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Attractions and Amenities

In common with many of the traditional residential town on Majorca, the annual cycle of fiestas form an important part of everyday life. The first event of the year is called the "Pancaritat", which is really a communal picnic that takes place on Easter Sunday each year in the Can Arabi recreational area.

Although not strictly a fiesta, the Binissalem Agriculture Fair takes place on the last Sunday in May each year. Whilst it still remains a traditional agricultural and livestock show, it has however, over recent years developed a more commercial theme. Nevertheless, there's still always exhibitions of livestock, local handicrafts, along with industrial and agricultural machinery.

The first recognisable fiesta of the year doesn't actually take place in Binissalem until the 25th of July, which celebrates the patron saint of the town Sant Jaume. In common with a typical Mallorcan fiesta there's always a colourful parade through the town and a number of other sporting and musical events taking place throughout the day.

As we mentioned briefly on the general introduction page, the area around Binissalem produces some of the most drinkable wine grown on Majorca. During September each year the grapes are picked, and to celebrate a successful harvest the town celebrates the Fiesta of La Vermada. The fiesta takes places during the last week of September, and along with the usual selection of parades and live music events, normally associated with a fiesta, it is without doubt the grape fight that attracts not only the local people, but tourists and residents from all over Mallorca into the town. The event begins with all the participants gathering in the Plaza de l'Esglèsia, a rocket is then fired, and everyone follows the piper and a drummer to a nearby field. A circle is formed around a huge pile of grapes, and when the whistle blows everyone dives in for the battle.

On a more cultural theme, Binissalem is very proud of their association with two renown Mallorcan writers who both made their homes in the town. The first was Llorenç Moyà, who's home Can Gelabert has now been converted into the towns' cultural centre, library and municipal school of music:
Centre de Cultura Can Gelabert
Portella, s/n
07350
Binissalem
Telephone: +34 971 870 486

The other was Llorenç Villalonga who was the author of the novel "Mort de Dama" or "Death of Drama" and was undoubtedly inspired by the people and landscapes around Binissalem. His residence in the town is a typical Majorcan building, known as Can Sabater, that now houses the Foundation House Museum Llorenç Villalonga at:
C/ de Bonaire, 25
07350
Binissalem
Telephone: +34 971 886 014
The Foundation is jointly managed by members of the Consell de Mallorca, the University of Balearic Islands, and the Binissalem Town Hall. For further information about the work of the Foundation their web site can be found at:
www.cmvillalonga.org

Other than fiesta time, nightlife here as you would expect is very subdued. The locals spend the evenings at the local café/bar in the town’s main square, and are quite content to sit and talk and watch to world go by. The “busy” day of the week here is the Friday morning produce market that takes place in Plaza de l'Esglèsia, when the local farmers fill the town square with their numerous stalls. As with all markets on the island, it tends to start early at around 8.00am, and finishes just after 1pm before the heat of the day really sets in.

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