On Wednesday, President Marga Prohens stated that "the Balearic Islands have reached their limit". The regional government, she added, recognises that there cannot be further growth. She will, therefore, be establishing "open spaces" for dialogue in order to effect a transformation of the islands' tourism model. Prohens was responding to media questions about protests being planned in the Balearics against tourist overcrowding and about the congestion in places such as Soller, where there has already been a protest and residents have called on the town hall to limit the entry of vehicles. The ..read more

Around 10pm on Tuesday, Aemet put the whole of Mallorca on yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms overnight Tuesday. There was some rain for most of the island, with the heaviest (which wasn't that heavy) having been confined to the southwest and to the southern Tramuntana. The cloud took rather longer to clear on Wednesday than had been forecast, but once it did, the skies were clear, which is how they are expected to be on Thursday. An anticyclone is now dominating, and clear skies should mostly prevail until Saturday. On Sunday, cloud is being forecast (very low risk of any rain), with a h ..read more

This place has been on my list of places to go to for quite a while, following a close friend´s recommendation. It stuck in my mind as “one of a few restaurants in Magalluf open all year round”. When I finally got there, I was – first of all - pleasantly surprised by the interior. The place looked expensive, yet cosy. It had class. I was drawn to a historical piece of equipment, a beautiful cutting machine from the 1930s, expertly restored and displayed like a piece of art in a museum. The staff was well mannered and friendly from the first eye contact to the last goodbye. I instantly felt tha ..read more

Picking up on a report in The Mirror, Spanish paper 20 Minutos has been talking to British holidaymakers in Magalluf who are said to be outraged at the price of alcohol. One of the holidaymakers stated: "Seems to me we won't be coming back. This is the last time we pay 12 euros for a large white wine." It's not just the price. There is less in a glass than used to be the case. The amount of alcohol being served is "ridiculous". "Before, they filled the glass up to three-quarters with gin, now it's less than half." The Mirror spoke to a pub manager in Magalluf who reckoned that people aren't dr ..read more

National Police in Palma have arrested a woman for abandoning her daughter on several occasions. The UFAM (Family and Women's Care Unit) initiated an investigation into the crime of minor abandonment after the child was discovered wandering alone on public roads on two separate occasions. Subsequent confirmation that this wasn't an isolated incident led to the arrest of the suspect. While conducting preventive duties in the Poligono de Llevant, a patrol encountered the girl and accompanied her home. En route, a neighbor informed the officers of the girl's mother's whereabouts. The mother repor ..read more

On Wednesday, there was a presentation for what will be the first congress on tourism to be held by the Civil Society Forum in Mallorca; it will be on June 26. Jaume Garau of the Palma XXI association said. "There is a general feeling that we've gone too far and have to turn back." The congress, it was explained, will encourage social debate about the sustainability of tourism. Even before the high season, it was noted, there are numerous indications of overcrowding in Mallorca. An aim of the forum and of the congress is to draw up a strategy for a sustainable tourism model that is compatible ..read more

The town hall's Sala Magna in Soller found itself inadequate on Tuesday evening to accommodate over 100 residents comprising SOS Sóller, a platform advocating for solutions to parking shortages and access overcrowding. During the meeting with Mayor Miquel Nadal and Mobility Councillor Josep Porcel, the platform pressed for "immediate solutions" and urged the implementation of effective measures "within a maximum of three weeks." Residents presented a manifesto, emphasising their demand for parking spaces to be allocated exclusively to residents rather than tourists. This sentiment resonated st ..read more

The anticipation of potential delays and queues at Eurotunnel terminals due to the new EU travel system in October has been downplayed by the head of Eurotunnel, offering reassurance to travelers, including those embarking on the adventurous journey from the UK to Mallorca. With the requirement for Britons traveling to and from the continent to register fingerprints and a photo at the border, concerns have arisen regarding possible disruptions. However, Yann Leriche, the chief executive of Eurotunnel operator Getlink, has sought to ease these worries. He suggests that while Le Shuttle journeys ..read more

A car flipped over this morning while driving on the Inca motorway (Ma-13) after skidding off the road, according to the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), which is not aware of any serious injuries. The accident took place at around 8.15am, at kilometre 9.7, at the height of Santa Maria, approximately. The car involved ran off the road, but no other cars were seen to be involved. The accident, however, generated a significant traffic hold-up on the motorway, in addition to the usual traffic at this time of day. Unfortunately, this was not the only accident reported on Mallorca's roads on W ..read more

The contentious Balearic government decree by which a planning amnesty will be offered for buildings on so-called rustic land may well result in an increase in the number of properties on this type of land that are for holiday rental. The administrative simplification decree, expected to be approved later this month, will establish that a restriction on legalised properties being made available for holiday rental will be temporary. All indications are that the period will be five years. Under tourism legislation introduced by the previous administration, a home for holiday rental must be at le ..read more