Day of the Balearic Islands 1st of March

Day of the Balearic Island in Palma de Mallorca

The people of Mallorca are amazing at arranging fiestas. For the Mallorquins there is always something to celebrate; life, saints, the light, art, wine, olives, sweets, sobrassada, almond trees and all the traditional holidays, just to mention a few. If you are in Mallorca for the first time, you will notice there is always a celebration somewhere. And the locals are really good at it. They have parades, street parties, food stands, music and much more.

It is a time to come together, to celebrate either a religious tradition or a modern fair. But it also supports the locals as well as the small villages who also have their annual fairs.

The spaniards are proud people, and so are the Mallorquins, and they don´t miss an opportunity for a fiesta.

Celebrate the day of the Balearic Islands

The Day of the Balearic Islands is a public holiday in Mallorca. It is celebrated every year on the 1st of March, in commemoration of the signing of the statute of autonomy on 1st March 1983. It is a celebration of the declaration of freedom. And this is a day they do not miss in the calendar.

Each Balearic island have their own fiesta, but Mallorca has the biggest, so the neighbouring islands visits to celebrate together. They have traditional dance performances, artisan markets, gastronomic fairs, as visitors and locals come together.

Giants and devils

The day starts at Es Baluard the museum of modern art in the center of Palma, next to the river Torrent de sa Riera, with a huge medieval market selling traditional food and drinks. There are various workshops and also performances from local schoolchildren.

In Parc de sa Feixina in Santa Catalina there are food stands everywhere, from mid day to late at night. And if you are lucky you might even spot some giants walking around together with small devils running around with fireworks. This is a big holiday and people come from all over the Balearic island, since Palma hosts the largest celebration.

Stay close to the festivities

Palma is a beautiful picturesque town with a mix of architecture. It is also sometimes called "little Barcelona" with its many similarities, as well as some buildings that are strongly inspired by the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. You can easily spend a day, or three in Palma strolling around the charming alleys with its shops, cafés, bars, restaurants, art galleries, museums and lovely hotels. If you want to stay in a charming boutique apartment hotel, in the midst of the heart of Palma, yet in a quite alley, there is Ocho Suites and Kitchen. They offer seven personally decorated suites with everything you will need for a comfortable stay away from home. After a full day in town, you can just sneak in to your own apartment at Ocho Suites and kitchen and switch into something more comfortable and enjoy a peaceful moment on the rooftop.