Majorca Mallorca

After a bit of a break, Vicki and Oliver are back behind the microphones.
In this episode they discuss the latest developments in Mallorca, including new direct flights from Canada and Abu Dhabi, why cycling tourism continues to be so important to the island, the evolution of Mallorca Live Festival, the upcoming San Juan celebrations, and the tragic fire at the Trianon 2 apartment block in Magaluf.
It's a relaxed catch-up covering life, tourism, events and current affairs on the island.
Topics covered include:
New direct flights to Mallorca
New routes from Montreal and Abu Dhabi
Growing long-haul connections to the island
How global events are influencing travel patterns
Why Mallorca continues to attract visitors from around the world

Cycling tourism
Why Mallorca remains one of the world's most popular cycling destinations
The economic impact of cycling tourism
How shoulder-season visitors help local businesses
The benefits and frustrations cyclists bring to the island

How Mallorca has changed over the last 20 years
A more international visitor profile
The rise of luxury tourism
New food and dining options
Why Mallorca now attracts some of the world's wealthiest visitors

The Trianon 2 fire in Magaluf
What happened at the apartment block in Torrenova
The impact on residents and families
Questions around building safety and fire prevention
Why the tragedy may prompt wider discussions about older residential buildings on the island

Mallorca Live Festival
First impressions of this year's event
Improvements to transport and organisation
Food, drinks and facilities
Upcoming concerts and summer events

San Juan
Mallorca's magical midsummer celebration
Night swimming, candles and traditions
Why it's one of the island's most unique nights of the year

Plus, a few celebrity sightings, a discussion about tourism trends, and a reminder of some of the fantastic guests already featured on the podcast.
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In this episode, Vicki McLeod welcomes food writer and Mallorca restaurant reviewer Jan Edwards back to the studio for a wide-ranging conversation about food, restaurants and life on the island.
Jan begins with the new edition of the Chefs(in) guide, a restaurant and cocktail bar guide covering Mallorca and the Balearics, before she and Vicki dive into chef culture, why the restaurant industry can still be difficult for women, and how changing dining habits may make the industry more family-friendly in future.
The conversation moves through new and notable restaurants, including El Bandarra, Selvacha, Shima at Hotel Formentor, Brusca brew pub in Manacor, Blanca Terra winery restaurant near Montuïri, Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí and Ponderosa Beach.
Jan also explains how she approaches restaurant reviews, why she usually pays for her own meals, and why honest, unannounced reviewing matters.
There is also time for wine fairs, the Mallorca 312 traffic problem, Books Uncorked, literary dinners in Valldemossa, restaurant gossip, chef moves, Protur Chef, Reserva Rotana and a mention for Bhukkad Boca.
It is a warm, funny and food-filled episode for anyone who enjoys eating out in Mallorca, or simply likes hearing two women talk honestly about restaurants, real life and where to find the good stuff.
Suggested chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Jan Edwards returns to the studio
01:30 The new Chefs(in) guide
03:50 Chef culture and restaurant associations
04:40 Why are most chefs men?
07:20 Lunch, dinner and changing dining habits
08:55 Restaurants Jan wants to try
10:45 Shima at Hotel Formentor
11:30 Where to find the Chefs(in) guide
12:10 Sóller restaurants and Tuesday night closures
14:15 Brusca brew pub in Manacor
17:30 Eating out, balance and cheese
18:30 Beer tasting and flights
20:00 Traffic, cyclists and the Pollença wine fair
22:50 Blanca Terra winery restaurant
25:00 Terra Gust and farm-to-table food
27:40 Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí
28:15 The bee museum in Llubí
30:00 Beef, barbecue and family restaurants
32:35 Why paella is a lunchtime dish
34:30 Ponderosa Beach
36:10 How Jan reviews restaurants
39:30 Books Uncorked
41:00 Literary dinners in Valldemossa
44:25 Andrés Benítez leaves Botànic
46:40 Protur Chef competition
51:30 Reserva Rotana
53:20 Aethos Mallorca in Peguera
55:00 Where to find Jan’s reviews
56:00 Bhukkad Boca recommendation
57:15 Closing thoughts

In this episode, Vicki McLeod sits down with long-time Mallorca resident Justin Jones for a moving and deeply human conversation about life before and after the accident that changed everything.
Justin originally came from George, South Africa, before moving to the UK and later to Mallorca after visiting his brother on the island. What began as a weekend visit soon turned into a new life, first through Balearic Adventures, then through metalwork and Balearic Coating Solutions.
The conversation covers the reality of building a business in Mallorca, the importance of reputation, word of mouth and community, and why the island can be such a rewarding place for people willing to work hard and show up properly.
Justin then speaks openly about the catastrophic car accident that left him with life-changing injuries. He remembers the crash, the rescue, the weeks in a coma, the operations, the hallucinations, the medical decisions, and the people who fought to save his limbs and his future.
He also talks about the emotional aftermath: depression, isolation, dependency, pain, family changes, and the people who kept turning up when he needed them most.
The episode also looks forward. Through a specialist hand trike, Justin has found a new way to move, train and experience Mallorca again. With the support of friends, physiotherapist Tracy Evans, Oliver Neilson and the Six Points community, he is now preparing to take on the Six Points Challenge, raising money for local charities and proving, in his own way, that life can still open new doors.
This is a story about survival, friendship, Mallorca, sport, mental health and the stubborn decision to keep going.
Suggested chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Welcome to Justin Jones
00:45 Growing up in South Africa
01:40 Moving to the UK
03:20 First visit to Mallorca
04:30 Moving to Mallorca with Marie
05:00 Balearic Adventures and the Zorb years
06:00 Why Mallorca felt familiar after South Africa
07:40 Raising children in Mallorca
10:50 Life and business on the island
12:20 Balearic Metal Projects and Balearic Coating Solutions
14:00 Starting small and building a business
15:15 Reputation, marketing and word of mouth in Mallorca
16:40 The car accident
18:10 Son Espases, coma and life support
19:15 Remembering the impact
22:30 The alternate reality during the coma
25:20 Operations and medical miracles
28:40 What Justin has lost and what may still be possible
31:00 Fighting to keep his limbs
33:30 Tracy Evans and the physiotherapy journey
35:30 Coming home during Covid
36:10 Gratitude, positivity and perspective
37:30 Life after the accident
39:40 Insurance, court and the Spanish system
42:50 Depression and isolation
44:00 Getting out again
45:45 Discovering the hand trike
47:00 Cycling again for the first time
49:00 Meeting Oliver on the road
50:30 Six Points and charity cycling
52:50 Sport, fitness and mental health
55:30 Raising money for local charities
59:30 Advice for anyone struggling
01:00:45 Closing thoughts
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Oliver Neilson talks to Shirley Roberts of Sollerweb about life in Sóller, changing seasons, local fiestas, tourism, traffic, housing, restaurants and the communities that keep the valley alive.
Here is a link to the agenda for the firo on SollerWeb, and make sure you visit back, she writes about life in the valley every day. https://l1nq.com/sr9k8q0
...and if you can't get a wristband for access to the plaza for the final moors and Christians battle, you should be able to watch it on IB3, the Balearics TV channel, here is there YouTube account. https://www.youtube.com/IB3

In this episode, Oliver Neilson is joined by Shirley Roberts, the writer behind Sollerweb and a long-standing voice of the Sóller Valley.
The conversation begins with the change of season in Mallorca, from winter calm to the early signs of summer, and the welcome news that rainfall has helped ease water concerns for the months ahead. Shirley and Oliver discuss why Sóller becomes so busy early in the year, especially with day trippers arriving by train, tram, bus and hire car.
They also look at the practical realities of life in a popular destination: traffic through the tunnel, parking changes, residents’ zones, the role of the Consell, increased bus services and why visitors are best advised to leave the car behind where possible.
The conversation moves through Deià, cycling season, Mallorca 312, the pressures on housing, the realities behind second homes and empty properties, and the often misunderstood relationship between tourism, employment and local life.
A major part of the episode is dedicated to the Firó de Sóller, one of Mallorca’s most dramatic and emotional traditional fiestas. Shirley explains the story of the Moors and Christians, the beach battles, the final battle in the square, the role of the Valentes Dones and the newer children’s Firó, which she describes as unmissable.
Finally, Shirley shares her thoughts on the changing restaurant scene in Sóller and Port de Sóller, from local food and traditional dishes to late lunches, private chefs, takeaways and the island-wide shift in how people are eating out.
Suggested chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Shirley Roberts returns to the podcast
01:00 Water, rain and the start of the season
02:00 Shirley’s work with the Majorca Daily Bulletin
03:00 Sóller, Port de Sóller, Fornalutx, Biniaraix and Deià
04:00 English-speaking communities and the Anglican Church in Palma
05:30 Winter in Mallorca and the George Sand myth
06:40 Why Sóller is such a popular day trip
08:30 Traffic, the tunnel and the main road into Sóller
10:30 Parking changes, green lines and blue lines
13:00 Port de Sóller improvements and pedestrianisation
15:00 Mallorca 312 and cycling season
18:30 Deià, buses, taxis and getting around
21:30 Second-hand markets and the reality of local incomes
23:00 Housing, second homes and empty properties
28:30 La Huerta, family homes and local life
30:30 The Firó de Sóller explained
33:30 The children’s Firó
35:30 Smoke, gunpowder, pirates and tradition
37:30 Summer changes in Sóller
39:30 Restaurants, late lunches and private chefs
43:30 Local Mallorcan food and where to eat
46:30 Shirley’s restaurant recommendations
49:00 Where to find Sollerweb
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A warm, thoughtful conversation with Tara Huber, creator of Deia Unpacked, about life in Deià, the stories that shape a village, and what happens when a place changes from holiday fantasy to real home.
This week’s guest is Tara Huber, host of Deia Unpacked, a podcast devoted to the characters, ideas and voices that give Deià its identity. Tara first came to Mallorca in 1989 and, after years of returning, eventually began spending much more of her life in the village during Covid. Out of that period came Deia Unpacked, a podcast she created in 2021, built around long-form, lightly edited conversations with people connected to Deià and the wider island.
In this episode, Tara reflects on the shock of arriving in Mallorca from late-80s Brooklyn, the beauty of the drive through Valldemossa into the mountains, and the complexity of moving from visitor to resident. She talks honestly about small-village life, the value and danger of gossip, the international make-up of Deià, and the sense that even in a place often caricatured from the outside, there is a very real and supportive community underneath it all.
She also shares how the podcast grew out of grief and reinvention after Covid disrupted her long career in fitness and personal training in Washington DC. What began as a project became a grounding force, and a way of understanding not just the village, but herself.
The conversation also explores the differences between life in America and life in Mallorca, from food culture and healthcare to entrepreneurship, politics and pace of life. Tara speaks with real passion about women’s health, ageing, the freedom that can come after fifty, and why art, conversation and curiosity matter more than ever.
There is also a fascinating section on Regenera Deià, a regeneration project looking at how the village can restore terraces, reduce fire risk, support local agriculture and create an economy that helps people stay rooted in the community.
It is a wide-ranging, funny, thoughtful episode about place, identity, creativity and what it really means to belong somewhere.
You can see more about Tara and her podcast here https://www.deiaunpacked.com/
00:00 Intro to Tara Huber and Deia Unpacked
02:05 First arriving in Deià in 1989
05:19 Holiday Mallorca versus living here
10:21 What village life in Deià is really like
13:45 Brooklyn, New York, and parallels with Deià
15:05 Living between the US and Mallorca
16:54 Tara’s work in fitness and how Covid changed things
17:55 Why she started Deia Unpacked
20:17 Food culture, health and America versus Mallorca
28:52 Washington DC compared with island life
31:50 Politics, entrepreneurship and life in Spain
37:24 Women’s health, HRT and getting older
43:38 Starting the podcast and learning through it
45:44 How Tara chooses her guests
48:46 Who listens to the podcast and where
52:43 Favourite episodes and where to start
54:36 Advice for Americans moving to Mallorca
57:31 “If Deià is Manhattan, Sóller is Brooklyn”
01:00:49 Regenera Deià explained
01:07:03 Why art matters and whether artists should be funded
01:13:26 What’s next for Tara