Bonanova

01The circular Castell

Once upon a time, this location also impressed King James II. The royal had the Castell de Bellver built here, at 112 metres above sea level and three kilometres from Palma's old town. Completed at the beginning of the 14th century, the castle is still today one of the most beautiful buildings in Majorca. The builders of the time created the Gothic-style, castellated defensive building using the marés sandstone typical of the island and it is unique because of its unusual circular form.

Built as a stronghold to protect the king from enemy attacks, this "castle with the beautiful view" appears mighty and forbidding from the outside. Inside, however, it is enchanting, with an inner courtyard that is also circular and bordered with arcades and loggias. Tasteful elegance, befitting of a royal abode! In the once-palatial living quarters, the monarch had at his disposal assembly halls, reception rooms and halls for ceremonies as well as Saint Mark's chapel.

02An open stage

Today, part of the premises houses Palma city's History Museum, which documents the history of the Balearic capital from the Stone Age up to the 20th century. The inner courtyard regularly becomes a stage , sometimes for open-air classical music concerts, for example, and the ambience is enough to make you swoon…

03Four compass points and four towers

Castell de Bellver with its four towers can be seen from afar. The towers are oriented to the four points of the compass with, originally enough, the main tower or keep on the north side being the only one of the four to be built outside of the castle and only a bridge connecting it to the main section. And nowadays, you can visit it as well. Mind you, it has a spooky past, having sometimes been used as a dark prison and dungeon.

04150 hectares of green space

Bellver Castle is surrounded by a vast park of 150 hectares, perfect for long walks or jogging laps. Those who live in Bonanova have it good, with Palma's green oasis, Bosc de Bellver, right next door.

05Swimming and shopping

The beach is not far away either. You can be in Cala Mayor in just a few minutes. This is where you'll also find Marivent Palace, the summer residence of the Spanish King Felipe VI and his family, so you can mingle with majesty! The Porto Pí shopping centre too, with its colourful mix of shops, cafés, ice-cream counters and snack bars is practically around the corner, and it has free Wi-Fi. Just waiting to be discovered along with it is the Paseo Marítimo , Palma's lively seafront promenade , which is a great place for going out and for strolling. At the international school, Queen's College, your youngsters are in good hands. Meanwhile, keen sailors will get their money's worth at the nearby Harbour of Palma and golfers at the trio of 18-hole golf courses in Son Vida. And with excellent transport links to the Ma-1 and Ma-20 motorways, you can be at Son Sant Joan Airport really quickly.