In short
Palma is not a resort but a city of four hundred thousand that lives out of season, with a Gothic cathedral forty-four metres high under the vault and a dense old centre.
The Serra de Tramuntana, to the north, is a World Heritage site: fifteen hundred metres of relief, stone villages and roads that have made the island a winter cycling destination.
What it really costs
Palma is dearer than Valencia or Seville but cheaper than Barcelona, with rents under heavy pressure for several years now.
The island is covered by train and bus from Palma far better than people expect: the historic Sóller line crosses the Tramuntana, and buses serve the main coves.
What nobody tells you
The Balearics apply a per-night tourist tax, varying with season and type of accommodation. It is added to the advertised price and paid on site.
Friction between residents and mass tourism has become a political subject, with demonstrations since 2024. Long-term rentals are hard to find in spring.
In July and August the Tramuntana roads are gridlocked and parking at Sa Calobra or Formentor is restricted, sometimes closed to cars altogether. The bus or the boat are then the only ways in.