10 Things to do in Mallorca at Christmas

The best things to see or do in Mallorca always have to do with the natural beauty of this island and the warmth and friendliness of its people. Christmas is a very special time to visit this community and so I bring you a couple of plans that can help you make the most of the Christmas festivities, while experiencing the most populated Balearic island on your own terms.

Traditions, events, attractions and much more. These are just some of the activities you will be able to do if you follow this list of places to see and things to do that I have prepared for you, so that you can return home feeling like a true Balearic citizen.

Traditionally in many parts of Spain, the Christmas season begins with the celebration of the Day of the Immaculate Conception, which falls on 8 December and is celebrated in style in the Balearic Islands community. Specifically in Palma de Mallorca there are several activities worth visiting as a tourist in the city, as Catholic worship and rites are one of the most interesting cultural aspects of many cities in the region.

If you are on the island for this date you could attend the mass that is celebrated every year in the Cathedral of Mallorca. This is an excellent idea because you will also take this opportunity to walk through the streets of the historic centre of the city at a time when hundreds of parishioners will be on a kind of pilgrimage of their faith and beliefs.

If you don't want to attend the mass anyway, you can still enjoy the commercial scene of the date, as all the streets near the cathedral and the Royal Palace of the Almudiana also have restaurants that will be offering you the best of what they have to offer to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season without the need to incur in all the Catholic mysticism of the date.

Being in this area on this date is one of the best things to do in Mallorca in December for that reason and also for the fact that it is a good time to enjoy the Parque del Mar at a time when it will be full of people celebrating just like on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

Another Mallorcan tradition that is celebrated every Christmas is the creation of nativity scenes. These are scale models that represent the village where Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Eve, and for some cultural reason in Palma de Mallorca it has become customary to visit the most important Nativity Scenes in the city. And there are a couple of institutions and commercial establishments that year after year comply with this beautiful tradition by creating true works of art that try to surpass the efforts of the previous Christmas.

The Nativity Scene of Cort is one of the most iconic in the city, as it is the one that takes place on the premises of the Palma Town Hall. The El Corte Inglés Nativity Scene, the Sant Roc Church Nativity Scene, the Santa Catalina Market Nativity Scene and the La Misericordia Cultural Centre Nativity Scene are other of the best known. At least among those that annually form part of the route of these allegorical representations that must be visited by fans of this peculiar tradition.

Bear in mind that following this route is an excellent way of touring Palma de Mallorca during the Christmas festivities, knowing that this is one of the most beloved attractions among the local population during the season. A good way to move from one point to another of the city on the day you decide to visit these nativity scenes is with the Hop on Hop off buses of Mallorca, as they also offer you accompaniment on the bus audio guide that will help you to understand many historical details of the capital of this beautiful island.

Right in Mallorca farmers and local producers reinvent themselves during the season and let Christmas style and aesthetics take centre stage at the events they traditionally use to sell their handmade products. So by visiting some of them you will have access to the best elements of the local gastronomy, but now under the Christmas identity that you are so interested in experiencing.

In Palma de Mallorca you will find several Christmas markets every weekend of the season, leaving those in Plaça de Cort and Plaça del Mercat as one of the best known and most central of the whole city. However, other towns on the island will also have these picturesque events throughout the season, so it is a good idea to check them out.

For example, the one in Puerto Portals , without going too far from the capital, is one of the best on the island for its combination of German aesthetics with the best of Mediterranean Christmas traditions. As well as those held in Alcúdia in the far north of the island can be the perfect excuse for a short but entertaining road trip out of Palma de Mallorca.

Keep in mind that touring the island in a private car is one of the best things to see or do in Mallorca in winter, as you will always have accommodation available in the town you decide to spend the night in due to the low tourist influx of the season.

The Palma de Mallorca Town Hall is a building that would be worth visiting at any time of the year due to its privileged location, its beautiful and typical Mallorcan architecture and its historical and cultural importance for this community. However, Christmas becomes an even more special time to visit, as every year a corner is set up to receive the loads that the island's children wish to send to Los Reyes Magos with their list of gifts.

This can be a good activity if you are spending the holidays on the island and want to make your child feel that there is no risk of the kings not knowing where to take the presents while they are still in Mallorca. In fact, it's a good idea to start the day if you're planning one of those little day trips to Mallorca with children, as it prepares them for a good attitude from the early hours of the morning.

Bear in mind that the post box at the town hall is also available for those children who choose to believe that Father Christmas is the gift-giver on the 25th December, rather than the 6th January. The truth is that no matter what you believe in your family, a visit here will find a corner decorated in the best of Christmas aesthetics and this can be very special and compelling for the youngest members of the household.

The Canto de la Sibila is one of the most important traditions in all of Spanish culture and specifically takes place in Mallorca during Christmas. It is a liturgical drama that has medieval origins and has to do with the final judgement in the Christian imagination just before the arrival of the son of God in the human condition. Mallorca is one of only two places in the world that has a continuous celebration of this tradition from the Middle Ages to the present day. For this reason it is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity declared by Unesco.

If you wish to experience this important event you can participate in the Midnight Masses that are celebrated on Christmas Eve both in the Cathedral of Mallorca and in the Lluc Sanctuary. Both are very important places of worship from an architectural and historical perspective. Although you should bear in mind that the Lluc Sanctuary is a pilgrimage centre where you will have to book accommodation if you want to fully experience this tradition of Catholicism with medieval origins.

This event is so important that both masses are televised by local and national television channels. In fact this is one of the most important points on the itinerary of many travellers who have a 4-day visit to Mallorca, just before Christmas.

Another Christmas tradition that is repeated every year in Palma de Mallorca and is well worth a visit is the concert performed by the city's choir in the Teatro Principal. The musical repertoire consists of a mixture of traditional Spanish songs, other strictly Christmas pieces and every year the choir performs its own version of the Canto de la Sibila (Song of the Sybil). Which makes this plan even more interesting if you don't have the opportunity to go to the Misa de Gallo to enjoy the other event.

The date changes every year and on some occasions two consecutive performances have been offered during the same weekend. The most common is that it falls on the Friday and Saturday before the 24th December. Ticket prices are incalculable, as they change every year and it all depends on the seat chosen and the number of local choirs invited to the concert.

However, what I can stress is the fact that this is an elegant event that demands a certain level of decorum from its attendees. Therefore, I advise you to attend only if you have some evening wear in your luggage or at least if you have some clothes that make you look appropriate for such an evening.

The Pueblo Español in Mallorca is a rather curious place, as it is a replica of a typical rural village on the Iberian Peninsula that receives visitors throughout the year and where all kinds of events are held. Christmas is an excellent time to visit this place because of the fact that during the whole month there is a cultural agenda that seeks to promote the experience of an Iberian Christmas. This is among the significant number of foreign tourists who come to this small theme park.

Para ti may stand out as an interesting place because of the fact that every weekend since the beginning of the Christmas season there are some very peculiar handicraft markets. The truth is that it is not an expensive or complicated activity, as it would take up half of your morning or afternoon and admission usually costs around 10 euros per adult and around 5 euros per child throughout the Christmas season.

For many locals it is one of the best things to do in Mallorca all year round. But the truth is that its relevance increases during the Christmas season due to the low tourist influx compared to the summer and the decorations that are developed all over the place to set the atmosphere of these weekend markets that I have mentioned.

The simple, free activities are also worth a visit when spending Christmas in Mallorca, which is why I can't advise you enough to dedicate one of your nights on the island to visiting the areas that year after year are decorated with allegorical illuminations by the Palma Town Hall. The Plaza de España is one of the most beautiful squares in the island's capital and its commercial offer can make a quick visit to admire the Christmas decorations a good decision for your spirit and also for your appetite.

La Rambla street is another of the cultural epicentres of the city and many of the best things to see or do in Mallorca at night are directly connected to the locals in the area. The entire street is also lit up with beautiful Christmas decorations and so it's another good plan if you're looking to marvel at the reconstruction of urban beauty that takes place during the end of year festivities.

One of the first lifestyle shops in Mallorca was Rialto Living and today it has established itself as a true institution when it comes to elegance. It is located very close to the Paseo del Borne.

The same history of local progress and the care for aesthetics that has characterised the shop since its beginnings has turned the experience of shopping for Christmas decorations in this shop into a true tradition. At least among those who want to have a bit of luxury in their Mallorcan Christmas.

You have to keep in mind that Rialto Living is located in an expensive and quite famous shopping area of Palma de Mallorca. So it's a good idea to visit just to admire the beauty of their festive merchandise and not have high expectations of getting something at a great price. You're unlikely to do so if you feel there are serious budgetary constraints to joining in this local tradition.

Balearic gastronomy is one of the most interesting in all of Spain and it really is a priority that you have a family-style Christmas dinner if you decide to spend the festive season on the beautiful island of Mallorca. Huevo Hilado, battered seafood, stuffed galets which are actually a kind of Christmas soup, turkey along with suckling pig and the famous Mallorcan turrones are just some of the dishes that should be on your table tonight.

On the other hand, it is true that due to your accommodation conditions you do not have the last word on what will be prepared for Christmas dinner because it all depends on the chef of your hotel's restaurant.

That is why it is also a good idea to guarantee yourself the possibility of tasting these dishes by participating in some of the best gastronomic tours in Mallorca. Especially those that take advantage of Christmas to focus fully on the culinary preparations that define the season.