Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Legends of dragons
On the corner of Carrer de la Portella, look up to notice a cro-
codile -like stone figure - El Drac de Na Coca. Legend has it that back in the 17th
century a bloodthirsty dragon roamed the sewers of Palma's old quarter, instilling
terror in all who beheld it. A brave knight came here to visit his love. When the
dragon appeared from the shadows to attack her, the knight slayed the beast with
his sword.
Festivals & Events
Festa de Sant Sebastiá
MUSIC
( 19-20 Jan)
On the eve of the feast day of Palma's patron saint, concerts (from funk to
folk) are staged in the city squares, along with flaming pyres and the
aiguafoc
, a fire-
works display over the bay. It's a big (if chilly) night.
Sa Rueta & Sa Rua
CARNIVAL
( Feb-Mar)
Palma's version of Carnaval (celebrated in the last days before Lent starts)
involves a procession for kids (Sa Rueta) followed later by a bigger one (Sa Rua) with
floats and the like.
Semana Santa
RELIGIOUS
(Holy Week; Mar-Apr)
Processions dot the Easter week calendar, but the most impressive
are those on Holy Thursday evening. In the Processó del Sant Crist de la Sang (Christ of
the Blood), robed and hooded members of
confraries
(lay brotherhoods) parade with a
paso
(heavy sculpted image of Christ, borne by a team of men). It starts at 7pm in the
Església de Sant Crist de la Sang, where the
paso
is kept, and returns hours later.
Boat Show Palma
BOAT FAIR
(
www.boatshowpalma.com
; May)
Usually held around the first week of May, this is a ma-
jor boat fair held at the Moll Vell docks.
Corpus Christi
RELIGIOUS
( May-Jun)
The feast of the Body of Christ (the Eucharist) falls on the Thursday of the
ninth week after Easter, although the main procession from the cathedral takes place on
the following Sunday at 7pm. On that day, carpets of flowers are laid out in front of the
Catedral and in Plaça de la Cort. Concert cycles (many held in the city's
patis,
which can
also be visited at this time) add a celebratory note for about a month around the feast day.
