Set on a hill in the heart of the Pla de Mallorca, Montuïri is one of the island’s most characterful agricultural towns. It’s famous for its ring of old stone windmills that once ground local grain, and for the nearby prehistoric settlement of Son Fornés, one of the most important Talayotic archaeological sites in the Balearics. The old flour mill of Molí des Fraret, now home to the Son Fornés Museum, links the town’s farming past with its cultural life today.

Santa Bàrbara, protector against storms and patron saint of Vilafranca, is celebrated each year on 4 December with a week of festivities that bridge devotion and village life. The days surrounding the feast are filled with church services, folk dancing, live music, sports, exhibitions, and children’s games — all centred around Plaça Major, the heart of town life.

One of the most symbolic customs is the sharing of freshly made bunyols (Mallorcan doughnuts) with sweet moscatel wine after mass — a warm ritual that unites neighbours and visitors in true Mallorcan style. The sound of xeremiers (traditional bagpipers) and the presence of gegants (giant papier-mâché figures) bring colour and folklore to the narrow streets, maintaining traditions that have passed through generations.

Mallorca’s Christmas season offers a delightful mix of Mediterranean charm and festive European tradition. The island’s mild winter climate makes outdoor markets enjoyable, and towns and villages across Mallorca are decorated with lights, nativity scenes, and seasonal cheer.

While Spanish Christmas traditions differ from those in northern Europe, Mallorca embraces the holiday spirit with fairs, artisan markets, concerts, and special events. The season often stretches beyond December into early January, culminating in the feast of the Three Kings (Epiphany, January 6), which is a major gift-giving day in Spain.

On Mallorca, Christmas Eve—Nochebuena or Nit de Nadal—is a night that blends Mediterranean warmth with centuries-old ritual. Families gather early for a festive meal, streets glow with market lights, and, as midnight nears, churches across the island fall into an expectant hush for the Matines (Midnight Mass). At its heart is Mallorca’s most singular Christmas tradition: El Cant de la Sibil·la—the Song of the Sibyl—declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010.

Mallorca does Christmas with a Mediterranean heartbeat: candlelit stone churches, cinnamon-sweet bakeries, slow family lunches, and winter sun glittering on the ocean. Here’s how the island feels and what actually happens on and around Christmas Day, both in Palma and beyond.

Mallorca welcomes New Year’s Eve with a distinctly Mediterranean spirit — a blend of tradition, island warmth and seaside sparkle. While winter on the island is mild and peaceful, the final night of the year brings every square and street to life, where locals and visitors gather to see in the New Year together.