Basílica de Sant Francesc

The cloister is what stays with you: a Gothic courtyard ringed by colonnades, calm enough to walk the whole circuit slowly while the streets outside fill with sightseers. The basilica is quieter than Palma's major sights.

The church, founded in 1281, is one wide nave in the Catalan Gothic style. Your eye runs straight down it to a gilded Baroque altarpiece and the stained glass that fills the polygonal apse. The decorated 16th-century main organ is still in use. Outside, the Baroque facade dates from the 17th century, and a bronze statue of Junípero Serra (1713–1784), the Mallorcan friar who founded Franciscan missions in northern Mexico and California, stands before it. The medieval philosopher Ramon Llull is buried inside.

• The basilica is closed to visitors on Sundays.
• Entry is paid; the current amount is in the facts above.
• There are toilets on site.
• The entrance is wheelchair accessible.
• Wednesday and Thursday opening hours are unclear, so check before a midweek visit.

The basilica stands in the centre of Palma, and most people reach it on foot through the old town streets. The nearest bus stop, Església de Sant Francesc, is about 80 m away, and the Plaça de sa Quartera stop about 160 m. If you drive, there is a car park on Plaça de Sant Francesc about 70 m from the church and another about 190 m away.

Best: a weekday morning, Monday to Saturday.

Avoid: Sundays, when the basilica is closed to visitors.

The cloister is at its quietest early in the day, and in summer the cool, shaded interior makes a good retreat from the midday heat of the old town.