While many visitors escape to Mallorca during Holy Week in search of sun and beach, its capital, Palma, offers great appeal for lovers of tradition during this special time of year.
Like many other Spanish cities, Palma preserves the custom of commemorating Holy Week with religious processions, where priceless sculptures are carried through the city streets on the shoulders of penitents.
These are the processions you simply cannot miss if you spend Holy Week in Palma:
If you are in Palma this Holy Week and are passionate about brotherhoods, do not miss the 1st Exhibition of Brotherhoods of Mallorca, organized by the Consell de Mallorca. This free exhibition, open at La Misericordia until May 22, features the work of 11 Mallorcan photographers capturing the iconic routes followed each year by the city’s 34 brotherhoods.
The most attended procession is undoubtedly held on Maundy Thursday, featuring the Christ of the Blood. This image, dating back to the 16th century, departs from the Church of the Blood, located just a 10-minute walk from Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden, and crosses the city center to reach the Cathedral.
This moment, together with the traditional Easter Mass at the Cathedral, is the most solemn event of Palma’s Holy Week. However, from Friday of Sorrows until Easter Sunday, the streets of the Balearic capital are draped daily in solemnity, hosting mystical processions where silence is only broken by the majestic sound of drums.
Holy Week Procession Schedule:
Friday, April 11: Procession of the Banners
Departure: from Sant Antoniet Convent.
Sunday, April 13: Procession of Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem
Departure: from Sant Jaume Church.
Monday, April 14:
Procession of the Christ of Agony: Departure from Santa Clara Convent.
Procession of Our Lady of Hope and Peace: Departure from Sant Francesc Basilica.
Procession of the Christ of the Boters: Departure from Sant Joan de Malta Church.
Procession of the Good Forgiveness: Departure from the Sacred Heart Parish.
Tuesday, April 15: Procession of Our Lady of Sorrows
Departure: from Sant Nicolau Church.
Wednesday, April 16:
Procession of the Christ of Sant Creu: Departure from Santa Creu Church.
Procession of the Way to Gethsemane: Departure from the Sacred Heart Church.
Thursday, April 17: Procession of the Holy Christ of the Blood
Departure: from the Church of the Annunciation.
All brotherhoods of Palma participate in this procession.
Friday, April 18: Procession of the Holy Burial
Departure: from Sant Francesc Basilica.
Sunday, April 20: Resurrection Sunday
In addition to the traditional Easter Mass at the Cathedral, numerous “Encounter” processions take place across various parishes throughout Palma.
Discover the Culinary Traditions of Mallorca’s Holy Week:
Holy Week in Mallorca is a time for family gatherings. Tradition dictates that relatives and friends come together to mark the end of Lent by preparing some of the most typical pastries of Balearic cuisine.
Among these, the meat pie “mallorcan empanadas” stand out, which many believe originated from the island’s Jewish heritage. In this context, the use of pork lard in the recipe might have served as a declaration of conversion to Christianity by Jewish converts.
Traditionally, Mallorcan families prepare these “empanadas” with lamb, pork, or chicken, adding peas and sobrassada sausage. Once blessed by priests on Holy Saturday, they are shared with the family on Easter Sunday.
After enjoying these delicacies, tradition suggests savoring two equally typical desserts: “distinguished by the use of lard and orange juice and filled with angel hair pumpkin squash, ricotta cheese, or jam; and “crespells”, made from the same dough but without any filling.
Where to buy the best meat “empanadas” in Mallorca:
Although empanadas, robiols, and crespells are traditional Holy Week products, they can now be found daily in almost every bakery in Palma. However, if you are looking for the best empanadas in the city, we recommend these iconic and renowned bakeries:
Forn de la Soca: (local gastronomic archaeology)
Address: Plaza de Weyler, 9
Forn Fondo (founded in 1911)
Address: Calle Unión, 15
Forn de la Gloria (mentioned in documents from 1717)
Address: Calle Forn de la Glòria, 7
Can Joan de S’Aigo:
Address: Baró de Santa María del Sepulcre, 5
Stay in a hotel that allows you to experience Holy Week from the heart of the city:
Holy Week celebrations result in many street closures in the center of Palma. Therefore, if you wish to experience these traditions on foot, your best option is to choose centrally located accommodation such as Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden. Nestled next to Passeig del Born, and just a 5-minute walk from the Cathedral, you can easily reach the churches from which the city’s main processions depart.
If you decide to join in, arm yourself with patience and immerse yourself in the magic of this spectacle, where souls unite in a moving and transcendental silence.