Easter in Mallorca: tradition and gastronomy

Visiting Mallorca in spring-time is a good choice for several reasons, the first and most obvious being that it coincides with the end of winter, and visitors can once again enjoy the blue skies and sunshine of the island.

Moreover, this is the time of year for the Easter holidays, or Holy Week, one of the local customs that most fascination holds for people outside Spain, as it is often hard to understand what these lengthy processions of hooded people marching to the beat of drums with large wooden religious statues are all about.

In order to dispel any doubts readers may have, these parades are, in effect, religious celebrations of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The people who take part in the processions, who are known as penitents or Nazarenes, go in groups called cofradías (brotherhoods), each of which marches accompanied by the religious figure from the Church they represent.

Despite the overwhelming image of the penitents with their candles and crosses, which has even been classified as spectral, they also distribute sweets to children watching the parade, including a typical Easter treat known as “confit”, a ball of sugar with an almond inside.

Easter processions are held in Palma de Mallorca almost every day beginning on Palm Sunday (March 29th), though the most striking and best attended are those of Holy Thursday and Good Friday, which usually end well into the night.

This is also the time of the year when the islanders consume a variety of typical dishes and products, such as monas de Pascua (Easter cakes), robiols, crespells, or the popular pastries known as panades that, at Easter time, are prepared with sweet dough and stuffed with lamb (+info). Don’t miss the opportunity to visit any nearby pastry shop and try them.

Easter in Majorca this year takes place from the 29th of March to the 6th of April. Note that Thursday, Friday and Monday, the 2nd, 3rd and 6th, are national holidays.

Discover this curious Spanish custom while enjoying the benefits of a stay by the sea during the first days of spring. Come to Mallorca, and take advantage of our all-inclusive Easter deals.