Palma Cathedral (La Seu)

La Seu sits on the Palma waterfront and looks exactly like a cathedral should: massive, Gothic, and catching the light off the harbour. The interior is where it gets interesting. Gaudi redesigned the altar area in the early 1900s (the wrought-iron baldachin is unmistakably his), and Miquel Barcelo created a ceramic chapel wall in 2007 that divides opinion sharply (some think it is a masterpiece, others think it clashes with the medieval setting).

Here's what you need to know: go at 8 AM on a weekday when the eastern light hits the rose window, one of the largest in Europe at 12.5 metres across, and projects blues, reds, and purples across the nave. The effect lasts about 30 minutes and transforms the stone floor into a kaleidoscope. Weekend mornings work too but expect more people with phones out.

The audio guide costs EUR 3 extra and is actually worth it for the Barcelo chapel backstory and architectural details you'll miss otherwise. Skip the gift shop entirely unless you need postcards. The cathedral gets uncomfortably crowded after 10 AM, especially when cruise ships dock, so early arrival pays off.

Walk around the exterior before entering. The flying buttresses and gargoyles are more impressive from the south side facing the sea. Inside, the Barcelo wall feels like underwater coral frozen in clay and covers an entire chapel wall. You'll either love its organic chaos or hate how it disrupts the Gothic lines.

EUR 9 entry, free for residents. Allow 45 minutes to an hour including the terrace walk. The terrace outside has the best harbour view in the city and is included in your ticket.