The most authentic festival in Mallorca takes place every year in May, on the Monday following the second Sunday of the month. On this day, in Sóller, the patron festival “Moors and Christians” is celebrated.
This celebration commemorates the victory in the battle against the Moorish pirates in 1561. The town’s inhabitants recreate the battle with great detail, and the action takes place in picturesque settings, such as the beach at Port de Sóller. The spectacle begins at 3:00 PM.
The pirates are sighted. Under the ringing of bells, the townspeople gather in the Plaça dels Estiradors to stop the enemy at the port. Although they succeed, the Moors attack again at 5:00 PM on the Platja de Can Generos. With shotguns, slingshots, and wooden swords, the Christians manage to repel the Moors once more. According to legend, at 6:15 PM, the Moors manage to land and take the city.
At the end of the day, around 9:00 PM, the inhabitants of Sóller manage to reclaim their city, and the true celebration of victory begins.
The celebration continues until the early hours of the morning with fireworks and medieval music. Caution: the Moors paint visitors with black paint (usually shoe polish). So it’s best to leave your fancy clothes at home. What you should bring are earplugs, as the shotgun blasts are so loud they could rupture your eardrum.
The battle is just the finale of the entire celebration. In the days leading up to it, Sóller is brimming with activities and festivities, including the traditional dance in the town square, showcookings, exhibitions, and much more.
