La almudaina

What a sight to behold: the Royal Palace of La Almudaina rises majestically above the Bay of Palma. Originally built as an alcázar, a fortified palace during the Muslim rule of the island in the 10th century, it was later transformed in the Gothic style by Christian kings following their conquest of Mallorca in the 13th century. Today, it remains an official residence of the Spanish royal family while in Mallorca, though its role is largely ceremonial.
What sets the palace apart is its seamless fusion of Gothic grandeur and Moorish grace—elegant horseshoe arches, lofty vaulted ceilings, and expansive halls that seem to echo with centuries of history.
Kirsty, my younger daughter, and I lingered in the royal apartments, furnished in a medieval style and adorned with tapestries, furniture, and artworks.
I found myself especially drawn to the Chapel of Santa Ana, a small gem of Gothic devotion with stunning stained glasses.
Yet nothing compares to the view—the kind that earns the phrase “million-dollar” honestly. From the palace terraces, the sea stretches out like a silken sheet, shimmering beneath the Mallorcan sun.