Mallorca in January is a great month to visit the island. With Christmas and New Year’s Eve over, flights coming to the island will be cheaper.
What’s more, the New Year signals the start of many celebrations which last throughout the month for you to enjoy.
This is a fantastic time to experience the more traditional side of Mallorca, away from the mass tourism we see in the summer months.
As the resorts lay empty and hotels, bars and restaurants start refurbishments for the season ahead, this is a great opportunity to get into Mallorca’s towns, cities and mountains before the heat of the summer descends.
It’s a time when locals reclaim the island with a celebration of light and fire to brighten up dark winter nights.
Mallorca in January is anything but boring and visitors are more than welcome to join the fun. So, here’s a guide to the many reasons to book an alternative winter break.
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Three Kings Day, Mallorca in January
If you plan on arriving in Mallorca right after New Year’s Day, then you will enjoy the first of the celebrations. Just when you think Christmas is over, you’ll find the festive season goes out with a bang on the night of the 5 January.
This is your first opportunity to enjoy the celebrations as the Three Kings arrive in Ports and towns all over the island to bring presents to the eagerly awaiting children.
To find out where the Three Kings Parades are in Mallorca, check out this article here.
If you want to read more about Mallorca at Christmas here and Mallorca over New Year’s Eve, you can do so here.
Sant Antoni Fiestas, Mallorca in January
The 16 and 17 January sees the start of the Sant Antoni celebration which takes part throughout the island.
Sant Antoni is the patron saint of animals and we see the start of celebrations which can last for weeks.
Animal Blessings or “Beneïdes” take place in churches throughout the island. It is the most spectacular sight with people taking pets including dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and horses, and even birds of prey to get blessed.
In the smaller villages and towns, there are parades welcoming the priest who performs the blessings.
It is also the time of the Sant Antoni bonfires and fire runs. Sa Pobla is one of the towns in Mallorca that has the most foguerons (bonfires) in the streets. But you don’t need to travel far inland as almost every neighbourhood celebrates Sant Antoni and lights bonfires.
Normally at these events, you will see bonfires and BBQs burning and then the cooking of meats and sausages. Many bars around these bonfires will sell BBQ packs too so you can join the grilling.
You will often see dimonis (or demons) appear at these events to warn off the bad spirits. It’s great fun to experience.
Pujada del Pi, Pollensa, Mallorca in January
On the night of the 17 January and as part of the Sant Antoni celebrations, see Pollensa like never before in the annual Pujada del Pi” or tree climb in Pollensa.
Every year a pine tree is sourced from the hillside locally, stripped, and greased and the challenge is for the strongest climber to get to the top.
Crowds flock into the town square in Pollensa and normally men will have a go to get to the top.
Just to add, there is no safety equipment and participants may fall. One of my YouTube subscribers was attended told me a waiter from his favourite restaurant fell and broke his leg.
You can see the scenes as they happened in Pollensa here.
These are scenes that you will never see happen in Northern Europe!
Sant Sebastian celebrations, Palma de Mallorca in January
The Sant Sebastian celebrations are Palma’s largest celebrations and take place on the night of the 19 January.
To celebrate the patron saint of Palma de Mallorca, expect to enjoy concerts and torradas (BBQs) held over the city centre.
The evening starts with music and the lighting of the bonfire in Plaza Mayor. You’ll see the demoni demons arrive with a dragon firing sparks from Plaza de Cort to Plaza Mayor spraying sparks and the lighting of the bonfire begins.
With BBQs lit, bring some sausages and join the crowds grilling and drinking in squares and streets throughout the city.
The city centre is cut off to traffic so if you’re travelling into the city, then take the bus.
Concerts right through the night in the city centre and in the days leading up to and even after Sant Sebastian.
Usually, a week after, there is a major free concert in the city featuring a well-known Spanish artist.
When is The Correfoc, Palma de Mallorca?
The biggest and most spectacular Correfoc or fire run takes place in Palma the weekend after the San Sebastian festivities in Palma, usually starting around 7 pm and ending around 9 pm.
If you have never seen the fire run, then check out this video playing on the page, because they are held all over the island at various times of the year.
You can see a Correfoc and firework show in Santa Ponsa in this article here which takes place every September.
However, the Correfoc in Palma de Mallorca is the biggest and most spectacular fire event and makes its way along Jaime III toward Plaza Tortugas in Palma.
There are stages set up along the way, so while it is crowded you will still get a good view.
If you plan on dancing with the demonis, please take note of safety precautions:
- Wear old clothes and just be aware that if you get too close you or your clothing could get caught by the sparks. No one I do believe has ever been hurt, so don’t worry too much. It looks more dangerous than it is!
- Even though sparks are flying around, do not throw water.
- Do not take your own fireworks either.
It’s a great evening out, and one that you’re unlikely to see in most countries in Northern Europe.
January Sales in Mallorca in January
The January Sales in Mallorca in January usually start right after Three Kings Day so on the 7 January.
You may find some shops on the run-up to Three Kings Day started their January sales, but the majority will wait until 7 January.
Expect to pick up some great bargains in the island’s main department store El Corte Ingles, plus some great deals on Spanish fashion in clothes shops around the island.
Hiking in Mallorca in January
Hiking in Mallorca in January is one of my favourite months to get out into the mountains.
Cooler days mean being able to hike further but get out early as the sun sets at around 5:30 pm and by 6 pm at the end of the month.
My favourite hikes are around the Soller area, so if you would like to check out a really easy hiking route, follow my Soller hiking route here.
I also have a playlist of other easy hikes in Mallorca on the Mallorca Under the Sun YouTube channel which you can see here.
Just bear in mind that if you are visiting Soller in January, the Soller Ferrocaril will be out of service until mid-February.
The Soller to Port de Soller wooden tram will go out of service from January 6th for a couple of weeks too.
That said, it’s still easy to get around Mallorca in January, so check out my guide here for my guide to taking the public bus.
Mallorca weather in January can be nice
Mallorca weather in January can be nice! Expect some lovely sunny days, but also rain, possible storms and even snow in the mountains.
Historically, the first weeks of January or even the entire month of January are normally lovely.
That said, we did experience “winter” in 2023 for a couple of weeks in mid-January.
The weather can be mixed and it’s impossible to predict if we’ll will “hit winter” or experience an early Spring.
Usually during January, we will see the first snow on the Traumuntana mountains.
If it does snow in the mountains, the Guardia Civil police will close the mountain roads to traffic.
And while it can be snowing in the mountains, you are just as likely to get sunburnt on a beach on a sunny day as the sun can be strong, if there is clear, unbroken blue sky.
Temperatures can range from 16 degrees daytime to 8 degrees Celcius in the evening so expect a mixed bag
If you would like to read more about winter weather in Mallorca, check out this article here.
If you are tempted to visit Mallorca in January, book your hotel room here.
