24 hours in Palma
A culinary & cultural overnight stay in Palma
From morning tapas at Santa Catalina Market to Flamenco under the stars, Lucy Hawkins takes you on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Mallorca's capital. Savour local delicacies, explore historic treasures, and feel the pulse of Palma’s culture.
By Lucy Hawkins
5/12/24
My in-laws visited from Australia last week and offered to look after the girls for the night, so we ran to the car and made for Palma. Ok, I may be embellishing a touch. It was a little better planned than that, in fact we absolutely smashed the itinerary.
First of all we checked into Puro Grand Hotel and had a delicious lunch in their very stylish courtyard and had a drink on their roof terrace. The hotel is just off the Paseo del Borne, right in the heart of La Lonja. It’s a little oasis with all the luxuries you want at home but don’t get because you’re too busy standing on Lego. They made us feel extremely welcome and special, everything smelt, looked, and felt fabulous.
Then we hit the shops. First was ‘Come In’ English bookshop, Carrer Sant Miquel, 58.
This isn’t a musty old nook, it’s a big, bright, cornucopia of wonderful reading. A children’s section, adult’s literature, English learning, languages, text books and boardgames. It’s a delight and a wonderful resource with knowledgeable and friendly staff. Christmas presents were sorted.
Then we wandered from the Plaza Major to El Corte Ingles. Christmas decorations were up and it was hard not to get into the festive feel of things. But really we were just counting down until our tapas tour commenced!
I booked a self-guided ‘Wine and Dine Tour’ through Food Tours Mallorca. The link to our itinerary had arrived the night before with a map and tables booked at 4 different restaurants starting at 5pm and lasting until 9pm. We pressed the ‘START’ button and the tour began. I’m not great with technology but this was so simple to follow, it was as if we alone had this treasure map leading to hidden gems.
It’s impossible to know where to eat in a city that isn’t your own. You don’t want to be just another tourist, there are so many to choose from and you’re having to put all your eggs in one basket hoping that your one restaurant choice is a win. Then you’ve got to choose wisely from the menu. The odds of having a 10 out of 10 experience are low.
But not if you go on this food tour! Because the two genius women who run the business, Emily and Michelle, have done the hard work for you. Each tour has different restaurants, from tapas bars to fine dining but chosen to complement one another. The tour takes you off the beaten track and delivers you to outstanding establishments that serve you their signature dish along with a choice of beer, wine or soft drink.
And they’ve marked fabulous places of interest to stop at along the way. I lived in Palma many years ago but had never been to these medieval churches, art galleries, secret courtyards and gardens before.
Our first stop was Vermuteria La Rosa. Neon lights meet traditional cantina. The staff were as friendly as they were cool. We had a glass of vermouth with a plate of crispy flatbread topped with potato salad and caviar accompanied with spinach, blue cheese and walnut croquetas. They were delicious, the standard was set high.
6pm and the 2nd destination was Cantina Panza. Chef Javier Gardonio and his partner, the two-Michelin-star chef, Fernando Arellano, own this 40 seat restaurant on Las Ramblas. “Creative comfort food with a Spanish accent, polished by French academic cuisine”. This was exceptional food with a laid back vibe. We had a glass of chardonnay and “Tigres”, crumbed Octopus and Scallop velouté, served in a scallop shell with crusty bread, sitting up at the bar. Everyone seemed to be local, which is always a sign of good food.
It was dark now and our map led us further into the maze of backstreets and lanes away from the shoppers. We had time before restaurant number 3 and so stopped at our next city highlight star on the map, a beautiful little church that I would never have found or entered unless prompted.
Iglesia de Sant Jaime is one of the oldest churches in town and in the middle of the Gothic quarter. We pushed the door open and found the small chapel illuminated by candlelight. It’s not often you get to sit in silence and it gave me an opportunity to take the whole night in. Without sounding sickening, I was grateful.
We left the church on a high, winding through the alleyways and learning about architecture and traditional foods from the tour along the way.
7pm and we arrived at our 3rd destination – restaurant Xalest at hotel Concepcio by Nobis. We had beef cheeks with celeriac puree and tupinambo chips served in stone bowls. It was a real fine dining experience, completely different to the previous two.
I think one of the best things about the tour was taking our time. Ordinarily when we eat out, especially with the kids, you’re kind of racing through the experience. Maybe the waiters want the table back or maybe you know it’s only a matter of time before someone’s going to cry or spill their food, and that’s just the husband(!) This night, we had enough food and drink to satisfy, a fun walk of discovery, and then we got to go again! We didn’t finish the evening uncomfortably stuffed, drunk, disillusioned or broke, which was nice.
Our map then led us to the gardens of La Misericordia, originally established by a Christian brotherhood and now home to a cultural and administrative centre. We wandered around the Archive of Image and Sound of Mallorca, which just added to this really sensory experience. The icing on the cake was in the basement, we walked over a bridge where alongside us water reflected the beautiful arched ceiling that was lit and dimmed as if by a sunrise and set. It was extraordinary, not your average a la carte night out.
Our first stop was Vermuteria La Rosa. Neon lights meet traditional cantina. The staff were as friendly as they were cool. We had a glass of vermouth with a plate of crispy flatbread topped with potato salad and caviar accompanied with spinach, blue cheese and walnut croquetas. They were delicious, the standard was set high.
6pm and the 2nd destination was Cantina Panza. Chef Javier Gardonio and his partner, the two-Michelin-star chef, Fernando Arellano, own this 40 seat restaurant on Las Ramblas. “Creative comfort food with a Spanish accent, polished by French academic cuisine”. This was exceptional food with a laid back vibe. We had a glass of chardonnay and “Tigres”, crumbed Octopus and Scallop velouté, served in a scallop shell with crusty bread, sitting up at the bar. Everyone seemed to be local, which is always a sign of good food.
It was dark now and our map led us further into the maze of backstreets and lanes away from the shoppers. We had time before restaurant number 3 and so stopped at our next city highlight star on the map, a beautiful little church that I would never have found or entered unless prompted.
Iglesia de Sant Jaime is one of the oldest churches in town and in the middle of the Gothic quarter. We pushed the door open and found the small chapel illuminated by candlelight. It’s not often you get to sit in silence and it gave me an opportunity to take the whole night in. Without sounding sickening, I was grateful.
We left the church on a high, winding through the alleyways and learning about architecture and traditional foods from the tour along the way.
7pm and we arrived at our 3rd destination – restaurant Xalest at hotel Concepcio by Nobis. We had beef cheeks with celeriac puree and tupinambo chips served in stone bowls. It was a real fine dining experience, completely different to the previous two.
I think one of the best things about the tour was taking our time. Ordinarily when we eat out, especially with the kids, you’re kind of racing through the experience. Maybe the waiters want the table back or maybe you know it’s only a matter of time before someone’s going to cry or spill their food, and that’s just the husband(!) This night, we had enough food and drink to satisfy, a fun walk of discovery, and then we got to go again! We didn’t finish the evening uncomfortably stuffed, drunk, disillusioned or broke, which was nice.
Our map then led us to the gardens of La Misericordia, originally established by a Christian brotherhood and now home to a cultural and administrative centre. We wandered around the Archive of Image and Sound of Mallorca, which just added to this really sensory experience. The icing on the cake was in the basement, we walked over a bridge where alongside us water reflected the beautiful arched ceiling that was lit and dimmed as if by a sunrise and set. It was extraordinary, not your average a la carte night out.
It was time for our final stop at 8pm, a wine bar called LoDivino. By this stage I was craving dessert and I was not disappointed. We were served orange cake with ice cream and joined by head chef, Dino Pita, who explained he uses all of the orange in the preparation, hence the amazing flavour. By then we were excellent company, laughing away and recounting culinary and cultural adventures around Palma. I had a cup of tea and was ready for bed. But no, it was time for Flamenco!
I had pre-booked tickets at Tablao Flamenco Alma, the google reviews promising me an authentic, non-touristy experience and, to the best of my knowledge, they were correct. I’d seen flamenco on the mainland a few times with friends from Madrid who had explained that when the dancers get really enthusiastic it’s because they’ve reached this special state, like a spirit had overcome them, called ‘duende’. And not all flamenco dancers achieve it, but I’m pretty sure they did this night. A Spanish guitarist, singer, and a male and female dancer whipped us all into such a frenzy it was all I could do to sit still. It was so moving, quite literally, the pace at which their feet moved was simply incredible! It really appealed to my restless leg syndrome. It was the perfect end to a magical night.
The next day we headed to Santa Catalina market and saw how the locals start their day, propped up at bars drinking coffee and eating more tapas. Fresh fish, meat, cheese, olives, fruit, sushi, nuts… It was a veritable bazaar.
We finished our trip at the old Arab Baths, the Banys Arabs, C/ de Can Serra, 7. Nestled in the Can Fontirroig gardens, the beautiful Muslim building dates back to the 11th Century. There’s no bathing now but you can imagine what came before with the arches, domes, skylights and columns. It adds to the mystery, the exoticism of Palma, knowing the conquest of Mallorca by the Muslim troops of Isam al-Jaulani in 902AD. The Muslim domination in Mallorca lasted until 1229, and in that time they built the iconic fortress, the Almudaina, now the official residence of the King and Queen of Spain when they visit the island.
It was time to go home. We’d got just a snippet of the history during our mini adventure, but we’d also had incredible food and genuine hospitality. We’d discovered new places, seen a different side to the city and felt let in on some of its secrets. We’d learnt things, peeled off another layer of the Spanish onion, walked at least 10km, and laughed from start to finish.
Food Tours Mallorca are offering a 10% discount to inMallorca Magazine readers, just enter the promocode ‘inMallorcaMagazine’ at checkout. For more information or to book go to www.foodtoursmallorca.com
By Lucy Hawkins
5/12/24
It was time for our final stop at 8pm, a wine bar called LoDivino. By this stage I was craving dessert and I was not disappointed. We were served orange cake with ice cream and joined by head chef, Dino Pita, who explained he uses all of the orange in the preparation, hence the amazing flavour. By then we were excellent company, laughing away and recounting culinary and cultural adventures around Palma. I had a cup of tea and was ready for bed. But no, it was time for Flamenco!
I had pre-booked tickets at Tablao Flamenco Alma, the google reviews promising me an authentic, non-touristy experience and, to the best of my knowledge, they were correct. I’d seen flamenco on the mainland a few times with friends from Madrid who had explained that when the dancers get really enthusiastic it’s because they’ve reached this special state, like a spirit had overcome them, called ‘duende’. And not all flamenco dancers achieve it, but I’m pretty sure they did this night. A Spanish guitarist, singer, and a male and female dancer whipped us all into such a frenzy it was all I could do to sit still. It was so moving, quite literally, the pace at which their feet moved was simply incredible! It really appealed to my restless leg syndrome. It was the perfect end to a magical night.
The next day we headed to Santa Catalina market and saw how the locals start their day, propped up at bars drinking coffee and eating more tapas. Fresh fish, meat, cheese, olives, fruit, sushi, nuts… It was a veritable bazaar.
We finished our trip at the old Arab Baths, the Banys Arabs, C/ de Can Serra, 7. Nestled in the Can Fontirroig gardens, the beautiful Muslim building dates back to the 11th Century. There’s no bathing now but you can imagine what came before with the arches, domes, skylights and columns. It adds to the mystery, the exoticism of Palma, knowing the conquest of Mallorca by the Muslim troops of Isam al-Jaulani in 902AD. The Muslim domination in Mallorca lasted until 1229, and in that time they built the iconic fortress, the Almudaina, now the official residence of the King and Queen of Spain when they visit the island.
It was time to go home. We’d got just a snippet of the history during our mini adventure, but we’d also had incredible food and genuine hospitality. We’d discovered new places, seen a different side to the city and felt let in on some of its secrets. We’d learnt things, peeled off another layer of the Spanish onion, walked at least 10km, and laughed from start to finish.
Food Tours Mallorca are offering a 10% discount to inMallorca Magazine readers, just enter the promocode ‘inMallorcaMagazine’ at checkout. For more information or to book go to www.foodtoursmallorca.com