Palma starts Christmas program with over 300 events

Christmas time in Palma: lights on, city full — and a lot going on

This evening I slipped out for a short walk through Palma — yes, the lights are on and the city suddenly feels like Advent. Not just a tree here and there: the city council has announced a program with more than 300 events. That sounds like lots of mulled wine, choir and children's voices, and people walking home with bags full of little purchases.

16 choir concerts in central squares

One of the highlighted elements in the program are the 16 choir concerts taking place on various squares. I imagine short, warm island moments: voices at Plaça Major, perhaps an a cappella winter evening near the cathedral, candles and lanterns everywhere. Such concerts really give the city atmosphere — and they are often free.

Participation expressly welcome: the public piano

If you feel like making music yourself, you may: on selected days there will be public pianos. The next public piano, for example, is located on the Passeig del Born — handy if you happen to pass by with a hot chocolate in hand and want to play for five minutes. These little impulses make the Advent season here come alive.

Christmas markets, nativity scenes and the Three Kings parade

Traditional Christmas markets and several nativity scenes are also part of the program. For the little ones (and those who like to remember childhood) there are stalls, fairy lights and roasted chestnut stands; everything smells of cinnamon and roasted almonds — yes, that's how it is here in November/December. The big finale in early January remains the Three Kings parade on January 5. The floats have apparently been completely renewed, says the announcement — that will probably be one of the days when Palma is really crowded again.

If you want to know exactly when which concert or market takes place, you should consult the printed program or the city's overview. For me that means: I'll go to Passeig del Born again on one of the next Saturdays, take in the scene and maybe leave a few bars on the piano. And yes — if it gets really cold, I'll take the hot chocolate double.