Christmas in Mallorca: shopping, food and music
Palma, the city capital of Mallorca, becomes a magical place during Christmas: on the first weekend of December, the mayor of Palma turns on the Christmas lights. All throughout December and until the 20th of January the elegant lanterns – nothing like the usual tacky light bulbs - dip the old town and the promenade along the harbor in a warm haze, luring us into a leisurely stroll and perhaps some gift shopping.
A spendthrift Christmas in Mallorca
Christmas shopping in Mallorca is a feast for the senses. Hundreds of bright red and green Christmas stars are planted along the shopping streets, and street vendors offer hot chestnuts and sweet potatoes in paper cones. Over a hundred stalls display typical Christmas ware such as Nativity scenes, fir trees, ornaments, crafts and traditional winter delicacies. The booths, which are open from 10 am to 9 pm until the eve of Epiphany, are located traditionally in the Plaza Major, Plaza d'España, Las Ramblas and Via Roma.
The central promenade of Las Ramblas accommodates the greater number of stalls, including tempting ‘churros’ and candy. In the central Paseo of Via Roma, lined by olive trees, booths sell Mallorcan nougat, bread, pies, olives, medicinal herbs, and honey.
If you want to make sure that what you are buying is authentic Mallorcan craft, then you should not miss the annual arts and crafts fair Baleart, which is held from 5 to 9 December at the fairgrounds in the airport. Not to mention the many modern and traditional shops in Palma city offering everything from international brands to the most authentically local.
If, on the contrary, you feel more like some mulled wine and Bratwurst at a traditional German Weinachtsmarkt, there are plenty of places in Mallorca offering just that. The biggest German Weinachtsmarkt is held in Santa Ponsa and includes a funfair for the little ones.
A yummy Christmas in Mallorca
The gastronomic Christmas culture of Majorca is the focus of a special city tour through the old town of Palma which includes samples of traditional delicacies and a visit the cloisters of Santa Clara and Santa Magdalena, where the traditional monastery bakery is still alive. The tour, which is also offered in English, is 10 € and starts at the olive tree in Plaza Cort.
The most typical Majorcan (and Spanish) Christmas sweet is "turrón" in its many versions: chocolate, almond cream, hard nougat with almonds or walnuts, etc. On Christmas Eve it is also customary to have hot chocolate and ensaimadas at the traditional Café Can Joan de S'Aigo. Other typical Mallorcan Christmas foods to be had in one of the many restaurants in Mallorca include sopa farcida (broth with meat-stuffed pasta shells) and roast suckling pig.
A musical Christmas in Mallorca
Another big component of Christmas in Majorca is music. The traditional Christmas concert is held in Palma’s Cathedral on 15 December at 8.30 pm. Admission is free, but tickets must be picked up in advance at the Caixaforum Centre in Plaza Weyler.
The Balearic Symphony Orchestra presents the Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach as well as various Christmas carols on 20 December at 9 pm in the Auditorium. If you prefer street music, you can enjoy the Santa Lucia concert in the Town Hall Square on December 19th at 1 pm, or the concerts on 20, 21 and 22 December at 11.30 in the Parc de les Estacions near Plaza España. For a completely different style, Jazz Voyeur presents a Gospel Choir on 13 December at the Auditorium. The Mallorcan Christmas Mass with the traditional chant of Sibil.la is held at the Cathedral on Christmas Eve.
For more information about everything there is to do and see on the island, please visit Digame Mallorca, your guide to what’s on in Majorca.
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