Bellver Castle

Bellver was built between 1300 and 1311 for James II of Mallorca as a royal residence and fortress, and its plan is unusual: a circular enceinte with three semicircular towers set into the wall and a fourth, the keep, standing apart and connected by a bridge, around a two-storey circular courtyard. Round castles are rare in Europe and this is among the oldest. It stands on a wooded hill 112 metres above Palma with a view over the bay and the cathedral. From the eighteenth century it served as a military prison, holding among others the writer and politician Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos for six years. It now houses the city history museum, and the surrounding woodland is a public park.

What you actually see

• The circular plan - a round castle with three wall towers and a detached keep.
• The two-storey courtyard - a circular court with arcades on both levels.
• The bay view - Palma, the cathedral and the harbour from the roof.
• The city museum - collections on Palma's history inside the castle.

When to go

March to June and September to November; the hill is wooded and cooler than the city, but the walk up is steep in summer heat. The castle closes on Mondays and admission is free on Sundays, which are busy.

Honest expectations

The walk up from the city is steep and takes about half an hour; buses run partway. The museum is modest and the castle largely empty rooms. Cruise arrivals fill it at midday in season.

Nearby

Palma's old town and cathedral are below; the Tramuntana range rises northwest.