Palma Holidays: Packages, City Breaks and When to Go

Palma is a capital first and a resort second, so it suits travellers who want sights within walking distance of their hotel. Palma Cathedral, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Michael and the Museu de Mallorca all sit in the city centre. Es Baluard, the modern art museum, is around half a mile away.

Couples and friends on a short break get the most from that density, because three or four days covers a great deal without a car. Families will find more open space at Bellver Castle, about two miles from the centre, and at the Poble Espanyol de Palma, just over a mile out. Anyone booking holidays to Palma de Mallorca mainly for the beach should know this is a city base; the appeal here is architecture, museums and the sea front, with the wider island within reach.

Most visitors stay in Palma itself, a coastal city of around 438,000 people where nearly all the major sights are clustered. Staying central means the cathedral, the Consolat de Mar and the old monastery of the Convent de Sant Francesc are on your doorstep, and the Fundació Miró Mallorca and the Palace of Marivent, the Spanish royal family's summer residence, are each about two and a half miles away.

Marratxí is the alternative. It lies inland, about six miles from the centre, with a population of roughly 37,000, and it is the same seven or so minutes from the airport as the city. It suits travellers who prefer a quieter base and do not mind travelling in to Palma for sightseeing.

May and June are the best months for holidays to Palma, Majorca. May averages highs of 24°C and June 29°C, with five to seven rainy days a month, which is warm enough for terraces and comfortable enough for a day on foot around the old town.

July and August are the hottest months at 32°C and also the driest, with July averaging just two rainy days. That heat is worth bearing in mind if your plans revolve around walking between monuments. September is still warm at 28°C but turns wetter, with around ten rainy days, and October brings 24°C highs.

From February to April and from October to December the city makes an easy off-season break, with daytime highs between 16°C and 20°C. January is the coolest month at about 15°C. Prices for packages generally rise during UK school holidays, so travelling outside them tends to give more choice.

Palma de Mallorca airport (PMI) has direct flights from the United Kingdom and sits about seven minutes by road from both Palma and Marratxí. On a package, that makes the included transfer one of the shortest you will find in Spain, so arriving late in the evening still leaves time for dinner.

Palma also has a ferry port about a mile from the city, and Alcúdia, on the island's north coast, has another about 27 miles away. If you plan to explore beyond the city, car hire from the airport is the simplest option, and you can compare car hire on this page.

A package holiday bundles your flight, hotel and airport transfers into one booking, and when it is sold as a package it is ATOL-protected. For Palma de Mallorca holidays this suits both a longer stay and a short city break. You choose your UK departure airport, your hotel and your board basis, from room only to half board or all inclusive depending on what the hotel offers.

On this page you can compare live deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach, check hotel prices if you prefer to book separately, compare car hire and see tours and tickets for the city's sights. Comparing several providers for the same dates is the best way to see what each one includes.