Mallorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which is part of Spain. The capital, Palma, is a great place to visit if you're looking for sunny winter weather and temperatures that average in the low sixties. Most of the city definitely feels and looks like a large urban area (with a population of just over 400,000) but the older part is filled with wonderful architecture, narrow streets, pedestrian areas and plenty of pretty places to wander.
The History
Our first few days here we enjoyed walking all over to get a feel for the Old Town which was established by the Romans on the remains of a settlement dating back to the Bronze Age. As a result there are a lot of super old structures mixed in with more modern construction. Many of the pedestrian areas utilize pretty stonework on the ground and there are numerous little shops as well as every type of store you could want for shopping. There were orange trees, palm trees and colored leaves falling to the ground in December and January when we visited, which was a pretty cool combination!
Fabulous Christmas decorations
Because we arrived mid December we caught the last part of the holiday celebrations which made for wonderful evening walks, festive lighting, roasted chestnuts and Christmas market stalls.
Gorgeous Bakeries
One day we came across the most amazing little bakery called Fornet de la Soca that had beautiful window displays and an incredible variety of goodies. It was really challenging to choose what we wanted to try.
Shopping for fresh produce
It was fun to meander through the Mercat de l’Olivar to not only see all sorts of interesting things but we felt it was the best place to purchase fruits & vegetables.
A Great Waterfront Stroll
One day we made our way toward the water to enjoy the view of the boats. It was great to look back toward the city from this viewpoint.
Evening Walks
The temperatures at night were still warm enough to enjoy taking walks and one evening we headed to the grounds of the Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca. It was magical to watch it light up.
December 2022
Holy moly, that bakery looks unreal. So many cute little decorations and goodies!! 🥺 So glad you guys had a good time exploring this island.