New sculpture garden opens at Belmond La Residencia
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.
Read reviews of the best Mallorca events
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.
Most towns on the island have their own Carnival over the weekend, with the largest parties to be found in Palma where the main events are the Rueta (children) and Rua (adults) parades. So do as the locals do, and pick your costume for an unforgettable weekend that both children and adults will enjoy.
Happy New Year, the Three Kings have made their journey to all Majorcan homes. They started with their arrival by boat in the Port of Soller where they were met by hundreds of local children waiting for the sweets and smiles from the Kings and their pages. They knew that this was just the start and that overnight the presents would arrive, delivered by the Kings on camels or donkeys.
As visitor numbers to the island calm right down, the streets, beaches and trendy restaurants of Mallorca are noticeably quieter than previous months. The weather is also cooler but the sun still shines (most of the time), making the island an attractive autumn destination.
Mallorca's local town halls have released dates for some of their traditional fairs, fiestas and festivals for 2016. Most of these local fiestas are agricultural, historical or artisanal in nature and are well worth a visit as a part of your holiday.
On December 2nd, I joined a whole host of families as they flocked to Santa Ponsa’s Christmas Market, held in the industrial area of Son Bugadellas.
The mountains that surround the Soller valley met their conqueror 100 years ago. The thinkers of the hidden valley knew that progress was going to be impossible unless they ended Soller's mountain isolation. At the turn of the century Soller was a boom town trading in cotton and oranges and moving these goods other than by sea was, quite simply, impossible. The majestic mountains and, in particular, the Alfabia mountain range prevented passengers and goods being transported to the island’s main port in Palma de Mallorca.
The Soller valley contains the village of Fornalutx - high above Soller it nestles into the mountains and its name literally translated means ‘the oven of the sun’. Fornalutx has it all – prizes for being the prettiest village in Spain and accolades from visitors and travel writers that come from all over the world.
The beginning of October saw the world’s best dressage riders come to Mallorca to deliver a show-stopping performance at Spain’s first 5* dressage tournament and one of the most difficult dressage competitions on the planet.
The next edition of Palma Boat Show will take place between 29 April and 2 May in its usual spot around Moll Vell pier, close to Palma’s majestic cathedral. With tens of thousands of people expected to attend over the long weekend, the city’s restaurants, bars and hotels are gearing up for an influx of visitors.
Calling all seafood lovers! The MarisGalicia seafood fair will be ending its Palma tour on the 25th October, taking with it the freshest tastes from Galicia. Even the rain felt authentic today as I headed towards the huge marquee in the east of the capital, set up especially to host this annual seafood extravaganza.
The square fell silent at 5am on the 2nd August to listen to the Pollenca band play the Patrona anthem, ‘L’Alborada’, as they marched through the main square and crowded streets to start the Patrona celebrations. La Patrona is celebrated with a mock battle fought between the Moorish Pirates and the Pollencin Christians and is a Mallorcan tradition carried on from many years ago.
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.
Extreme by name, extreme by nature. The race up and down Puig Massanella from the picturesque village of Mancor de la Vall is considered by many to be the toughest race in the Cursa de Muntanya race series. This year’s race was made all the more difficult because local landlords would not allow runners to cross their land on the return from the peak.
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.
Ed Sheeran opened Mallorca Rocks last night in Magaluf with a gig that left everyone smiling and started the summer-long festival in style. With nothing more than a mic, a guitar and a looping pedal he owned the Mallorca Rocks venue taking to the stage on his own and playing his entire set without support.
Santa Ponça's annual Festes del Rei en Jaume came to a close on Sunday after eleven days of festivities. Thousands of visitors flocked to the coastal town to see it transformed into a medieval stage where Christians and Moors reenacted the battle of 1229 with humour and gusto.