Arab Baths (Banys Àrabs)

The Arab Baths, or Banys Àrabs, are among the few surviving structures of Moorish Mallorca and stand on Carrer de Can Serra in the Monti-Sion area of Palma's Old Town, in Spain's Balearic Islands. The baths are probably a 10th-century bathhouse and are thought to have belonged to a larger Islamic-era house. What remains is a small, well-preserved chamber, the caldarium or hot room, topped by a dome supported by 12 columns, with small round openings in the roof that let light and steam escape. Several of the column capitals appear to have been reused from earlier buildings. The baths sit in a quiet garden planted with palms and orange trees, and the garden is as much a part of the visit as the room itself. There is no pool or spa service, so the baths are a short historical stop rather than an activity, and most visitors spend 20 to 40 minutes. The best photograph is of the dome from inside, looking up through the roof openings. Admission is low, about €3, and cash is often preferred, so carrying small notes helps. Opening hours are roughly 09:30 to 19:00 in summer and 09:30 to 17:30 in winter, though listings vary and should be confirmed on the day. The site is small, so it stays quiet; morning or mid-afternoon visits avoid the occasional tour group. It is a six-minute walk through the old town lanes from the cathedral and close to the Museu de Mallorca, so the two work well together on a single route through the Monti-Sion neighbourhood. The site is a useful reminder of the island's Islamic period before the Catalan conquest of 1229.