THU 03NOV22 Palma de Mallorca, Spain 7:00am 7:00pm

 

Today we took a bus a from the the port of Palma to the city center. Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the island, is a city open to the sea and the bay that takes its name.

Our tour started with a panoramic drive along the Maritime Promenade en route to Bellver Castle. This is one of the most important examples of Gothic civil architecture in Mallorca. Dubbed 'the castle of beautiful views', its imposing form watches over the port. 

It was built by Jaume II at the beginning of the 14th century, originally conceived as a defensive stronghold and a royal residence. But it became an infamous prison between the Middle Ages and the Civil War. Among many others, the Enlightenment encyclopedist Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos was a prisoner here for six years. The young French Physicist François Arago, who played a role in measuring the Paris Meridian, was also a 'guest' of the castle.

Next stop -- the Mallorca Cathedral, which presides over the city and frames its very silhouette. Constructed between the 13th and the 14th century, this is one of the finest examples of pure Gothic architecture in all of Europe. 

Nearby is the Almudaina Palace -- a monument which was converted from an Arab fortress into the residence of the Kings of Mallorca.