17 January 2025
Government blocks the plan for a giant chicken farm in Mallorca
A decree outlaws poultry farms on the scale that had been planned for Sineu.On Friday, the Balearic Government approved a decree law that will prevent the establishment of giant chicken farms, such as one in Sineu that had led to a massive outcry. Under the decree, a maximum of 160,000 birds will be
17 January 2025
1 in 5 Britons base holidays on food, does Mallorca make you feel hungry?
47 per cent of Britons are also influenced by cost and budget.So, has Mallorca got the menu right? According to a Jet2holidays survey one in five British holidaymakers plan their holiday around food, with relaxation, cultural experiences, beaches, and the weather, being other top factors. A poll of
17 January 2025
UK looking to export the likes of Adele to Mallorca and beyond
"From the Premier League and Peaky Blinders to Adele and the BBC World Service, Britain’s cultural exports showcase the best of Britain around the world."The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy has today asked top executives from the worlds of sport, pop music and television to boost the UK’s image a
17 January 2025
Saturday weather in Mallorca
The forecast for Mallorca for Saturday, January 18.Cloudy for much of Mallorca on Saturday morning. Sunnier in the afternoon but then clouding over again in the evening. The highest risk of rain is in the evening and overnight into Sunday, when there could also be thunderstorms. A cold north wind wi
17 January 2025
Sant Sebastian traffic closures and bus detours in Palma
The Local Police have organised different traffic monitoring and control operations due to the scheduled events during the upcoming Sant Sebastià festivities taking place over the next few days.The Local Police have organized different traffic monitoring and control operations due to the scheduled e
17 January 2025
Mallorca and its winter saints
The rules governing patrons set a maximum of two. Countries can have two - Spain does (Santiago and the Virgen del Pilar) - municipalities can have two. A male and female patron is a reasonable balance for celebrations of saints (or the Virgin Mary) that might nowadays strike some as a bit odd. Is S
17 January 2025
Sant Antoni – A winter warmer
“What on earth will you do in winter?” Many of our friends worried about that when we first announced our relocation to Mallorca over twenty years ago. I think they seriously imagined us shivering by frozen swimming pools, clutching frosty lilos whilst waiting for the sun to shine again! Little did
17 January 2025
Weapons cache seized in Mallorca
Members of the Guardia Civil Balearic Nature Protection Service, Seprona, have seized 13 airguns that exceeded the limit of firing potential, as part of operation ‘Skade’. The agents mounted the operation due to the numerous complaints and denunciations presented by individuals and associations, in
17 January 2025
The ‘British crisis’: When tourism bosses bowed to union demands
Explore the complexities of Mallorca's hospitality industry, from collective bargaining challenges to the evolving roles of hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs.A restaurant is not a nightclub, a nightclub is not a hotel. Apart from differences in business, there can be notable differences in the nat
17 January 2025
The Bar Review: Zeppelin Live Music Bar, Magalluf
Since I have widened the scope of this column to no longer write only about great cocktails and terraces or rooftops with a view, I have been looking into all sorts of bars. One that often comes up in conversations with my friends and neighbours is Zeppelin Live Music Bar in Magalluf. Away from the
17 January 2025
Films in English across Mallorca: Showtimes from Friday, 17 to Thursday, 23 January
Explore this week's new English releases, Babygirl and Wolf Man. Check here for all showtimes and locations for all the films showing in English in Palma and Marratxi.New releases include Babygirl (2024), starring Nicole Kidman, exploring a CEO’s risky affair, and Wolf Man (2025), a chilling tale of
17 January 2025
Eating out in Mallorca: Pizzeria A Casa Del Padrino, Santa Ponsa
The food at Il Padrino was good and the service friendly and efficient.While in the summer I typically end up going to more fine dining and high end restaurants, in the winter I tend to seek out a good menu del dia and tasty comfort food. I have been to “Il Padrino”, as we call it in my circles, sev
17 January 2025
EU being urged to improve funding for the Balearics
The Balearics are at a funding disadvantage because the islands are classified as 'continental territory'.In June 2022, the European Parliament formally recognised that island territories suffer from permanent natural disadvantages compared to other regions. But these territories are not classified
17 January 2025
GOOD NEWS! Little chance of new property tax, which hits Brits hard, getting the green light
Opposition politicians, real estate agents and lawyers doubt that the new law, introduced to give Spaniards a greater chance of getting on the property ladder, will ever be approved.Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, announced this week that his government was proposing slapping a 100 percent ta
17 January 2025
The curious case of the Fodor’s ‘No List’
There was nothing new, but somehow the treatment of the list rumbled on for a couple of weeks or more.Fodor’s Travel is headquartered in Los Angeles. It has publishing operations in New York for guides that have been in existence since the 1930s. The founder, Hungarian Eugene Fodor, became a US citi
17 January 2025
Your seven days news round-up in Mallorca
These are the stories that made the headlines this week.Palma, a metropolitan area for northern EuropeansA report at the weekend which suggested that Palma (and by extension Mallorca) had become like a metropolitan area of northern European cities such as Berlin and London could have been interprete
17 January 2025
Mallorca is the most expensive sun and beach destination in Spain
Mallorca leads the average price of a stay in the Spanish sun and beach tourism market, 688 euros, according to the Atrápalo report ‘Habits 2024 and trends in 2025’ on the platform’s booking data.After Mallorca came Las Palmas (587) and the Costa del Sol (582). The Canary Islands was the community m
17 January 2025
Supercup aftermath rumbles on
After a week when a woman in Essex, was arrested for battering her husband to death with a revolver – after missing him with all six bullets! – Real Mallorca get back to La Liga business on Monday night when they play away at Villareal, kick off 9pm. Both teams are on 30 points with the “Yellow Subm
17 January 2025
I feel Spain is punishing Britons for Brexit
The Brexit vote was a close run result and was quite a while ago now but it feels like the EU, and from where I see it in Spain, Brussels and co. are not going to let it drop.The ramifications and the fallout have been negative, like it or not, and it appears to be dragging on and getting worse.Brit
17 January 2025
January is a great month for visiting Mallorca!
“However… if, like me, you’re not a fan of following the trends, plus you’re not a lover of crowds and chaos, January is the best month to get out and visit the island and enjoy the culture and restaurants.”Straight after all the Christmas celebrations and endless fiestas, most people are on the wag
17 January 2025
Fight for Britons in Spain. Enough is enough!
“It is time that someone stood up for the rights of Britons in Spain. At the moment it is all one way traffic which is disgraceful.”Is it me, or do you get the impression that Brits are rather being kicked around in Spain? Firstly, there is the controversial property tax which really only affects Br
17 January 2025
Pay 300,000 euros and the Cala Bona hotel squatters will leave
For the hotel, this is a clear case of blackmail and one that it will not accept.Miquel Deyà of the Sol y Mar Aparthotel in Cala Bona says that he has been contacted by an anonymous source who has asked for 300,000 euros to end the occupation by squatters. He explains that another member of the hote
16 January 2025
Motorhome dwellers want nothing to do with Palma protest by motorhome 'tourists'
"They have a tourist and recreational purpose. What they are complaining about is an insignificant problem."On February 8, a protest against the proposed new Palma civic ordinance has been called by two associations representing users of motorhomes and caravans. These are recreational users, and the
16 January 2025
Friday weather in Mallorca - Not great for Sant Antoni
The forecast for Mallorca for Friday, January 17, the day of Sant Antoni.A spot of snow on high ground in Mallorca on Thursday - there was hail in some parts of the island - and snow in the mountains likely on Friday as well. The snowline is put at 1,100 metres, and there could be rather more snow t