Weekend on the Island: Autumn Village Festivals in Caimari, Llubí and Es Capdellà

The villages prepare for the weekend gathering: olives, honey and lived neighborhood life

On one of those clear autumn mornings in Mallorca, when coffee cups outside on the tables are still dewy and the sun is only just nudging the gables, small squares open their gates again. This weekend several villages invite you to their autumn festivals – down-to-earth, loud and quiet at the same time: stalls in narrow lanes, a babble of voices, church bells ringing in the distance and always the scent of freshly baked goods and roasted almonds in the air.

Caimari: The olive as a conversation partner

In Caimari everything revolves around the olive. On the village square you see locals explaining with calm why the first pressing tastes more golden, and visitors attentively sniffing from small tasting spoons. When the olive mills are running, it almost sounds like a gentle hum that drifts through the narrow streets. My tip: arrive early – around ten, when the sun hasn't heated everything yet – to experience the most intense aromas. The olive growers happily talk about old trees, cold winters and the vintage that turned out surprisingly fruity this year. And yes: a bottle of oil to take home looks better on the shelf than many photos on your feed.

Llubí: Honey, wine and evenings with music

This year Llubí welcomes visitors with the warm crackle of small conversations, a glass of wine in hand and occasional guitar strains on the stage. The honey market on Sunday is a relaxed gathering: beekeepers set out small tasting dishes, children shamelessly lick spoons, and stalls offer jams, nut mixes and sweet pralines. Make sure to carry cash – some stalls still operate in the old way: a handshake, a tasting round, a trade. If you join the Saturday evening program, you get a pinch of village life thrown in for free: lanterns, clattering plates and the slow disappearance of the heat into cooler, clearer air.

Es Capdellà: Tradition with giant figures and folk dance

In Es Capdellà craft meets festivity. The giant figures are dressed up, local clubs rehearse their dances, and from the afternoon a small parade of colours and movement forms on the plaza. Children watch with wide eyes, older visitors clap in time – and in between, volunteer hands help out at the stalls with small dishes: olives, slices of bread with sobrasada, a sip of local wine. Scenes like these on the island are not a nostalgic museum piece but living tradition passed down from generation to generation.

Why it matters: The autumn festivals are more than just market stalls. They provide income for producers, preserve traditional crafts and bring neighbours together. For Mallorca, often seen as a holiday paradise, these village fairs are what keep the island alive: real conversations, flavours straight from the producer and stories continued in the village tavern.

Practical information for visitors: Parking is scarce — allow extra time and consider carpooling. Dress in layers: mornings can be chilly, while the sun often warms things up by midday. Cash is useful; card readers are not always a given. And: taste on site. A sincere compliment or a specific note about the flavour often means more to vendors than five stars online.

If you're out and about this weekend, take your time to stroll. Sit on a step at the plaza, listen to people, let the sounds of the lanes wash over you: a child's laugh, the clacking of ceramics, the voice of a vendor telling their story. Sometimes it is exactly that cup of hot Mallorcan coffee and a slice of almond cake on an improvised cardboard plate that turns a weekend into a true island experience.

If you like, plan to visit several villages: Caimari for the olive, Llubí for the honey and Es Capdellà for the traditions. And when you drive back in the evening and the radio plays quietly, you'll be left with the feeling of having experienced something real — not a big event, but a small piece of Mallorca that lives on.