Palma de Mallorca Cruise Port: Cathedral, Old Town and Bus 1
Palma's port is large, and its cruise berths are a long way from the sights. Once you reach the cathedral, the Old Town is compact and walkable. Plan around two things: which berth you get, and the cathedral's opening hours.
Quick answer
Palma is a docking port, but the cruise berths are 3.5–6 km west of the cathedral. Take EMT bus 1 (€2 cash or card, about 20 minutes, 2026) or your ship's shuttle. Walking takes 45 minutes or more along the seafront. The cathedral costs €25 including the terraces (2026) and opens to tourists at 10:00. For a 17:30 all-aboard, be on a bus or taxi back from the centre by 15:45.
The port: what you need to know
- ·Estació Marítima terminals 1–4 (Paraires and Poniente quays): about 3.5 km from the cathedral. EMT bus 1 stops on Avinguda de Gabriel Roca, opposite Club de Mar, a short walk from the terminal exits. Walking to the cathedral takes 45–50 minutes.
- ·Dique del Oeste (west breakwater, terminals 5–6): about 6 km out, used by the largest ships. Not realistically walkable. The nearest bus 1 stop is near the Sant Carles military museum, about 12 minutes' walk. Most lines run a shuttle.
- ·Tender port: No. All ships berth alongside.
- ·Which berth? The port assigns berths and can change them shortly before arrival. Check your daily programme.
Getting into town
EMT bus 1: €2 single (2026), cash or contactless card on board. About 20 minutes. For the cathedral, get off on Avinguda d'Antoni Maura. Drivers give limited change (notes up to €10). One contactless card can pay for several passengers. The council has approved raising the non-resident fare to €3, but it had not taken effect as of September 2026, so check before you travel.
Cruise line shuttle: Set by each line; some are free, some charged. 15–25 minutes. Usually drops near the cathedral or Parc de la Mar. Check the last return time; queues for the last shuttles can be long.
Taxi: Metered, regulated city tariff. 10–15 minutes to the cathedral, longer in traffic. Ranks outside the terminals and by Parc de la Mar. Use only official white taxis.
Walk: Flat, with a wide seafront promenade, but almost no shade. A good compromise is the bus in and a walk back if time allows.
Coming soon: A harbour water bus, Bus Nàutic, starts lines 2 and 3 for cruise passengers on 1 November 2026, at €10 single or €18 return. Stops and timetables were not published at the time of writing.
Palma Cathedral (La Seu)
A Gothic cathedral above the sea, with one of the largest rose windows in Europe and a canopy and side chapel reworked by Gaudí and Miquel Barceló.
- ·Entry: €25 general admission, including the terraces and the Museum of Sacred Art (2026). Under-9s cannot go on the terraces.
- ·Hours: Tourist visits Monday to Friday from 10:00, Saturday mornings only, closed Sundays.
- ·Time: 75–90 minutes, or 2 hours with the terraces. Terrace slots run every 30 minutes until November.
- ·Dress: Cover shoulders and knees. No beachwear.
- ·Tickets: Buy a timed ticket online at catedraldemallorca.org. Go at opening or after 14:00 on weekdays.
The terraces are not for anyone with vertigo or reduced mobility.
The Old Town
The streets are free. They climb gently behind the cathedral.
- ·Royal Palace of La Almudaina: The former Moorish citadel turned royal residence, beside the cathedral. €8, reduced €5 (2026). Closed Mondays. Open 10:00–18:00 October to March, to 19:00 April to September; the ticket office closes an hour earlier. Allow 45 minutes.
- ·Old Town lanes and the Banys Àrabs quarter: Courtyard houses, small churches and one of the few surviving buildings from Moorish Palma. Allow 45–60 minutes. Go in the morning, before the main cruise crowds.
- ·Passeig del Born and Plaça Major: The main promenade and the arcaded square. Free.
- ·Es Baluard and the city walls: A modern art museum built into a Renaissance bastion. The ramparts are free, with harbour views, and sit on the way back to the port.
- ·Mercat de l'Olivar: The main covered food market, with tapas and seafood counters. Go before early afternoon; many stalls close after lunch.
Bellver Castle
A round Gothic castle on a pine-covered hill, with the widest view over the bay and city. €4, free on Sundays (2026). Closed Mondays. October to March it opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday 10:00–15:00. Allow 1.5–2 hours including transport.
The castle is closer to the cruise terminals than to the Old Town, so a taxi from the ship works well. The hop-on hop-off bus also stops there.
A day plan for a 17:30 all-aboard
Assumes docking at 08:00 at the Estació Marítima terminals on a weekday.
| Time | Activity | Cost (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:20 | Walk out to Avinguda de Gabriel Roca, EMT bus 1 towards the centre | €2 |
| 08:50 | Get off on Avinguda d'Antoni Maura. Walk through Parc de la Mar | Free |
| 09:00 | Old Town loop: Plaça de Cort, lanes behind the cathedral, Banys Àrabs quarter, Plaça Major | Free |
| 10:00 | Cathedral at opening, with terraces if the slot fits | €25 |
| 11:40 | Almudaina palace next door (closed Mondays) | €8 |
| 12:45 | Lunch around La Llotja or Mercat de l'Olivar | Varies |
| 14:15 | Passeig del Born and Es Baluard, or Can Pere Antoni beach east of the cathedral | Free |
| 15:45 | Bus 1 back from Avinguda d'Antoni Maura, or a taxi from Parc de la Mar | €2 |
| 16:30 | Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard | — |
Try an ensaïmada with hot chocolate at Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo, or pa amb oli around La Llotja.
Return timing
The rule for a 17:30 all-aboard: leave the cathedral area by 15:45 and be on board by 16:30. From the Dique del Oeste, leave by 15:30.
Bus 1 takes about 20 minutes, but you may wait 10–15 minutes for one, and afternoon traffic on the Passeig Marítim is slow. Add the walk from the stop to your gangway and any terminal security queue. Shuttle and taxi queues peak an hour before sailing.
| All-aboard | Leave centre (terminals 1–4) | Leave centre (Dique del Oeste) |
|---|---|---|
| 16:30 | 14:45 | 14:30 |
| 17:00 | 15:15 | 15:00 |
| 17:30 | 15:45 | 15:30 |
| 18:00 | 16:15 | 16:00 |
If you are running late, take a taxi from the rank by Parc de la Mar. Tell the driver the terminal and your ship's name. Call the port agent number on your daily programme if you will be late.
Ship excursion or DIY?
Ship excursion prices vary by line. Palma city does not need a tour: bus 1 or the shuttle plus the cathedral ticket covers it.
A ship tour is worth it for the mountains and north-west coast: Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller and the vintage train. They are 30–60 minutes away on winding roads with limited buses. If you are at the Dique del Oeste and your line charges for the shuttle, compare that with a shared taxi.
Practical notes
- ·Pickpockets: The main risk, around the cathedral, Passeig del Born, Plaça Major and on crowded buses. Keep phones off café tables.
- ·Rosemary sellers: Near the cathedral, some press a sprig into your hand and demand money. Decline and keep walking.
- ·Heat: The seafront route is long, hot and unshaded in summer. Carry water.
- ·Beaches: Cala Major, a small sandy bay close to the cruise berths, is 10–15 minutes by EMT bus 4 (€2) or taxi. Can Pere Antoni is the nearest city beach to the cathedral.
Build your Palma ship-safe plan → Use the PortTrip Planner
Related guides
- ·Barcelona cruise port DIY guide →
- ·Are cruise excursions worth it? →
- ·Best Mediterranean cruise ports for DIY →
Sources
- ·Catedral de Mallorca: official site
- ·Mallorca.com: public transport in Mallorca (updated September 2026)
- ·Majorca Daily Bulletin: Palma nautical bus to launch 1 November (October 2026)
- ·Castell de Bellver: opening hours and prices
- ·Patrimonio Nacional: Royal Palace of La Almudaina tickets
- ·Click Mallorca: Palma cruise port
- ·CruiseMapper: Palma de Mallorca port