Floods, Fires and Executions: A Palma Self-Guided Walking Tour

Palma de Mallorca's 4000-year history isn't just about sun-soaked beaches and Gothic grandeur. On this walking tour, you'll uncover the darker chapters that shaped this Mediterranean capital, from Inquisition executions to the street where a severed hand remained on display for over a century.

The tour starts at Parc de la Mar, facing the Cathedral and Almudaina Palace, before following the path of the former Sa Riera torrent that once divided the city into rich and poor quarters. You'll discover how this waterway killed half of Palma's population in a single 1403 flood, trace the boundaries of the medieval Jewish ghetto where thousands perished during centuries of persecution, and climb the Inquisitor's slope where condemned prisoners walked to their deaths.

Along the way, you'll explore noble mansions with centuries-old patios built to collect precious rainwater, admire Art Nouveau facades designed to terrify dental patients, and visit the Gothic Llotja where ships once moored at its doorstep. You'll learn about the Talayot civilization whose slingers could sink ships from 200 meters away, and hear the tragic love story behind one of Palma's most gruesome street names. The tour ends at Plaça de Cort, where an 800-year-old olive tree stands beside the City Hall.

On this 75-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:

• Discover Es Foner statue honoring the Talayot slingers who defended Mallorca with deadly accuracy
• Visit the Llotja, a 1428 Gothic maritime stock exchange where sailors thanked their guardian angel after perilous voyages
• Walk through Es Call, the Jewish ghetto where residents lived as the King's property and faced persecution until 1834
• Explore Plaça del Mercat, the medieval marketplace where bullfights and Inquisition executions drew crowds for centuries
• Learn how Sir Berga's plan to pave his courtyard with gold coins was cleverly thwarted by the King
• Admire the Grand Hotel's Art Nouveau splendor, Mallorca's first luxury hotel with just 30 rooms
• See Can Forteza's fearful face sculpture surrounded by dragons, designed for a dental clinic

This tour reveals the stories Palma's guidebooks often overlook, from violent floods to religious persecution to architectural oddities.