Also known as “Soho Balear” due to its great gastronomic and cultural heritage, the neighbourhood of Santa Catalina is surely the most charming and animated district of Palma. The municipal market surely is the most interesting location, perfect if you want to taste some excellent traditional local food and enjoy some refreshing beers. This is the perfect starting point for your route through the most fashionable neighbourhood in Palma de Mallorca.
Let’s start the tour
We start the day by leaving us behind the historic centre and walking towards the Paseo del Born, once an ancient fishermen’s neighbourhood and today a multicultural location, adorned with lovely small gardens and interior patios. Perfect mixture of Mallorcan traditional style and European avant-garde. Clearly “gentrification” seems already to have affected this neighbourhood. However, its charm and authenticity still endures.
Santa Catalina market
In the heart of the neighbourhood resides the Santa Catalina market, the oldest food market in Palma, dating back to the 20s. It is a busy and bustling place, always full of fresh, local and seasonal products; typical charcuterías (yes, with sobrasada), fish shops (with the best of the Balearic coast) but also florists, fruit shops and lovely food stalls. Make sure to enjoy a tasty beer under the sun!
Shopping
The market is filled with art galleries, design shops, vintage clothing shops and handcrafts shops. We recommend you to visit them, of course with a quick stop for a coffee. The “B Connected Mallorca” are really interesting shops where you can find everything; from furniture to ceramics and everything else you need for your house. Also you can find “Frida Watson”, a lovely shop that sells wall clocks and 50s, 60s and 70s furniture. Surely a place with incredible pieces, a real paradise for vintage lovers.
Nightlife
As soon as the night comes, Sant Magí Street and Argentina Avenue are the streets where you can enjoy Palma’s nightlife. These areas are packed with bars where you can enjoy a tasty cocktail. We recommend the Soho Bar with marvellous 60s aesthetics and the Havanna. We suggest you also the Sky Bar Cuba, perfect for Cuban music and jazz lovers.
The best way to end your route is to admire the sea from Palma’s Port. Without a doubt Santa Catalina is our favourite district in this beautiful city.
