Christmas in Palma 2026: a practical guide

When do Palma's Christmas lights come on in 2026?

2026 date: Saturday 21 November, at Parc de la Mar, below the Cathedral. The council announced it in September, with a large-scale show and countdown. The time has not been published (Mallorca.com; Mallorca Global Mag).

2025 for reference (Ara Balears; city programme):

• Switch-on: Saturday 22 November at 19:00 in Plaça d'Espanya, with the show 'The Dance of the Two Stars' (about 35 minutes) and a countdown around 19:30.
• Lights: 3,350 light modules on nearly 200 streets.

Where to see the best lights

The features that came back in 2025 (Ara Balears):

• Parc de les Estacions: a 20-metre tree, the busiest photo spot.
• Avinguda Antoni Maura and Plaça Raimundo Clar: lit trees.
• Passeig de Sagrera: a giant ball of light.

For 2026 the council has only said the lights will reach more streets and neighbourhoods.

Christmas markets

• Fira de Nadal i dels Reis: the city market runs from November to Epiphany, every day from 10:00 to 21:00 (City Council). In recent editions its areas have been Plaça Major, the traditional place for nativity figures, candles and decorations; La Rambla, for crafts; and Parc de les Estacions, for gifts and food stalls (Mallorca Global Mag, 2023). 2026 dates are not out.
• Parc de Nadal (new in 2026): at Parc de la Mar, from 21 November to 6 January, with 60 stalls, a natural ice rink, food, Mallorcan crafts and a family treasure hunt (Mallorca.com). Hours not published.

Nativity scenes

2025-2026 dates and hours for reference (city programme):

Cort opened on weekdays from 9:00 to 20:30 and at weekends and on holidays from 10:00 to 20:00. The Military History Centre gathers over 1,200 nativity scenes from around the world.

The Sibil·la at the Cathedral on 24 December

The Song of the Sibyl (Cant de la Sibil·la) has been UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010. It is sung at Christmas Eve Matins in Mallorca's churches: a boy or girl sings it unaccompanied, sword held upright, and at the end traces a cross in the air with it (UNESCO).

At the Cathedral, the 2025 Matins began at 23:00 with the Sibyl's song and were broadcast live on IB3 (Mallorca Cathedral). The 2026 time has not been published; the 24th is a Thursday.

In 2025-2026 the Cathedral was closed to sightseeing on 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 and 6 January.

31 December: the Estendard and New Year's Eve in Cort

In the morning, the Festa de l'Estendard (Banner festival). In 2025: the Royal Banner in Cort at 10:00, Mass in the Cathedral at 10:30 and La Colcada in Cort at 12:00 (city programme).

At night, the 2025 city party was in Plaça de Cort and Plaça de la Reina from 23:30, with music, a DJ and the chimes, until about 2:00 or 2:30. From 20:30 to 2:30 traffic was banned in Cort and Avinguda Joan Carles I (Ara Balears). The 2026 programme is not out.

Three Kings Parade 2027

It will be on Tuesday 5 January 2027. Time and route are not published. 2026 for reference (city programme; Ara Balears):

• 18:00: the Kings arrive at the Moll Vell (old harbour) and the parade sets off.
• Route: Antoni Maura, the Born, Carrer de la Unió, La Rambla, the Alemanya and Portugal avenues, Passeig de Mallorca, Jaume III, the Born and Plaça de la Reina.
• 20:30: the Kings' reception and greeting in Plaça de Cort.
• Closures: central streets closed from 13:00, with EMT bus diversions until 22:00.

Sant Sebastià: the end of the season

20 January is Sant Sebastià, Palma's patron saint and a local holiday (Balearic Government). The night before is the revetla: a bonfire in Plaça Major, barbecue grills in the squares and concerts in Plaça d'Espanya, Cort and Joan Carles I. In 2026 the official events were cancelled in mourning after the Adamuz rail crash (Ara Balears).

In 2027 the revetla falls on Tuesday 19 and the feast day on Wednesday 20. The programme is not out.

Practical tips

• Public holidays in the Balearics: Tuesday 8, Friday 25 and Saturday 26 December (Boxing Day is a holiday here). 6 December falls on a Sunday and is not moved to Monday 7 (Balearic Government).
• Shops: they may open on Sunday 29 November, Sundays 6 and 20 December, and Saturday 26 December (Ministry of Trade). On the 25th and the 1st expect most places to be shut.
• Getting around: on switch-on night, parade day and New Year's Eve there are closures and bus diversions. Check EMT Palma notices and leave the car behind.