Society and Culture in Mallorca

It's no secret that Mallorca is not only popular with holidaymakers but also with celebrities from the world of film, television, sports and show business. The popularity of the island has a lot to do with its many different facets and cultural offerings.

Celeb Alert!

Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones have long been among the most prominent residents of the island. For two decades, the Hollywood stars lived on the S'Estaca estate near Valldemossa. Since 2014, the property has been for sale, but the lack of demand has seen the price tumble. Originally marketed at 55 million euros, the villa is now being offered for just under 30 million euros.

The well-known Hollywood couple are just two of the famous faces in Mallorca who own an apartment, a finca or an estate. In general, the stars keep to themselves. Notable lovers of Mallorca are the ex-cyclist Jan Ullrich, film maker and actor Til Schweiger who acquired a villa in the Tramuntana Mountains in 2013 and tennis star Rafael Nadal, a native Mallorcan, who owns a property in Porto Cristo. Other celebrities that may occasionally be seen include the singer-songwriter Annie Lennox and former James Bond star, Pierce Brosnan.

Hot spots of celebrities

Celebrities who live permanently in Mallorca or only visit the island occasionally, usually stay well shielded from the public eye. Nevertheless, there are some hotspots, where film stars, athletes and musicians can be regularly found. Puerto Portals on the southwest coast of Mallorca is one such place. With the millions of yachts in the harbour it is not immediately clear whether the owner is an Arab oil sheikh, a Russian oligarch or an American entrepreneur.

Paris Hilton, Bill Gates and rock legend Rod Stewart have been spotted there comparatively frequently in the past. Puerto Portals was also one of the favourite haunts of the former Spanish King Juan Carlos. The German supermodel Claudia Schiffer owned a finca in the exclusive resort of Camp de Mar until recently but has not been seem on the island at all in the last couple of years.

Naturism on the island

What was unthinkable until a decade ago is now a matter of course in Mallorca: nudism. The trend towards au naturel bathing and sunbathing has also arrived in some of Mallorca's more remote bays particularly on the southern coast of the island are where nudists tend to congregate. Nudism is tolerated by the authorities on the condition that no local bathers complain. In 2013, the first nudist hotel on Mallorca opened its doors. Sa Punta de s'Estanyol is a 4-star property located on the northeast coast of the island. The entire hotel area is a nude zone and there is also a 1.5 km long beach called Sa Canova which caters exclusively for naturists.

Cultural highlights in spring: almond blossom and Easter

The almond blossom in Mallorca begins much earlier than in more northerly climes. Warm air currents allow temperatures to rise to 15 degrees by the end of January - which are the ideal conditions for the seven million almond trees to develop their white-pink flowers. A beguiling fragrance spreads from the almond tree plantations around Son Servera on the east coast of Mallorca. Nature lovers love this time and roam the blooming landscape on foot or by bicycle.

The most important date in the calendar for all religious Mallorcans is Easter. "Semana Santa" is Easter Week and it begins solemnly with services on Palm Sunday. A temporary highlight is the so-called Procession of Blood in the island's capital Palma de Mallorca on Maundy Thursday. This is followed by the Stations Of The Cross processions on Good Friday and the traditional Easter picnic on Easter Sunday. On this day, people of all ages will head for the outdoors. Green areas in the towns are also spots where you can meet for brunch and holidaymakers are spoiled for choice on the terraces of hotels with selected delicacies at this holy time of year.