Palma raises admission at Bellver Castle – twice as expensive for tourists, higher fees for events

More money for City Hall, higher hurdle for occasional visitors

Anyone walking along Bellver Hill soon will notice: the basic ticket at the entrance will no longer cost €4, but €8. The decision came as part of the budget negotiations — and has sparked different reactions among residents and travelers. I was there yesterday at noon; a fresh breeze was blowing from the Passeig and two groups of tourists were already discussing the new price hike.

Why the city is doing this

The councilor for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Javier Bonet, explained that prices had not been adjusted since 2013. According to him, the castle's fees have been well below what other historic sites charge — and therefore a correction is overdue. The city administration expects significantly higher revenues: instead of around €800,000 a year, about €1.6 million could be raised in the future.

The city says nothing will change for residents and locals for now: discounts will remain in place, they say. Still, many people in cafés around the Ciutat wonder: why now, at a time when life has already become more expensive?

Private events: from expensive to very expensive

What some find even less palatable: the fees for private parties and commercial events at the castle are set to rise significantly. Currently the city cited, by way of example, €250,000 for a large luxury event — under the new plans up to €750,000 could be conceivable. That mainly affects organizers of large fashion shows or corporate parties.

At the same time Palma plans to allocate about €300,000 from the 2026 budget for the "museum-like redesign" of the Bellver and work on the historic gates in the old town. In short: more revenues, more investments — but also higher admission barriers.

I find this ambivalent. As a resident I appreciate the restoration and preservation of our buildings; on the other hand, yesterday I saw two pensioners standing at the gate wondering whether they would only continue the walk from the outside. The decision is still being hotly debated at City Hall — and we'll see whether the balance between protection, visitor numbers and accessibility can be maintained.