La Almudaina in Palma closes for final works until the end of June

La Almudaina in Palma closes for final works until the end of June

Palma's royal palace La Almudaina will close its interior for half a year: from Monday, 12 January, until 30 June 2026 visitors will no longer be able to enter. The closure is part of the final construction phase of a renovation budgeted at around €2.3 million.

What exactly is happening?

The plan includes several interventions affecting both the building's fabric and the visitor experience. Planned are new interior and exterior lighting, an accessible visitor area and a completely revised permanent exhibition with an extended route. The future presentation will include interactive and audiovisual elements — meaning fewer dusty information panels, more storytelling and technical mediation.

The aim is to make the historic building more accessible and to prepare content so it is understandable for different age groups. Those who visited in 2025 count toward the statistics: the site recorded 249,056 visitors last year.

Why is this good news for Mallorca?

Such restorations are quietly important. If flaking plaster is not renewed and electrical wiring is not replaced, a more painful intervention will eventually follow. The measures now planned combine conservation with modern visitor needs: better lighting protects sensitive surfaces, accessible routes open the site to people with reduced mobility, and new exhibition technology helps bring history to life. It also sends a signal for the city: a well-maintained palace next to the cathedral strengthens Palma as a place where old and new can meaningfully coexist.

What does this mean for walkers in the old town?

The exterior views of La Almudaina remain visible. On a sunny morning you can see the scaffolding from the Plaça del Rei, hear the distant clinking of tools and the wind through the pines at the Parc de la Mar. In cafés on Carrer de Sant Feliu cups clink; tourists and locals still glance regularly at the walls that have overlooked the bay for centuries. Those annoyed by a closure day can take comfort: the city's stroll loses nothing, the cathedral La Seu, the promenade and the gardens are nearby and invite exploration.

Tips for visiting in the coming months

1) Use the time for other cultural destinations in Palma: the Diocesan Museum, Es Baluard or small private collections offer worthwhile alternatives. 2) Those interested in the Almudaina should keep an eye on the official website of the responsible monument authority: ticket sales, virtual tours or special events may be announced there. 3) For people affected by accessibility issues: the announced changes could bring long-term relief, so it's worth checking after the reopening.

For the local economy

Six months of closure also affect city guides, small shops and cafés around the building. Many have already announced they will adapt their offers: more local walking tours, special offers in side streets or joint actions with museums. The renovation itself brings craft contracts and short-term employment for regional companies — a reminder that investments in culture also have economic effects.

Looking ahead

Everything should be finished by the end of June. Then visitors should be able to explore a brighter, more accessible La Almudaina that not only tells stories but shows them. Until then the walls are an open book to be viewed from the outside, and Palma remains lively: the bells, the smell of freshly ground coffee on the Passeig, the hum of voices at the Plaça Major — and the anticipation of a renewed gem of the island.

Practical in brief: Closure: 12 January to 30 June 2026. Budget for final works: approx. €2.3 million. Visitors 2025: 249,056. Current information on the reopening and digital offers can be found on the official website of the monument authority.