Castillo de Bellver
A 14th-century circular Gothic castle, the only one of its kind in Spain, set on a hill 112 m above the bay. It served as a royal residence and later a prison; today it houses the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat, with 360-degree panoramic views over Palma and the Mediterranean.
The essentials
- Tickets
- 4-8 € (subida a 8 € aprobada para no residentes; gratis domingos)
A round castle looking out over the bay
Bellver Castle doesn't look like any other castle in Spain, and that's not a brochure line — it's the only circular Gothic castle in the country and one of the very few in Europe built to that plan. Jaime II of Mallorca commissioned it in the early 14th century (works began around 1300-1310) as a royal summer residence, and you feel that the moment you step into the courtyard: more palace than fortress, with a ring of arches that curls around and leaves you slightly disoriented. Then came the less pleasant chapter. Once it stopped being a royal residence, the castle spent centuries as a military and political prison, holding inmates from the Carlist Wars among others, a role it kept well into the 19th century. Today it houses the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Palma, which is the official reason to go; the real reason people climb up is the 112-metre hill over the bay and a 360-degree panorama of Palma, the harbour, and the Mediterranean. If you only have one afternoon for a view of the city, this is the one that wins.
Tickets, hours, and when to go
General admission is €4, and it's free on Sundays — if budget is what decides, that's your day, though Sundays close at 15:00 and tend to be the busiest. There may be discounts for residents, minors, or groups, but that's not confirmed here: check the official website. From April to September it's open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 19:00, and Sundays and public holidays 10:00 to 15:00. From October to March, Tuesday to Saturday until 18:00, with the same shorter Sunday hours. Closed Mondays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, and 25 December. Watch the end of the day: ticket sales stop 45 minutes before closing at the Visitor Reception Centre (next to the parking area), and the last entry to the castle is 30 minutes before closing. To dodge the crowds, aim for opening at 10:00 or the last slot of the afternoon, and skip midday in July and August. We also don't have confirmation on whether online booking is currently mandatory, or whether there's scheduled work in 2026: a call to +34 971 735 065 or a check on castelldebellver.palma.es before you set out can save you a wasted trip, since prices and hours shift around special events.
Getting there and what to bring
The easy option is EMT line 50, the tourist bus, which drops you almost at the door. The cheap option is line 4 (around €2-3 and about 21 minutes), which along with lines 20 and 46 stops at Plaza Gomila; from there you walk up Calle Bellver, a staircase of 463 steps that takes about 20 minutes, or take a gentler route via Joan Miró 16 and Camilo José Cela. There's no metro or tram that reaches the castle, so don't waste time looking for one. If you're driving, check parking availability in the area beforehand, as it fills up in high season. Set aside 1.5 to 2.5 hours for the whole visit — the climb, the museum, and the viewpoints, which is where the time really goes. Closed shoes if you take the steps, water in summer (the climb is in full sun), and save some phone battery for the upper terrace.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee to Bellver Castle and do I need to book ahead?
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