Palma's new seafront promenade: Opening mid-November with charity run

Palma's Paseo Marítimo Gets New Life on November 15 and 16

You can see it on a windless morning at Plaza de Santo Domingo: construction fences give way to wooden pallets, red warning colors disappear, and somewhere a small excavator clatters. After nearly three years of torn sidewalks and construction noise, the port authority has now set a firm date for the opening of the new seafront promenade — the second weekend in November, November 15 and 16.

More room to walk, bike and sit

What is being created here is not just a freshly paved path. The Paseo Marítimo is meant to feature wider pedestrian paths, separated bike lanes, new squares, and significantly more planting. Around 40 million euros have flowed into the project. If you ride the morning bus toward Portopí, you can see the surroundings changing visibly. The port authority expects that the remaining works — such as the Santo Domingo square and the removal of the remnants of the footbridge in front of the Mediterráneo hotel — will be finished by early November.

Celebrations with sport, stalls and a good cause

The opening weekends are packed: stretching, Body Combat, yoga, salsa, swing and Zumba are offered. On Plaza de Santo Domingo, a small fair with local exhibitors will take place. The highlight is a 10-kilometer run, with race numbers sold for 10 euros — the proceeds go to Projecte Home Balears, which supports people struggling with addictions. I know neighbors who already say they will smile when the first runners race past the cathedral.

The criticism remains — from residents and business owners

But not everyone is thrilled. In the past weeks residents have loudly pointed out issues: weeds, neglected flowerbeds and fewer parking spaces fuel discontent. Some even speak of pedestrians urinating and unpleasant smells at night. These are the typical complaints you hear when a street is being rebuilt — just louder, because this is such a prominent stretch of Palma.

Local restaurateurs demand more trash cans and longer cleaning intervals. A cafe owner on the Passeig corner recently said: “The promenade already looks better, but it must stay clean now — otherwise the opening will have little impact.”

What is important now

The city and the port authority now face the challenge of not only opening the new promenade but maintaining it in good condition long-term. Once the last works are finished in early November, the real test begins: How will visitors react, how will residents behave, how will cleaning and security be managed?

For everyone who wants to participate: those who want to start in the charity run can register in time. And those who prefer to watch will find a full program that weekend — with music, sport and market stalls. A piece of the city returns to life. Finally, many say — but with caution and growing expectations for maintenance and governance.