Palma de Majorca with a wheelchair

 I have been asked is Palma wheelchair accessible and how I found it when we visited. When cruising into Palma de Majorca you usually dock at the Poniente or Paraires quays at the Estacion Maritima. This is about a mile and a half away from the centre of Palma. There are buses that run from outside the Marina with wheelchair access and the journey is only ten minutes. In terms of wheelchair friendly Palma public transport, the buses to take from the Marina to the centre or cathedral are buses numbered 102, 10 and 111. However, if there are more than one of you in your party then it works out cheaper to take a taxi. All taxis are regulated by the local council so charges are a flat rate. If you take a taxi from outside the cruise terminal then just double check they are running a metre. It cost us around 8 euros to get a taxi directly to the cathedral. All the taxis seemed to have large enough boots to fit a foldable wheelchair in. Another possibility is the ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus which is around £17 each and is wheelchair friendly. Although, again i wouldn’t recommend this as most of Palma is walkable and compact so if you can walk or be pushed around then it is much better to explore on foot! The cathedral is directly at the centre of Palma and definitely worth a visit! If you visit in the morning you will miss most of the crowds (especially when a cruise ship docks at Palma). Plus, there is the added benefit of the early morning sunshine throwing absolutely beautiful light patterns on the central columns, as pictured below.When you enter the cathedral with a wheelchair you can go through the normal entrance were there is one large step or you can enter through the exit of the gift shop. There are discounted tickets for students and the disabled. There are also audio-guides available for hire at an extra cost.  The floor of the cathedral is very smooth despite its Gothic age. There are ramps and a hydraulic lift that get you around the cathedral interior.  

  When you leave the cathedral it is worth having a wander around the historic streets. These for me were a no-go zone with my nerve damage as they were cobbled and uneven, as pictured below. The main shopping square is called Placa Major with an open air market and Mercat de l’Olivar was a lovely enclosed food market open mid afternoon.  In the main central square there is also the Almudaina Palace which is a lovely Arab fortress that was converted into the residence of the Kings of Mallorca. This is open 10am-8pm and is free to enter with proof of disability. However, we couldn’t actually enter the Palace since there was a massive flight of steps to get into the entrance. Upon speaking to the security guard there (my Dad went up the steps to talk to him), there appeared to be a conclusion that the Almudaina Palace is not wheelchair friendly at all since you can’t get in in the wheelchair! I was really disappointed as was looking forward to exploring here had my back been better on the day. However if you can   tackle that flight of steps then do have a look around.

 Overall, I had a lovely sunny day in Palma and Palma cathedral was disabled friendly  but I was disappointed at not being able to explore the cobbled streets and Almudaina Palace.

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