Undoubtedly, the neighbourhood of La Lonja – located in the old town of Palma – is one of the main nightlife areas in the Mallorcan capital. A nice and lively labyrinth of alleyways full of cafes, restaurants, cocktail bars, art galleries and shops of all kinds. The following are a few suggestions in order for you to live this experience to the fullest and at its best.
Visiting La Lonja
The neighbourhood of La Lonja is located around the majestic building of La Lonja (“Sa Llotja” in Mallorcan), one of the Gothic masterpieces of the island built between 1420 and 1453 by the local architect Guillem Sagrera. It is often compared to the grand Bellver Castle or the Cathedral. Its interior is often compared to a forest and at its time it was the College of Merchants. Today, it shows several exhibitions of contemporary art.
Lunch and dinner
If the La Lonja neighbourhood stands out for something, then it is for its varied and extensive gastronomic offer. The neighbourhood’s classic, with more than 20 years of history, is the Forn de Sant Joan (Sant Joan, 4). A reservation needs to be done well in advance, but it’s absolutely worth it! This restaurant offers exquisite Mediterranean food. Another must-try classic restaurant with only the best ingredients is La Paloma (Apuntadores, 16). El Viejo Vagón (Lonja, 6) is the heir of another classic, Orient Express, and maintains its aesthetic between wagon and station of the romantic era of the train. You can also find exquisite Italian food at Ritzi Palma (Sant Joan, 6).
Beers, wines and tapas
The number of bars in the neighbourhood of La Lonja is almost dizzying. There is a lot of cañeo & tapas in the bars around Plaza Drassana and Apuntadores Street, main street. If you prefer wine, the ideal option is Wineing (Apuntadores, 24); with a chip card you are able to serve yourself the desired wines and pay at the end. For extreme tapas eating we recommend Chez’s Camille (Calle del Mar, 18), one of the most fashionable places in the neighbourhood which stands out for its combination of oysters and champagne. We even found a bar specializing in gluten free tapas and simple dishes: St. Lorenzo, located in Sant Llorenç, 22.
Drinks and cocktails
There’s also plenty of places to consume all kinds of spirits. It’s worth trying out at least once the almost mythical and extremely kitsch Abaco (St. Joan, 1), famous for its setting with classical music – which is played very loudly, yes – or its compositions and arrangements of fruits and flowers. In Opio (Montenegro, 12) you can also dine something enlivened by its DJ’s. There are also delicious dishes – and famous cocktails – at Neo Cultural (Botería, 8). And among the cocktail bars, the splendid club of house, techno and other dance rhythms El Barbero (Jaime Ferrer, 3) stands out.
Live music
Although the historic Bluesville had to close its doors in 2014, the heart of the neighbourhood welcomes -since 2006- the Jazz Voyeur Club (Apuntadores, 5). A reference for this kind of music in the Balearic Islands. It’s managed by those responsible for the prestigious international festival with the same name, and it hosts concerts every night from Tuesday to Saturday.
Shopping
Many stores are also to be found on the streets of the Lonja district. When you reach the end of it, you will find a huge lifestyle space, the Rialto Living (Sant Feliu, 3), the only store where clothes, accessories, perfumes, colonial furniture and even books can be found. The Ibizan and boho-chic clothing store Tree of Life is also worth a visit when shopping at La Lonja (Sant Joan, 3).
Art Galeries
For bigger pockets and artistic hearts, we have two proposals in very picturesque locations. The Horrach Moya gallery, with a charming reddish façade, located in the Plaza de la Drassana. And the Sant Feliu Oratory (Sant Feliu s / n), which was built after the conquest of Jaume I in the 13th century, and houses the Kewenig gallery.
The neighbourhood of La Lonja is one of the most beautiful and cheerful ones in Palma, it is the perfect spot to get lost in at any time, both during the day and at night. Fusion of tradition and modernity, the buildings around here Gothic style, Renaissance and the Modernist era. The visitors of la Lonja are locals, as well as people from all over the world and all kinds of backgrounds. A true cultural experience!
