A Tour of Palma's Old Town!

As CIEE Palma continues well into its third week of the program, students are finding their groove. Once nervous to use public transportation, now students traverse the bus system to their favorite places with ease. They know the best heladerías, the most popular streets for shopping, and the most beautiful neighborhoods to stroll around. Students have earned their street smarts, and now their confidence shows through the way they use their precious free time.

On Tuesday, most students decided to go to the local city beach during their extended lunch break. However, those who preferred to stay back, dry and sand-free, tagged along with me to go to some of my favorite hidden gems in Palma! 'El Casco Antiguo' is what locals call Palma’s old town. Characterized by Gothic churches, picturesque squares, and impressive 17/18th century interior patios- there is much to discover! We started the tour in Plaza Quadrado, a peaceful square away from the tourist crowds. This plaza is particularly notable as an access point to some of the oldest streets in the city. In this historic neighborhood, former stately homes are visible through iron gates. Observing between the bars, students were surprised by the large scale of the interior patios, some of which date back to the medieval ages! 

After peaking into the old town’s most awe-inspiring homes, we found ourselves at the ‘Banys Àrabes,’ the ancient baths of Palma. The bath house dates back to the period of Islamic rule between the 10th and 12th century. Historians believe that the baths were originally built as part of the palace of an important Muslim nobleman. Today it is one of the last remains of Islamic architecture left in Mallorca. The Roman, Muslim, and Christian occupations of Mallorca all contribute to the layered historical identity that makes the old town so impressive, and the ancient ‘Banys Àrabes’ is a great example of this. 

 Obviously every successful tour needs to end with a treat! It was only right then that we concluded with a gelato from our favorite gelateria, Riva Reno! More incredible experiences and tasty gelato to come in the fast approaching final week of Language and Culture, Palma! But first, camping!!!