Palma is one of the easiest cruise calls in the Mediterranean: the port sits inside the bay, you can see the cathedral from the deck and you can be in the old town within 20-30 minutes without a ship's tour. This guide covers where your ship docks, how to get into town and what fits into the time you have.
Where do cruise ships dock in Palma?
Palma has two cruise areas, both west of the city centre:
| Area | Terminals | Distance to the cathedral | How to get in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poniente quay (Avinguda Gabriel Roca) | Terminals 1 to 4 | About 3 km | 40-min walk, EMT bus 1 or taxi |
| Dique del Oeste (Dic de l'Oest) | Terminals 5 and 6, for the largest ships | About 4-5 km | EMT bus 1, cruise line shuttle or taxi |
Your ship's daily programme tells you which one you're at. Big ships usually go to the Dique del Oeste, which is further out and not a pleasant walk.
How do you get from the cruise port to Palma old town?
- EMT bus line 1. It links the Dique del Oeste and the passenger terminals with the seafront, Passeig de Mallorca and Plaça d'Espanya (for the Sóller train and island buses). The full run takes about 30 minutes. A single ticket costs €2, paid on board in cash or by card; the city council has proposed raising it to €3 for passengers without a travel card, so it may change. For the cathedral, get off on the Paseo Marítimo or Passeig de Mallorca and walk 10-15 minutes.
- Cruise line shuttle. Many lines run a bus into town, sometimes included and sometimes charged. Check the price and pick-up point on board.
- Taxi. There's a rank at the terminals. On the official 2025 tariff (€2.50 flag fall, €1.20 per km and a €4.65 port supplement), the cathedral costs around €11-15. Queues build up when several ships are in.
- Bus Nàutic. On 1 November 2026 the port launched two boat lines aimed at cruise passengers, at €10 one way (€18 return). It's a brand-new service, so check stops and times at the port.
- On foot. From Poniente, the seafront is flat with views across the bay, but there's little shade in summer.
What to see in Palma in 4, 6 or 8 hours
Count your real time ashore: from stepping off the ship to an hour before all aboard.
| Time ashore | Suggested plan |
|---|---|
| 4 hours | Bus or taxi into town, the cathedral inside (1 hr), the Almudaina Palace from outside, Parc de la Mar and a stroll through the old town to the Born. Back with time to spare. |
| 6 hours | All of the above plus a guided old town walk or a tapas route, and Bellver Castle on the way back: it's on the hill above the port, a few minutes by taxi. |
| 8 hours or more | The Sóller train from Plaça d'Espanya and the tram to Port de Sóller, or Valldemossa by bus; or a half-day trip to the Drach Caves. |
Cathedral, old town and Bellver
- Cathedral (La Seu). April to November: Monday to Friday 10:00-17:15, Saturday 10:00-14:15. From 1 December to 31 March it closes at 15:15 on weekdays. No sightseeing visits on Sundays. On a short call, buy your ticket in advance to skip the ticket office queue.
- Old town. Behind the cathedral you'll find the grand courtyards, the Arab Baths and the lanes up to Plaça Major and the Born. With a guide, you'll get it in under two hours.
- Bellver Castle. The round castle with bay views costs €4, is closed on Mondays and on Sundays opens 10:00-15:00 with free entry. Tuesday to Saturday it's open 10:00-18:00. No city bus goes up to the gate, so a taxi from the port is the practical option.
The Sóller train on a port day
The wooden train leaves from Plaça d'Espanya, the last stop of EMT bus 1, and takes about an hour to Sóller. In 2026 it costs €23 one way and €30 return; the tram to Port de Sóller is another €10, and the combined train and tram ticket is €40.
- Departures from Palma (2026 timetable): 10:10, 10:50, 12:15, 13:30 and 15:10.
- Return trains from Sóller: 12:15, 14:00, 17:15 (to be confirmed at the ticket office) and 18:00.
- A realistic plan: take the 10:10 or 10:50, have lunch in Sóller or the port and return on the 14:00 (into Palma around 15:00). If all aboard is before 17:00, don't try it.
- Winter: the line closes for a few weeks of maintenance. In 2025-2026 it didn't run from 24 November to 1 February, and for 2026-2027 the closure has been announced from 22 November until early February.
If you'd rather not juggle timetables, the bus-and-tram tour of Valldemossa and Sóller takes 6 hours; check when booking that the pick-up point works from the port.
Valldemossa on your own
TIB bus 203 leaves from the Estació Intermodal (Plaça d'Espanya) for Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller. In Valldemossa, the Royal Charterhouse takes about an hour.
What time should you be back on board?
- All aboard is usually 30 to 60 minutes before sailing; the exact time is in the daily programme. That's your deadline, not the departure time.
- Allow 30 minutes from the centre to the Dique del Oeste by bus, more if the taxi rank is busy.
- If you go to Sóller or Valldemossa, leave at least 90 minutes of slack: return trains and buses fill up.
Shore excursions that fit a Palma call
| Tour | Duration | From |
|---|---|---|
| Guided old town walking tour, 4.9★ (914) Book | 1 hr 45 min | €39 |
| Walking tour with cathedral entry and ensaïmada, 4.8★ (237) Book | 2 hr 30 min | €39 |
| Old town food tour, 4.6★ (663) Book | 3 hr | €65 |
| Drach Caves with concert, from Palma, 4.4★ (1,489) Book | 5 hr, leaves 9:30 | €54 |
| Valldemossa, Sóller and Port de Sóller by bus and tram, 4.7★ (827) Book | 6 hr | €49 |
The Drach Caves trip leaves central Palma at 9:30 and is back in the early afternoon, so it only works if you disembark early and sail in the evening.
Ship's excursion or independent?
| Ship's excursion | Independent or with our tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highest | Bus €2, taxi €11-15, tours from €39 |
| If you run late | The ship waits | Getting back on time is on you |
| Flexibility | Fixed times and stops | Your call |
| Worth it for | Distant sights on a short call | Palma itself, Bellver, Sóller with 8+ hours |
Palma itself is easy to see on your own. The ship's tour only makes sense for going far with little time.
Sundays and public holidays
- The cathedral is closed to visitors on Sundays.
- Bellver opens 10:00-15:00 and is free.
- EMT and TIB buses run reduced timetables and bus 1 stops earlier at weekends; if you're heading back late, have a taxi in mind.
Common mistakes
- Planning to walk from the Dique del Oeste. It's 4-5 km and the first stretch is unappealing.
- Doing Sóller with less than 8 hours. Between bus, train and queues, it isn't worth it.
- Saving the cathedral for a Sunday. You can only go inside Monday to Saturday.
- Cutting it fine for all aboard. Taxi and shuttle queues grow when several ships are in.
For a longer stay another time, see what to see in Mallorca and our guide to the Serra de Tramuntana and Sóller.
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk from Palma cruise port to the cathedral?
From the Poniente quay, yes: about 3 km on the flat along the Paseo Marítimo, roughly 40 minutes. From the Dique del Oeste it is 4-5 km and the first stretch runs beside the port road, so take EMT bus 1 or a taxi.
How much is a taxi from Palma cruise port to the old town?
On the official Mallorca tariff (€2.50 flag fall, €1.20 per km by day and a €4.65 port supplement), a ride to the cathedral costs around €11-15. At night and on public holidays the per-km rate rises to €1.35.
Is there time for the Sóller train on a port day?
Only with 8 hours or more ashore. The train takes about an hour from Plaça d'Espanya, the last stop of EMT bus 1. Catch the 10:10 or 10:50 and come back on the 14:00 at the latest. In winter the line closes for a few weeks of maintenance.
Is Palma Cathedral open on Sundays?
Not for sightseeing: on Sundays it only opens for services. From April to November it opens Monday to Friday 10:00-17:15 and Saturday 10:00-14:15; from December to March it closes at 15:15 on weekdays.
Should I book the ship's excursion or go it alone in Palma?
In Palma, going independently is easy and much cheaper: the centre is close and transport is simple. The ship's tour is only worth it for far-off places (Sóller, Formentor) on a short call, because the ship waits for its own excursions if they run late.
