December, the final month of the year, has arrived and holiday magic is in the air! The festive season in Mallorca is really special: the Christmas lights illuminate the island, market stalls are stocked with local delights, and comforting seasonal food is waiting. With sunny blue skies by day and dazzling lights against the night sky, “Nadal” (Christmas) in Mallorca is a truly wonderful time of the year, rich with cultural traditions. Here are some of our festive favourites:
Christmas lights and markets
Palma’s Christmas lights are sparkling throughout the city, wrapped around palm trees and overhead arches. The main central streets of Passeig del Born and Jaume III are transformed into a Mediterranean wonderland. This festive spectacle begins with the “Encesa de llums” (the switching on of the lights) at the end of November, a special event loved by kids and adults alike.
This marks the start of the island’s festive markets everywhere, including stalls in the city’s Plaça Major, Plaça d’Espanya and La Rambla. This is the perfect time to start your holiday shopping for local arts and crafts while snacking on roasted chestnuts or churros with a hot chocolate.
The Nativity Scene
As a region with Catholic traditions, the origins of Christmas are very important here in Mallorca. Locals honour the story of baby Jesus through nativity scenes, known as “belenes” in Spanish or “pessebres” in Mallorquí.
These handmade elaborate displays showcase the figures from the Christmas story, and many families create their own nativity scenes in their houses. You can shop for pieces to build your own nativity at the various markets around the island. Plus, don’t forget to visit the rather spectacular one in Plaça de Cort.
Traditional festive food
Like with every celebration throughout the year, the people of Mallorca cook up specific dishes to honour this particular season. The ultimate heartwarming dish on every table is Christmas Soup, or “Sopa de Nadal”. This is a rich, hearty broth made with chicken, pork and big pasta shells known as “galets”.
For the main course, roasted suckling pig is popular as the table centrepiece for the festive lunch on December the 25th.
Sweet treats
Anyone who has visited a “patisseria” (pastry shop) or “panaderia” (bakery) on the island will know that mallorquíns take their desserts very seriously, and Christmas is no exception. Almonds feature heavily, which is no surprise since they grow abundantly across the island.
These sweet nuts are mixed with honey or sugar and placed between two thin wafers to create delicious festive sweets like “coco de torró”, a version of “turrón” otherwise known as nougat. This is a staple sweet that is softer and easier to share than the Spanish variety.
From everyone at Ca’n Bonico, we wish you all a very “Bon Nadal” and a very happy start to 2026. We look forward to seeing you soon!