Buy a Penthouse in Palma de Mallorca

Where to Find Penthouses in Palma

A penthouse in Palma (in Spanish, ático) is the top apartment of a building, usually with a large roof terrace. Supply is spread across several barrios (neighborhoods) of very different character:

• Casco Antiguo: Attic apartments in restored or rebuilt period buildings with views over the rooftops, in some locations of the cathedral or the sea. Terraces tend to be smaller, and building rules are strict.
• Santa Catalina and Jonquet: Top-floor apartments with a terrace and sea views, within walking distance of the market hall and restaurants.
• Paseo Marítimo and Son Armadans: Upper floors with views of the bay, marina and cathedral.
• Portixol and Molinar: Penthouses near the promenade with views over the bay, in a district that is quieter than the city center.
• Génova, Bonanova, Sant Agustí and Cala Major: Greener hillside locations with sea views, often in complexes with a communal pool.
• Nou Llevant and other new-build quarters: Modern penthouses with large terraces, an elevator and underground parking.

Building Types and Features

Penthouses in Palma come in three basic forms. The first is the attic apartment in a period building, which becomes an apartment with a terrace after renovation or the addition of a floor. The second is the penthouse in a new build with an elevator, underground parking and often a communal pool, and the third is the duplex penthouse over two levels with a staircase to the roof terrace. In Palma, the terrace serves as an outdoor living space with a lounge, dining area and outdoor kitchen. A private pool or jacuzzi is only possible if the structure, permit and community allow it.

What Determines the Value of a Penthouse

• View: Cathedral, bay, mountains or rooftops. It matters whether the view will remain permanently open.
• Terrace: Usable size, privacy, orientation and wind protection.
• Access: An elevator that leads directly or almost to the apartment is a mark of quality.
• Parking space and storage room: Rare in the central barrios and therefore relevant to price.
• Building and barrio: Building fabric, community and location shape the price more than the position of the penthouse alone.

Checkpoints When Buying a Penthouse in Palma

Terrace, Roof and Land Registry

The roof is generally common property, and the terrace of an apartment is usually tied to a special use right. Check in the land registry and division deed what is assigned to the apartment and who pays for maintenance. Terrace areas are often counted only in part in area calculations, so prices per square meter are only comparable on the same area basis.

A True Penthouse or Just an Attic Apartment?

The term penthouse is used generously in listings. Check whether the apartment really occupies the top floor, how large the terrace is and whether it can be used privately or borders on communal areas.

Pool, Pergola and Rooftop Structures

Pools, whirlpools, fixed roofing and pergolas require a structural review, the approval of the community and a permit from the municipality. In the old town, ensemble and design rules affecting the roofscape also apply. Clarify what has already been permitted before you buy.

Waterproofing, Building Condition and IEE

The roof waterproofing is the most sensitive point of a penthouse. Ask about its age, condition and warranty. For multi-family buildings from around 50 years, Palma requires a building report (IEE), which is renewed every ten years. Ask to see the result and the defects, because necessary work on the roof and facade is borne by the owners jointly.

Noise, Views and Planning

Up high you hear less street noise but more rooftop bars, air conditioning units and neighboring terraces. Check which building heights are permitted on neighboring plots so that the view is preserved, and view at different times of day.

Price Guidance, Rental and Resale

There is no separate reliable price statistic for penthouses. Guidance comes from the idealista barrio data for September 2026: city average €5,513 per square meter, Ciutat Antigua around €7,300, Portixol-Molinar around €7,800 and the district of Santa Catalina, Son Armadans and Maritim around €6,300. In our experience, penthouses are above the average of their barrio, and how far depends on terrace, view and building fabric. Notary data (Dahler & Company) give an average of €3,791 per square meter for apartments in Palma in 2025, from 4,430 sales. When buying an existing property, the transfer tax ITP applies, which in the Balearic Islands is graduated from 8 to 13 percent. At a purchase price of €1 million, that works out arithmetically to €90,000, and for new builds from a developer, 10 percent value-added tax is due.

As things stand today, a penthouse in Palma cannot be newly rented out to tourists. In multi-family buildings, new places have been ruled out for years, and on May 28, 2026, the city council extended the ban to the entire urban area. Existing licenses remain but must be checked before purchase, and for newly started uses, property law requires the approval of the owners' association. Plan on personal use or long-term rental. On resale, the size of the Palma market helps: with around 4,430 apartments sold in 2025, it is the deepest on the island. Even so, for penthouses in particular, terrace, view and a clean legal situation decide demand.

Your Property Purchase in Palma with Thomas Mallorca

Our office is in Port d'Andratx, around 30 minutes from Palma. From there we also support buyers with penthouses in Palma: in choosing the barrio, at viewings and in reviewing terrace, land registry, community and building report, in coordination with lawyer, notary and tax advisor. Klaudia Wolf and Matthias Thomas advise you personally and with no obligation.