Palma Aquarium houses 55 tanks, which contain a staggering 5 million litres of salt water – and more than 8,000 different specimens of around 700 different species. But they also have Mediterranean gardens and a tropical jungle on their roof – the largest roof garden in Spain.

Don’t miss the chance for a show-stopping experience with one of the largest creatures in the world thanks to the 3D 360º immersive experience into the world of humpback whales.

The showstopper here is their enormous shark tank, which is the deepest shark tank in Europe. Get on the glass bottom boat inside the shark tank and observe these magnificent animals from another point of view – and, if you’re brave enough, you can actually take a dive into the tank!

Heading back inland and nestled high in the hilltops above the city, you will find the majestic and circular Bellver Castle. You can let the kids’ imaginations run wild, as they explore the castles nooks and crannies whilst you can enjoy the surrounds and stunning scenery.  This 14th Century royal fortress is surrounded by pine forests and has several permanent exhibitions as well as a museum with excellent displays on the history of Palma and Mallorca.

Children will absolutely love running through the tunnels and secret staircases that lead to and from the various levels. On certain days, actors are there to entertain the children with tales from the castle, and there are also lookout towers that have the most amazing views of the Bay of Palma.

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If you like a historic sight, then the Cathedral is definitely worth a visit. One of the must see places in Palma is the grand Gothic cathedral and the surrounding area. Built in the 13th century, its central nave is approximately 44 metres high, making it one of the tallest cathedrals in Europe.

Take a tour of the Cathedral’s terraces (not suitable for under 8s), an extraordinary experience where you can contemplate the immensity of the sea and the beauty of Palma, as well as the spectacular main rose window, the bell tower and the city’s skyline.

The beautiful Parc del Mar, complete with a large playground, sits beneath the cathedral. With extensive palm trees and a beautiful man-made lake, the park is a popular weekend and summer spot to enjoy in Palma with several cafes, a mural donated by Joan Miro, and an art gallery in the vaults of the old city walls.

Originally designed to bring citrus from the Sóller valley to the city, now the Palma to Soller train makes a great day trip and is a fantastic way to see the stunning countryside. The vintage train takes you along the 27km route through the scenic mountains to the quaint town of Sóller.

Having explored Sóller, you can take the old tram that regularly trundles through citrus groves down to Port de Sóller.

Marineland Mallorca is another popular attraction, situated on the coast between Palma Nova and Magaluf. It offers more in the way of sea life fun with the star attractions being the dolphins. The dolphin show wows crowds twice daily, and visitors can even walk through an underwater tunnel and watch the dolphins as they swim in the water.

Marineland also has a tropical house which houses reptiles and piranhas; an aviary with tropical birds; and aquariums with sharks, penguins, sea lions and turtles. There is a kids zone area for younger children to have a play in, or you could spend some time on the beach which has direct access from the park.

Located at the heart of Palma de Mallorca, this traditional market has serves locals and visitors since 1951. Here, you’ll find a huge selection of fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, cheeses and cold cuts, as well as a wide selection of restaurants and bars and a growing shopping centre.

Open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 2.30pm (3pm on Saturday) and from 2.30-8pm on Fridays.

Ordered to be built by King Felipe III and built in 1610, the tower was constructed due to the necessity to defend the maritime area and especially the zone of Porto Pi, which in the 17th century was the natural port of the city of Palma, from the continued attacks from pirates and barbarians that invaded the Mediterranean.

Today, visiting the museum is a great way to learn about the region and history of Palma. The building itself is also an intriguing space, thanks in part to its unusual polygon shape.

See Palma from a unique perspective with a fun segway tour. Suitable for over 12s, this is a great option for older families with teens and multiple companies offer tours ranging from 1-hour to half-day.

If you have little legs in your tour party that might not cope with a full city tour by foot then you can explore Palma at your own pace with a 24- or 48-hour ticket to the open-top hop-on, hop-off bus. Discover the city’s top attractions through the on-board audio commentary (available in multiple languages) and jump off at any of 20 stops en route to explore further.

Also popular with families are the old style horse and carriages which set off from outside the cathedral and other major attractions to take tours around Palma – it isn’t the cheapest mode of transport though and don’t be afraid to barter!

A day at the beach is always a fun experience, and Palma’s soft sandy beaches are a great place to while away an afternoon, top up the tan, splash in the sea and build sandcastles. There are plenty of beautiful beaches near Palma to enjoy, including:

• Illetas: Just 15 minutes from Palma you’ll find this small, calm beach with turquoise water and white sand, makes it the perfect place to spend a morning, an afternoon or even a whole day.
• Cala Pi: Accessed by some fairly steep stairs, this is possibly not one for bringing a buggy or very young children, but is certainly worth a visit. With its mostly sandy beach (you can find a couple of stones here and there) it is surrounded by pine trees.
• Cala Blava: This white-sand cove is only 20 minutes from Palma. Once you walked down the stairs to access the beach you’ll just want to stay forever!