When most of us think of Roman Mallorca, our minds turn to the impressive ruins of Pollentia in Alcúdia. Yet long before the Romans arrived, another settlement was already thriving in the north of the island. Bocchoris, believed to have stood in the Vall de Bóquer near Pollença, was more than 1,500 years old when Rome conquered the Balearics in 123 BC. Today, archaeologist Joel Bellviure, a doctoral researcher in Classical Archaeology at the University of Oxford, is helping to uncover the remarkable story of this ancient community and challenging long-held assumptions about Roman expansion. Lucy Hawkins spoke to Joel about Mallorca's place in the Roman Empire, the mysteries of Bocchoris, and what archaeology can reveal about the lives of the ordinary people who once called the island home.

Los Angeles born writer, Arizona Bell, is a bestselling nonfiction author, ghostwriter, and literary agent who has lived in Ireland, Italy and Mexico before settling in Mallorca for good in 2024. She began writing professionally in her early twenties and was approached by Macmillan to write her first book, Soul Magic: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Mystics. She has since built a career helping others tell their stories while developing her own distinctive voice. Much of her work is influenced by themes of loss, belonging, resilience and transformation, inspired in part by the enduring impact of her late mother. Alongside her writing and consulting practice, Bell is currently preparing her next book, The Griever’s Dictionary, while continuing to engage with creative and spiritual communities on the island she calls her “forever place”.

Anna Nicholas has spent three decades capturing the beauty, humour and quiet eccentricities of life in Mallorca. Best known for her bestselling memoirs about swapping London life for a Mallorcan finca in the Sóller valley, she has become one of the island’s most recognisable literary voices, writing about the traditions and characters that make Mallorca so unique with affection and wit. Alongside her books, Anna has written for publications including the Financial Times, The Telegraph, Tatler and Wanderlust, and more recently has turned to Mallorcan-set crime fiction with her popular Isabel Flores Montserrat mystery series.

As well as a contributor to In Mallorca Magazine, Lucy Hawkins is also a trained artist whose portrait and animal paintings have been exhibited around the world. After relocating from Australia to Mallorca two years ago, she found herself inspired to capture the Mediterranean’s rich and distinctive wildlife on canvas. Editor-in-Chief Hannah Shannon-Burke sits down with Lucy to explore the inspiration and process behind her latest collection and how she juggles her work with her family.

From his studio in Pollença, Joan Bennàssar has built a visual universe deeply rooted in Mediterranean identity. A painter, sculptor, and thinker, his work engages in dialogue with mythology, the land, and the human figure—always from a perspective informed by his island roots and the soul of Mallorca. With a career that spans international exhibitions and monumental outdoor projects, Joan Bennàssar has achieved something rare: reconciling the ancestral with the contemporary, and doing so with his own unmistakable voice. In this interview, we delve into his creative process, his vision of art as a transformative tool, and the role culture plays in a land like his, marked by the sea, history, and beauty.

In the serene north of Mallorca, a new educational and wellness hub is set to transform how communities learn, grow, and connect. Tramuntana Academy, founded by Elodie Carle, opens officially on 12th January 2026, following an Open Day / Press launch on 10th January. With a focus on integrating academics, wellbeing, and creativity, the Academy promises a holistic approach to learning for toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults alike.