Royal Palace of La Almudaina

The Royal Palace of La Almudaina stands on Carrer del Palau Reial in Palma's Old Town, directly opposite the cathedral on the Mallorca seafront in Spain's Balearic Islands. The site began as a Moorish fortress, and after the Catalan conquest it was converted in the 14th century into a Gothic royal residence. It remains the official Mallorca residence of the Spanish royal family for ceremonial use and is managed by Patrimonio Nacional, the national heritage agency, so only part of it is open to the public. Visitors walk through state rooms, a large Gothic hall with broad arches, and the royal chapel, the Capella de Santa Anna. Tapestries and period furnishings fill several of the rooms, and the courtyards preserve traces of the older fortress. The mix of defensive walls, Gothic halls and later decoration makes the palace a useful place to understand how Mallorca's rulers changed over the centuries. A typical visit takes one to one and a half hours. Opening hours differ between April to September and October to March, the palace is closed on Mondays, and the ticket office closes one hour before the building. The palace was reported reopened after renovation in April 2026, so it is worth checking the official page before going. Morning is the quietest time, before tour groups arrive from the cathedral next door. The best outdoor photographs are taken from the Parc de la Mar terrace, where the palace walls and the cathedral appear together above the lake. Tickets are sold through the Patrimonio Nacional ticket site, and reduced prices apply to eligible visitors. Combining the palace with the cathedral and the Parc de la Mar makes an efficient half-day route through the historic centre.