📝 Palma trip notes (dinner timing, tipping, beach access)

📝 General tips for the Palma stay (May 19–23).

Spanish dinner timing

• Restaurants open for dinner ~20:00 but empty until 21:00
• Local prime time: 21:30–23:00
• Kitchens close 23:00–24:00
• Tapas bars more flexible: graze from 19:00, many serve until 1am
• Many restaurants close between lunch (13:30–16:00) and dinner — if hungry at 18:00, look for "cocina continua" or tapas bars
• Book ahead for Fri/Sat at the better places (Toque de Queda, Quadrat, Patron Lunares); tapas counters like Bar España just stand at the bar

Tipping

• 5–10% for good sit-down service is generous
• Nothing or rounding up at tapas bars is normal

Hostel check-in

• Bring passport — Spain requires hostels to register it with local authorities (normal, no concern)
• Bring a padlock as backup even when lockers are provided

Beach access from old town

• Closest swimmable beach: Can Pere Antoni / Portixol (~15–18 min walk east of cathedral, or bus 1)
• Playa de Palma (long strip): bus 25 from Plaça d'Espanya, ~25 min
• Cala Major: bus 3 or 46, ~20 min
• Illetes (prettier coves): bus 4, ~30 min

Techno scene

• Late May is shoulder season — big clubs ramp up in June
• Check Resident Advisor for Palma events a week before for the exact dates
• In-town options: Es Gremi, Santa Catalina bars; Mood Beach is further out

Logistics

• May 19: late arrival, just sleep
• May 23 flight 12:35 → leave Palma ~10:00 for PMI airport
• Bus 1 connects old town ↔ airport (~30 min, ~€5); taxi ~€25