a living historic center day by day.