About Palma
Palma, The Jewel of the Mediterranean. Palma is being touted as the new Barcelona. It was recently voted Spain’s best place to live and is a wonderfully cosmopolitan city.
The Old town is a maze of alleyways and hidden courtyards and the visitor can get lost for hours among the boutiques, coffee shops and picturesque squares. One essential attraction is the magnificent gothic cathedral, with Gaudi having worked on the interior, it is a magnificent spectacle.
Property in Palma has risen significantly over the last few years, with the Old Town, Santa Catalina, Portixol and the Paseo Maritimo being the most popular places to buy.
Recent history
The fall of Barcelona in 1714 signalled the end of the Spanish Succession War and this was reflected on the Decretos de Nueva Planta, which modified the government of the island and separated it from the government of Palma, which became the official city name. In the 18th century Charles III of Spain removed restriction of commerce with Spanish colonies in America and the port and commercial activities of the city grew again.
In the 19th century, Palma became the refuge of many who had exiled themselves from the Napoleonic occupations. In this period, freedom flourished. With the establishment of the Spanish state administrative organisation, Palma became the capital of the newly formed province of Balearic Islands in 1833. The French occupation of Algeria ended the fear of Maghrebi attacks, which encouraged the expansion of new maritime routes, and the economic growth of the city expanded quickly.