Palma de Mallorca, Spain

October 29 - Island of Mallorca, Spain
Upon arrival into Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands, we could see from the ship it was going to be an exciting place to visit. The countless yachts and La Seu Cathedral dating back to the 12th century were all visible from the ship. I learned that this is a favorite hideaway for the rich and famous like Michael Douglas. It is also where Mallorca pearls are from. We took a 5 euro shuttle into town. It dropped us across the street from the cathedral which was our first stop. It is a breathtaking Gothic structure. Portions of the interior were redesigned by the famous Gaudi including the controversial main altar. We then explored the Palace de l’Almudaina and walked some of the back streets of town where we also found and visited the Banys Arabs, the oldest structure on the island. Portions of the baths go back to the 10th Century. We tried to visit the Museum of Mallorca, but found it closed for the afternoon siesta (common in Spain). We enjoyed walking the green space in front of the cathedral then caught a shuttle back to the ship.