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.

Out of all the many food festivals that are held on Mallorca throughout the year, The Frenchman and I were most eagerly awaiting the Tapalma tapas festival (7-11th October 2010). I mean, seriously, who wouldn’t want to crawl round dozens of Palma’s bars and restaurants, eat their best tapas at bargain prices, and wash it all down with lashings of discounted beer and wine? It sounded like the grown-up version of a student pub crawl.

Nit de Foc, or the direct English translation ‘Night of Fire’, is one of Mallorca’s biggest fiestas. A raucous evening of bonfires, beach parties, midnight swims, music and dancing until dawn. What more could you possibly want from a Friday evening in Mallorca? I was extremely excited to get involved this year, as there had been a lot of hype in the lead up to the evening with locals, expats and tourists all getting involved.

Last week we saw opening parties for Hed Kandi, Mallorca Rocks and Nikki Beach this week we have plenty more to look forward to with Superclub openings, garden parties, more festivals and walks with both guides and the undead.

The drive or bus ride to the small mountain village of Estellenchs, in the southwest corner of Mallorca, is quite breathtaking in its beauty. If sand, sangria and discos are your thing then read no further. However, for the discerning lover of pure and unspoiled Mediterranean countryside read on. How to get there? If you have a car at your disposal, so much the better. If not, head to the Plaza España underground bus terminal in central Palma and take the red and yellow IB 11 or 217 (beware, the numbers are frequently changed just to keep you on your toes! Obviously, the key is to look for the names of the villages (Palma) – Esporles – Banyalbufar – Estellenchs). If you are fortunate enough to miss the last bus back (18.05, when I enquired) you could do a lot worse than to check into the small, family run hotel called Sa Plana, but more of that later.

Port Calanova celebrated its 40th anniversary this weekend by treating the public to a wide range of water sports and a giant paella.

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.

Every year at this time Soller becomes the centre of the universe for the Sa Mostra International Folklore dance festival. This year is the thirtieth anniversary of Sa Mostra and the week has got off to a very exciting start. On Monday 19th July 2010, it all kicked off in the square in Soller with a parade and dance performances from participating groups.

In recent years, Mallorca has embraced the street food trend that has hit Western Europe, with food festivals popping up at various events around the island. This new found love went to the next level, as the first weekend in June saw Barcelona’s legendary VAN VAN make its debut trip across the Spanish waters to Palma’s Parc de la Mar, next to the city's iconic cathedral.

I have been living in Palma for nearly 9 months and was surprised to stumble upon a somewhat common monthly event but still very unknown to many residents here on the island - The Changing of the Guards of Honour.

The sun is shining and Soller is getting ready for a major fiesta - the Firo that celebrates the battle between the Moors and the Christians that happened on our beach and in our town. The 450th anniversary of the event is taking place from 5th to 9th May 2011. Flags are already festooning houses and shops all over the valley and the nature of the people means that they usually have both flags dangling from their balconies - as if they can't quite decide who to support. The Balearic flag is often alongside so all aspects of life and country are represented.

Mallorca was blessed with perfect running conditions for the Ultra Mallorca Serra de Tramuntana (UMSdT) races last Saturday – the 105km “Ultra” from Andratx to Pollenca and the 63km “Ultra Trail” from Valldemossa to Pollenca.

At risk of ruining one of Mallorca’s best kept secrets, I am going to share my experience of La Fira del Vi de Pollença, in English – Pollenca’s wine fair.