Event Previews & Reviews from Mallorca

A trip to Deià on the north coast of Majorca is a must for anyone wishing to experience the diversity that this beautiful island has to offer.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations may be over in the UK, but here on Mallorca, we enjoyed a quintessential English garden party at La Residencia Hotel in Deia to mark the British monarch’s 60th year on the throne.

On the third Thursday in September, a selection of Palma’s art galleries open their doors to the public free of charge, for the cultural extravaganza that is known as the Nit de l’Art. Organised by Art Palma and the Association of Independent Art Galleries of the Balearics, it is one of the top social gatherings in Palma’s events calendar, and you can pick up flyers for the event in tourist offices and art galleries.

The Kaiser Chiefs played Mallorca Rocks last night in the Majorca beach resort of Magaluf. The Chiefs were only the second band since the opening party with Ed Sheeran three weeks ago. Since then the crowds have been treated to the likes of Maverick Sabre and Chase and Status but this was the first full band with guitars and vocals and it was a band who are making something of a come back after a long hiatus. Could they still be enough to entertain the Mallorca crowd?

This year saw the town of Sa Pobla celebrate its 20th annual Jazz Festival. From the 5th to the 8th of August the town’s Plaça Major was filled to the brim with spectators, who had come to enjoy the sounds of the different artistes performing each night.

Before you reach for your top hat or fascinator, this is not Ascot, nor is it actually horse racing as you know it. For in Mallorca, it is trotting races that is the king of sports. The specially bred horses (with a height of 1.5 - 1.7 metres) pull a small and lightweight cart which carries a ‘jockey' around a race track going at speeds you would not think possible. This sport has been popular in Majorca for 200 years and tracks in Palma and Manacor host races once a week.

‘Sa Rua’ is one of Palma’s biggest spectacles. Each year, dozens of floats and carnival goers covering a range of themes parade through the streets of the city. With 42 themes and 16 floats this year, 2018 was the biggest yet!

One of the best times of the year to visit Mallorca is during the month of May. The temperatures start to rise and the lack of tourists means that you can get around without being stuck in traffic jams. More importantly, the month of May is when the little known town of Capdepera in the north east of the island hosts its Medieval ‘Fira’.

The joys of February in the Soller valley must be experienced. The blossom is appearing on the trees, and the orchards are a mass of pink and white. The grass has been overtaken by yellow sorrel, providing a carpet for the blossom. This truly is a special time of year and an early indication that spring in Majorca comes sooner than in England.

The Christmas festivities are in full swing in Mallorca but this week it was cranked up a notch as Pueblo Español opened its doors for its annual Christmas market.

Mallorca has long been a big draw for cyclists from all over the world, colourful teams of road bikers are a common sight all over the island but this weekend bikers of a different breed took over Old Town Pollenca in North Mallorca. No cycle shorts in sight here as lightweight bikes were switched for downhill rigs and Lycra was replaced with full body armour; the downhill mountain bikers were in town!

The people of Mallorca, like their mainland brothers, love a fiesta. Almost every weekend there seems to be a saint or a historical event that requires face paint and explosions, or at the very least a market. The Fiesta Sant Joan in Mallorca celebrates the life of John the Baptist and in Majorca Sant Joan is a very big deal. Every other street, shop and restaurant seems to be named after him, he's the Patron Saint of four towns and he even has a town named after him.

The Esporles Sweet Fair began in 2005 and is held on the first Sunday of October to guarantee fine weather. The event is becoming increasingly popular and diverse with every passing year and offers a unique opportunity to meet the people who make a fine range of traditional, homemade and, often, organic foods including wines, cakes, pastries, jams and sweets. And, of course, to sample their wares! Here are some of my favourite stands from Sunday's fair, with an insight into the characters and traditions behind the produce.

With strings of glistening lights adorning every town and village, Christmas has definitely arrived in Mallorca. And what better way to get a festive fix than a trip to a Christmas market?