Bellver Castle
Castell de Bellver
A rare circular Gothic castle in Europe, built on a pine-covered hill, with rooftop views over the whole of Palma Bay.
Bellver Castle was built by King Jaume II of Majorca in the early 14th century. It is a rare circular-plan Gothic castle in Europe. A central circular courtyard is surrounded by a two-story arcade, with three attached towers around the outside and a free-standing main tower connected by an arched bridge, and a moat encircles the whole structure. It was once a royal residence and later a military prison for many years, holding several political prisoners in the 18th and 19th centuries. The castle stands on a pine-covered hill about 112 meters above sea level on the western outskirts of Palma. The rooftop terrace offers excellent views over Palma Bay, the harbor, the cathedral and the distant Tramuntana mountains, and the sunset is especially lovely. Inside are the Palma History Museum and a collection of classical sculpture. Adult admission is about 4 euros. It is free on Sundays and closed on Mondays. Opening hours are roughly 10:00–19:00 from Tuesday to Saturday (until 18:00 in winter) and 10:00–15:00 on Sundays. Concerts are sometimes held in the courtyard in summer. Getting there: bus 46 stops near the foot of the hill, or you can take a sightseeing bus up. Drive directly to the castle car park, or walk up from the city in about 30–40 minutes. The slope is steep but shaded and pleasant.
Opening hours
Tue–Sat approx. 10:00–19:00 (until 18:00 in winter); Sun 10:00–15:00; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró a Mallorca
- Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
- La Llotja de Palma
- Royal Palace of La Almudaina
- Palma Cathedral (La Seu)
- Mercat de l'Olivar
- Palma Aquarium
- Valldemossa