Palma invites residents: discount week, festive lights and ensaimadas

Palma makes the pre-Christmas season noticeably cheaper for residents

When the fairy lights on the Passeig del Born blink again and the scent of warm ensaimadas drifts through the old town, Palma feels more like home than a holiday destination. This year the city adds an extra treat: from 9 to 23 December a discount week exclusively for island residents is taking place. Hotels, shop owners and transport companies have put together special offers so that residents can rediscover the capital for a weekend or evening walks with little effort.

What the package basically means

The basic principle is simple and user-friendly: anyone registered as living in Mallorca can save a flat 20 percent on the overnight rate at participating city hotels — provided the booking is made directly via the hotel website and the promo code APALMA25 is entered. In addition, a series of local discounts is running: reduced menus at selected restaurants, special prices for leisure activities and promotions in the gourmet sections of large department stores.

More charming than dry figures suggest: at the Christmas market in Sa Feixina traders hand out small vouchers for hot drinks and pastries. An invitation to warm cold hands by a cup of cocoa and share an ensaimada — under lamplight and with the distant honking of boats in the harbor.

Who is participating and how to get the discounts

The initiative feels like a joint pact: city hotels, shopping centers, local boutiques, hospitality businesses and some transport companies are on the participant list. One ferry company has announced about a 15 percent price reduction on certain crossings; some flights will offer special resident fares — roughly in the order of twenty percent.

Important to know: many offers require official proof of residence — DNI/NIE or empadronamiento (residence registration) — and some discounts only apply when booked directly or in person. So: have your ID ready, read carefully whether the code works online or must be given by phone, and reserve early. Even in December the nicest rooms and tables go fast.

Why the initiative makes sense

The campaign is not a high-pressure sales event but a simple, sympathetic goal: to revive Palma in a quieter season and to show appreciation to those who live there. A half-empty Passeig del Born on a mild December evening has its own charm; when cafés and shops open, a lively neighborhood feel emerges that brings customer loyalty and small everyday pleasures.

For hoteliers the extra business outside the high season is welcome, for traders it is a chance to bind local customers. And for the residents themselves it is an opportunity to take an impromptu city trip close to home — without much planning and with a small financial benefit.

Practical tips for participants

Some tips make participation easier: check the terms and conditions before booking, have your proof of residence ready and make early reservations. Don’t expect Black Friday-style bargains — the discounts are moderate but sensible. It’s more about the atmosphere: the murmur outside the tapas bars, the crocus- or almond-blossom-like flutter of the streets and the smell of freshly baked pastries.

A small outlook

If the campaign is well received it could become a fixed pre-Christmas event. For everyone who likes to stroll through Palma, drink mulled wine outside and look over the sea of lights from a cozy room in the evening — good news. More than that: an invitation to celebrate your own city instead of only attracting guests. And all that with little effort, with a hint of ensaimada on your face.