Olives are the lifeblood of many Mediterranean countries and Majorca is no exception. There are more than 200,000 trees on the island and Caimari is at the centre of one of the busiest olive growing regions, which is why it is the perfect place for the Olive Fair, which is being held this year from 16-17 November.
Caimari Olive Fair, Majorca
The village really makes a special effort for this weekend – although there are other events in the run-up to the two main days – and the main square is laid with olive leaves and the whole place is decorated with olive branches. There are stalls set up selling all kinds of local produce – but mostly olives, obviously – and tasting is positively encouraged! The horse-power olive press is in use for the whole festival and this is really something you don’t see every day – cameras are a must.
Caimari is in a lovely setting in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains and is always worth a visit, even when nothing is going on, but for this one weekend a year it is doubly magical.
A look around the area and a previous year’s Caimari Olive Fair:
How to get there:
Majorca is popular with British tourists all year round as well as being home to many ex-pats so there are frequent flights from London and other airports. If you want your arrival there to be a little more leisurely, there are also ferries from Valencia and Barcelona. Just have a look online on sites like First Choice for options to Majorca.
Palma airport is only 17 miles from Caimari and with flights of sometimes under two hours, you can be there in less than half a day, even allowing for security requirements, so it is very much a place where you can just hop over to when the fit takes you – and the olive festival is a very good reason to visit.
Fun for foodies:
This is very much a foodies’ fair, with no loud music or fairground rides to spoil the tranquillity. There is a whole range of foods to enjoy, not just olives and olive oil – the oil does come in a remarkable range of flavours, though, so you may never find yourself moving on to the famous Majorcan sausage Sobradassa.
If you choose the spicy sausage you are in good company – it is the favourite treat of the King of Spain. If you feel like a drink, then you must try one of the local wines on offer, or heirbas, a liqueur made from mountain herbs and which offers quite a potent kick hidden under its smooth taste. There are also local cakes and pastries on offer and altogether this festival is a calm and peaceful foodie interlude in November which will chase those grey skies away.
There are pony rides for the children if you are planning this as a family getaway, but actually this is very much a grown-up kind of event – chatting with the locals about the thing they do best – grow olives – is a very pleasant way to spend a couple of days and the food is some of the best you will ever taste.