Fall for autumn in Mallorca

Early autumn predominantly celebrates the island’s summer harvest. Grapes, mushrooms, and pine nuts are just some of the harvested produce, with Mallorca’s agricultural and rural towns honouring the humble and delicious local offerings with a host of regional fairs and festivals. Wine lovers should head to the traditional town of Binnissalem at the end of September for the celebrations of the annual grape harvest, which include parades, grape crushing competitions and a wine tasting contest.

One of the island’s biggest harvest festivals is held in October over the first two weekends of the month, presenting a great opportunity to really immerse yourself in some authentic local culture at Llucmajor’s fair. Featuring live folk music, traditional market stalls full of delicious local produce, entertainment shows and late-night parties, it’s definitely worth a visit. The Fira Dolca in Esporles gains a huge amount of popularity annually, with its excellent selection of cakes, pastries and sweets held on the first weekend of October.

Check out our events calendar for a full list of autumn fairs going on around the island.

Given the gorgeous weather that Mallorca tends to enjoy, often right up until the end of October… Several of the island’s beach clubs stay open late into the season, accommodating the late summer’s warmer days. 

Located on the south of the island and not far from Palma, Mhares Sea Club is an excellent place to soak up the last of the summer sun on their gorgeous terrace surrounding the pool which overlooks stunning views of the Mediterranean sea.

Set in the unique setting of Palma’s historic and sand-stone city centre and old town, with a stunning section along the seafront promenade, Palma’s Marathon usually runs on a Sunday in mid-October with the option of participating in a 10k and half-marathon also. A weekend full of additional activities includes a ‘Breakfast Run’ and carb-loading ‘Pasta Party’! Supporters will easily get swept up in the city’s contagious enthusiasm, just from standing on the side lines alone!

With the summer harvests drawing to a close, it’s a great time of year to explore one of the island’s many vineyards, sampling the delicious wines they have on offer. Located in Santa Maria, the Bodegas Angel winery is one of our personal favourites for guest tours and tastings, but you can read our full review of which vineyards are best to visit here.  Several companies offer different excursions throughout the year if you’d prefer to visit a variety throughout the day or even over a week. Whether you’re after an authentic Mallorcan culinary experience, a hike or a city tour to accompany your wine tasting, you’ll undoubtedly find something that will tickle your taste buds.

Cooler walking and cycling conditions after the peak of the summer blaze, make getting out and about on Mallorca’s many trails and roads at this time of year, a truly enjoyable experience. Many people embrace the longer or more challenging routes enthusiastically at this time of the year, given the slightly lower need for quantities of both water and sunscreen. For expert advice on how to conquer our wonderful island on two wheels, review our comprehensive cycling and mountain biking guides before you start. If you'd prefer to stay on foot, our Mallorca walking guide offers a number of ideas on where to go, with suggested routes and maps across the entire island.

Mallorca is an island full of wonderful sights to see… which often makes it difficult to decide exactly how to spend your time. In the autumn however, as the temperature cools down and that coastal breeze or access to water becomes less essential, it’s a superb time to venture into the more remote and less touristy inland villages. Across the island's breath-taking countryside, you'll find numerous rural communities surrounded by mountains and agricultural land, usually surrounding an iconic sandstone church.

We recommend you head to the inland town of Sant Joan and visit its museum of Mallorcan furniture and traditions, located inside an 18th-century manor house. Alternatively, pop over to Santa Eugenia, where you can visit the island’s best-preserved exemplary windmills. 

Most markets in Mallorca take place throughout the year, like for example the traditional and longest standing fair in the town of Sineu, which takes place every Wednesday selling wonderful regional produce. Founded in 1306 by King Jaume II, it is now the only market on the island still selling livestock. Inca continues to host a large market every Thursday and also showcases the popular Dijous Bo Fair in November, to which thousands of artisans, farmers and merchants flock, as well as huge swarms of tourists!

The Mediterranean waters maintain a mild 20ºC throughout the autumn months of October and November, dropping to 17ºC by December. If you’re not keen on plunging into anything less than a warm, tepid bath, Mallorca’s summer months may still be best for you. However, there are several available boat trips on which to enjoy the beautiful Balearic coastline without having to contemplate a chilly, autumnal dip. For those happy to slip into an extra layer of neoprene, Mallorca offers several interesting diving spots which can easily be enjoyed all year round.  

Autumn is an ideal time of the year to sample some of Mallorca’s best traditional cuisine.  One of the island’s most famous and authentic customs of their traditional farmlands occurs in November and is referred to as 'ses matances' - the slaughtering of the pigs. It’s another Balearic excuse to make sure the entire family gets together in celebration, for singing, dancing and the preparation of traditional dishes made from those trickier parts of the pig, which are less easily preserved. For example, the offal is commonly enjoyed fried and referred to as 'frit mallorqui'… but the one most people will usually have heard of is undoubtedly sobrassada – cured sausage full of paprika and other spices.  You’ll easily find any of these seasonal local delicacies throughout the autumn, in any of the island's spectacular restaurants.