Festivals & Events
Sant Sebastià: Palma’s free open-air night
Several stages, one old town, one night: Palma celebrates its patron saint with free live music on almost every larger square.
Around 20 January, Palma puts on events on several old-town squares at once – admission is free.
Quick answer
What can visitors expect at Sant Sebastià?
Sant Sebastià is Palma’s city festival in honour of its patron saint and is celebrated around 20 January. Bands play simultaneously on several squares in the old town – from flamenco to rock to electronic music – with free admission. There is also a correfoc (fire run) and fireworks.
Date confirmed January
Quick facts
- When
- 19–20 January
- Where
- Palma de Mallorca, old town (including Plaça Major, Plaça de Cort)
- Duration
- main night 19 January, programme over around two weeks
- Admission
- free
- Audience
- all age groups, mainly a young crowd in the evening
- Special feature
- Parallel concerts on several old-town squares with no admission charge
Note on the date
The main date is the feast day of the city’s patron saint (20 January). The stage list and programme of the Ajuntament de Palma (city council) are published every year in December/January.
Location: Palma de Mallorca, old town (including Plaça Major, Plaça de Cort).
What is Sant Sebastià?
Sant Sebastià is Palma’s biggest city festival. The occasion is the city’s patron saint, but it is celebrated above all with music: the city sets up stages on several squares in the old town, which run in parallel. Admission is free everywhere.
Around the main date there is a two-week supporting programme with exhibitions, children’s events and concerts in smaller halls.
Where in Palma it is celebrated
The classic stage locations are between the Plaça Major, Plaça de Cort, Plaça d'Espanya and the Parc de la Mar below the cathedral. Which squares are used, and with which style of music, is decided by the city anew each year.
In practice, this means you walk between the stages rather than choosing one. Distances are short, and the old town is car-free that evening.
Getting there and the best time
The car is the worst option that evening: the old town is closed off and the car parks on its edge fill up early. City bus, train or taxi to the edge of the old town work much better.
The stages start in the early evening, and it gets really busy from around 22:00. If you are coming with children, you are better off between 18:00 and 21:00.
Tips for your visit
- Check the city’s current stage list in advance and pick two or three squares.
- Use public transport – the old town is closed off.
- January evenings in Palma are cool and windy: bring a warm jacket.
- Restaurants in the old town are fully booked that evening; for 19 and 20 January, book several days in advance.
- Come by train from Inca, Sa Pobla or Manacor and get off at Plaça d'Espanya – from there all stages can be reached on foot.
- From the coastal resorts, check the last return journey in advance: scheduled services end earlier in January than in summer.
- If you stay overnight in the centre, you save the journey back – hotels in Palma are booked up early that weekend.
Who is it worth it for?
A good fit for:
- City travellers who want to experience Palma out of season
- Young travellers focused on music and on a small budget
- Couples planning a weekend in Palma
Less suitable for:
- Anyone expecting seats and orderly concert conditions
- Families with very young children after 22:00
Similar dates
More festivals & events
-
Sant Antoni
Showers of sparks in narrow lanes, devils with torches, sausages over open fires – Sant Antoni is one of the most traditional festivals of the Mallorcan winter.
-
Es Firó
Gunpowder smoke over the beach, pirates storming out of the sea – once a year Sóller re-enacts the pirate attack of 1561.
-
Nit de Sant Joan
Jumping over the fire, into the sea at midnight – in Mallorca the shortest night of the year is celebrated on the beach.
-
Moros i Cristians
Four towns, one story: the defence against Moorish corsairs as street theatre with hundreds of performers.
-
Fira del Ram
From the end of February into April, a large funfair sets up on the edge of Palma.
-
New Year’s Eve in Mallorca
Twelve chimes, twelve grapes – and then a night that Palma spends out on the streets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sant Sebastià really free?
Yes, all of the city’s open-air stages are accessible without a ticket. Only a few special events in halls may charge admission.
Where is it busiest?
On the large squares of the old town around the Plaça Major and Plaça de Cort. The exact distribution depends on the annual stage plan.
Is it worth travelling just for Sant Sebastià?
For a long weekend, yes: flights and hotels are much cheaper in January, and without the summer crowds Palma is easy to explore on foot.
Next steps
This page belongs to the topic area Festivals & Events and can be found at /en-gb/feste-veranstaltungen/sant-sebastia.
Image credits: Flags on the Plaça in Sóller during the Firó: Photo Joan Gené, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons