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Palma – Lonja de Mallorca

The planning process to construct this building began in 1403 and it was paid for by the Guild of Merchants, who operated it until the middle of the nineteenth century. They looked after the city’s commerce and were also responsible for ensuring that the harbour was kept in a state of good repair.

The grand front door of what is seen as one of the most important secular buildings in the city. The building’s architect was Guillem Sagrega, a local man who was born in the city in 1380 and died in Naples in 1454. He was clearly an influential figure, since he was also for a period in charge of the construction of Palma Cathedral.

The building was used as a military warehouse during the Napoleonic Wars and for much of the twentieth century it was used as an art gallery and museum. From the exterior it looks like a religious structure and there are numerous construction elements which are shared with cathedrals and churches.

The view from one of the grand windows at the rear of the building.

The late Gothic design with six supporting columns and rib vaulting to the ceiling. The space is apparently often used for art installations, but when I visited it was entirely empty, loyally guarded by one security guard sitting in the corner.

November 9, 2019
Palma – Es Foner Statue

The statue was sculpted by Lorenzo Rossello, a local artist who died in 1901 at the age of just 34. It depicts a warrior with a catapult, perhaps a Phoenician.

November 9, 2019
Palma – Walk into the City

I’ll be walking into Palma several times over the next week, which takes around 75 minutes in each direction. The above photo is near to the hotel and I think it’s fair to say that I’ve had worst views in the morning.

This is certainly one of the most beautiful walks that I’ve had into a city centre, with the path being clear and wide along the route. There were hundreds of yachts in the harbour and I sometimes wonder how it is that so many people can afford to own one, with a few of them being what I’d consider to be super-yachts. The cathedral also looms on the horizon for much of the walk, it looks like a ship itself and the area around it is well maintained and spacious.

November 8, 2019
Palma – Paraires Tower

This tower was constructed in the fourteenth century, although the foundations date back to the Roman period.

An attractive information board about the tower.

Originally this was one of two towers, the other is Porto Pi, which had a boom stretched between them to prevent entry into the harbour.

November 8, 2019
Palma – Red Peppers

These red peppers look rather delicious and they have what I’d consider a natural and non-regimented shape. There’s something rather sad and limp looking about red peppers in UK supermarkets, with their standardised look and often bland taste.

November 8, 2019
Palma – Narrow Streets

The narrow streets of Palma….

November 8, 2019
Palma – Beer Lovers Bar

I’m conscious that continuing my slight obsession for craft beer in Mallorca is going to be a challenge, but it appears that it will be possible.

A very nice little selection of beers and I noted later that they had more bottles and cans available in fridges. I asked which dark beers there were and the staff member was helpful, cautiously warning me that there was really only an imperial stout. Probably not the best strength to drink in the afternoon, but what could possibly go wrong? Incidentally, I liked that there was a range of beer styles which was balanced and sensible.

We agreed that it was sensible just to opt for a small beer, which was marginally expensive for Mallorca at just over €3, but worth every cent. A very drinkable stout and I verged on getting on another one, but thought that drinking too many beers of this ABV wouldn’t go well. A depth of taste and flavour, very lovely.

The bar offered food as well, with plenty of customers inside and there was a vibrant and welcoming feel. Service was warm and I hope that this concept is one which finds favour with the locals, as well as visitors, to encourage other locations to scrap their bland beer options and bring in exciting flavours.

November 8, 2019
Palma – Path Interruption

The main promenade along the long harbour area of Palma is wide and in an excellent state of repair, going on for several kilometres. I’d stress that there was an option of walking back up to the road, but I liked this little interruption to the path where there was a water course in the way. Bikes could, and indeed were, going straight through the water, although I didn’t see any pedestrians walk through the water.

There was though this option for pedestrians.

And I felt that I should use it…. Fortunately, I didn’t fall in.

November 8, 2019
Palma – Google Maps Error

I had disembarked from my bus journey from the airport and now just needed to walk to the hotel. I have a high regard for Google Maps, but it managed to produce a ridiculous error which initially concerned me.

This was the journey that I was expecting to make, from the red dot on the right, to the hotel on the left. It was around a twenty minute walk and was relatively direct. Above is the correct map which is produced when I search for a route from the hotel to the bus stop.

However, this is the journey which the app showed me, something which did cause me some concern when I got off the bus. It would have been a ridiculous walk and would have meant I’d have been better off to get off the bus earlier. It also didn’t make logical sense to me. Incidentally, the above map is exactly the same route as the top photo, I’ve just switched the direction.

Fortunately, the walking route on the top map was correct and I made the hotel in just over twenty minutes. But, there was an element of relief when it worked out, as Google Maps is rarely this wrong.

When walking back in the daylight, I saw this sign. It appears Google Maps has accidentally marked the pavement as one way for pedestrians when marking the road as one way for cars…

November 8, 2019
Palma – Airport Bus to City Centre

After my three hour delayed flight, I was quite pleased to be at Palma airport at a vaguely reasonable hour of just before 21:00. Which just meant finding the airport bus 1, which goes to Palma city centre, a process which wasn’t too challenging as the signage is clear.The information on the bus’s web-site said that they were every fifteen minutes and I got there and there was a screen saying there was nineteen minutes left until the next one….

There was a ticket machine at the bus stop, but it accepted cash only and looked a little rickety to say the least. So, I ignored it, as everyone else seemed to. Then, a man started to walk around claiming that he was selling tickets. I’m always highly suspicious of behaviour like this, in case it’s a random person flogging off used tickets. So, I discreetly avoided him until I was confident that everyone else had bought tickets from him. I needn’t have worried, he was the official ticket seller. The ticket was €5 to get from the airport to the city centre, which is realistically the only option. The only other way is to get a taxi and I’m not made of money.

There was a mad dash for the bus when it arrived.

The bus was nearly full and I managed to sit on the back row. It was handy as the seat next to me was wet from a leak above and so that meant no-one tried to sit there. Well, they did, but I pointed out the wet patch. Which is probably a way of stopping customers from sitting next to you, just squirt it with water. Not that I did here, there was genuinely a leak.

As is usual, my stop was at the end of the bus route so everyone bar one person had got off. The one remaining lady on board didn’t seem to realise she needed to get off, so I have no idea where she was trying to get to. But, then the next part of the adventure started, getting from the port area where the bus had stopped to where my hotel was.

November 8, 2019