In our 5 Shops series, we’ll point you in the direction of our favorite independent shops across some of the world's best cities. From food markets and bookshops to vintage and homegrown design stores, we’ve found a diverse and exciting mix of local retailers where you can pick up one-of-a-kind pieces.
It’s no secret that magical Mallorca – the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands – is a creative place.
Loved by artists, designers, dancers, writers, actors, chefs, and filmmakers for centuries, there’s no better spot to feel the island’s arty pulse than the elegant Mediterranean-hugging capital Palma. The city bursts with refreshingly original shops that celebrate homegrown crafts, design and cuisine.
From ocean-colored ceramics to intricate palm basketry, Mallorca’s signature crafts have a rich artisanal tradition that goes back centuries – even classic souvenirs and postcards in Palma are often the work of a local artist.
The city’s buzzing neighborhood markets, meanwhile, have been dishing out locally made specialties for decades: one-of-a-kind cheeses; only-in-the-Balearics olives; bottles of an organic red from central Mallorca’s DO Binissalem wine region.
Despite tourism development, Palma’s energetic old town has a raft of tempting independent boutiques. Just west of the center, the creative Santa Catalina neighborhood – a former fishing quarter reborn as a stylish local hangout – is a haven of cutting-edge Balearic design, especially for anyone with an eye for interiors or fashion.
Best for souvenirs: Alpargatería La Concepción
Local fans wait eagerly for each season’s fresh arrivals at Alpargatería La Concepción, one of Palma’s most-loved tiendas emblemáticas (historic shops). Specializing in Spain-made alpargatas (rope-soled espadrilles) and other summery local-design shoes (most of them handcrafted), this family-run jewel was founded in 1940 on a pedestrianized old-town street. Now it counts the Spanish royal family among its devotees and even Michelle Obama has popped in.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves of shoes cram the small, warm interior. Every pair is made either in the Balearics or over on the Spanish mainland. Go for some Menorca-designed avarca sandals, done in both chic punchy-colored vegan versions and more traditional leather-based styles. Another joy is the delicate ibicencas, produced only in small batches in neighboring Ibiza using curdellí-plant fiber. The more classic rainbow-striped and gingham-print espadrilles from La Rioja are perfect for sun-drenched days in the Balearics (and back home post-trip).
A set of typical espadrilles might cost from around €12, though prices vary. Whichever style you pick, pair them with one of the gorgeous esparto-grass beach baskets dangling in the doorway.
Best for local design: Terra Cuita
Dive straight into Mallorca’s thriving artisanal scene in old Palma’s gallery-filled La Llotja district. With just a handful of shops dotted around the island (including also Santanyí and Pollença), Mallorca-born homewares brand Terra Cuita traces its roots back to the 1860s. It is now run by the fifth generation of family ceramicists, with every ceramic piece handcrafted in Pòrtol in central Mallorca, combining traditional techniques and contemporary designs.
If you’re anything like me you won’t be able to resist the Mediterranean-inspired turquoise tableware line or the Balearic-themed mugs decorated with flamingos, palms, starfish, corals, and other underwater creatures. Don’t miss the gorgeous bowls, jugs and plates in a raft of colors flaunting the distinctively Mallorcan llengües, a flame-like geometric pattern originally used here for textiles. Olive-wood trays and salad spoons, soaps infused with island herbs, cocooning wool blankets and palm-woven beach baskets are just a few of Terra Cuita’s other locally made treats. There’s a second Palma branch nearby at Carrer de la Concepció 5.
Best for thrift/vintage: Único Vintage
From understated preloved-fashion boutiques and pop-up flea markets to curious neighborhood shops packed with Spanish antiques, Palma has a blossoming vintage scene. Just off tree-shaded La Rambla in the old town, Mallorcan-Italian-owned Único Vintage has grown into a hot favorite since opening almost a decade ago, thanks to its constantly refreshed collections sourced from around the globe (especially Italy and the USA).
World soccer shirts are a big specialty, whether you fancy the Real Madrid colors or a Lionel Messi FC Barcelona number. I love their thoughtfully curated range of denim shirts, jackets and cut-off shorts, with lots of pre-worn Levi’s pieces thrown into the mix. In summer, don’t miss the easy-breezy Hawaiian shirts, polo-style crop tops and band T-shirts. For cooler months, there are Barbour trench coats, cozy knitwear pieces, colorful sportswear hoodies, and jackets from outdoorsy brands like Patagonia and The North Face. Accessories take a luxe turn, with Burberry, Gucci and Balenciaga among the tempting handbag labels.
It’s all irresistibly laid out in a garage-like space where Palma-based street artist Carolina Adán Caro has graced the changing room with a beachy mural. The team also runs Singular Vintage House, just over the street.
Best for food: Mercat de Santa Catalina
The 1950s Mercat de l’Olivar might be Palma’s most central fresh-produce hub, but the mellower (and less touristed) Mercat de Santa Catalina is the city’s original market. Set among Santa Catalina’s vibrantly painted homes, this lively neighborhood gathering spot first opened back in 1905.
Islanders come shopping here with palm baskets for everything from juicy tomatoes and in-season mushrooms to Balearics-grown olives and prize-winning Mallorca-made cheeses. Many of the stalls are family businesses going strong for decades. Pick up organic Mallorca-grown produce at S’Hortolà, seasonal blooms at Floristería Miquel Capellà and up-and-coming Balearics wines at Enoteca Sa Roteta. Or pop over to taste some just-cut ibérico ham at Saglà, which also stocks over 400 artisanal cheeses from all over the world.
But half the fun is about relaxing over a few tapas at one of the market’s locally loved cafe-bars. Always-busy Bar Can Joan Frau serves homecooked Mallorcan faves directly at its metallic bar – stuffed aubergines, variats (a simple mixed-tapas platter), and rice by the plate that changes daily.
Best for books: La Salina
Over the years, Mallorca has famously inspired such international literary icons as Robert Graves, Agatha Christie, Jorge Luis Borges and Gertrude Stein (who all spent time on the island), not to mention an endless line-up of Spanish writers from Ana María Matute to Camilo José Cela to Joan Alcover. So it’s no surprise that Palma is home to a string of dynamic independent bookshops, particularly around the old town’s meandering alleys.
Launched in 2021 by former editor and literary agent Marina Alonso de Caso, multi-language La Salina now brings a taste of Mallorca’s rich literary heritage to buzzy Santa Catalina. Stepping into this soulful neighborhood bookstore reveals a carefully selected, wide-ranging collection in Spanish and Catalan, but also in English and French. Browse your way through Spanish fiction, Balearic cookbooks, Mallorca hiking guides, art-and-design coffee-table titles, photography tomes and lots more.
Regular author talks and free monthly book clubs (in various languages) are all part of the fun, and there’s a well-stocked kids’ corner for keen young readers. The original accessories are a delight too – locally designed Mallorca prints and postcards, beautifully patterned notebooks, and book-world tote bags.
