Mallorca is known as a summer destination. In 2021, the Balearic Islands received over 2.1 million tourists. Beach towns are covered in hotel complexes, holiday apartments, and various tourist amenities. But how about the Mallorcan culture? Who are they, who live on the island all year round, who are those born there? What makes them special and what are some cultural traits?
Sa Pobla is a town/village in the north of Mallorca, inland on the island. Therefore, probably not the most popular tourist destination in Mallorca. The historically important town is, however, the ideal spot to join a local festival and experience the Mallorquin culture authentically.
This blog post gives you an overview of history, language, culture, and especially about life in Sa Pobla. So, come along and escape with me into the true Mallorquin town and get to meet some residents.
The history of Sa Pobla and what shaped the Mallorcan culture?
Sa Pobla translates to The Village.
The beginnings of Sa Pobla actually started in Crextax, a little hill outside of the town center. Crextax comes from Latin and means camp, which was around 123 BC an area occupied by the Romans. The island of Mallorca was conquered over history by various powers, but especially the Arabs and the Roman traces can be seen on the island. In 1715, Mallorca became a part of Spain.
In the mid-19s, Sa Pobla was a popular area to grow wheat, hemp, and beans. The construction of the railway contributed to the modernization of the town. It made the export of their harvest easier. Nowadays Sa Pobla is famous for its potatoes, they get even exported to England.
Mallorquin’s history is also connected to the Hapsburg empire. So, Archduke Louis Salvador, who visited the Balearic Island in the 1860s for the first time, brought tourism to the island. He bought a Miramar Estate in Valldemossa. The contract was signed in a house in Sa Pobla, former mayor Biel, proudly told me the story during our interview. This house is now a retirement home at Plaza Major.
The Archduke explored much of the island and studied its flora, fauna, and culture. Therefore, you can find many sights, streets, or walking trails under his name.
Also, Arab history can be seen in Mallorca, with names of towns for instance, Binissalem, or remains of farm equipment such as sinks and fountains and their names.
Sa Pobla attaches great importance to preserving its history. When you walk through the town, you can find signs with information, including a QR code at important sights, mostly buildings. Those signs tell you about their history. But you can also walk virtually through the town.
The language of Mallorca – Mallorquin or Spanish?
Life in Sa Pobla can be hard if you don’t speak Mallorquin. At least if you want to feel integrated. Mallorcans speak Mallorquin, which is a dialect of Catalan. You can find even differences within Mallorca. People from Sa Pobla have a different dialect than the people of Sineu, for instance. A Dutch guy whom I met while hitchhiking lived several years on the island thinks that the Sa Pobla Mallorquin sounds unappealing. I understand his opinion. Let me explain why: Spanish is a very melodic language. If you mix it with a language such as German, it is less melodic. The Mallorquin language has indeed some German words and lots of harsh sounds. The language definitely evokes dislike but at the same time, interest, at least for me.
What also stands out is that the Mallorquin language likes to shorten words, which makes it intriguing, to me, since the Austrian dialect does the same. Here are a few words or phrases that you can use (English, Spanish, Mallorquin):
- thank you – gracias – gracis
- good night – buenas noches – bona nit
- sorry – perdon – perdo
- a little bit – un poco – un poc
How is life in a Mallorcan village like Sa Pobla?
When you visit Sa Pobla you can see all age groups living in the town. From small kids, teens, and young adults, to 30 up to seniors. Regarding age, this town is very mixed through. Also, it is a very family-friendly town. You can find multiple schools, and not far in Crextax is even an international school.
Although Sa Pobla is considered a very Mallorquin town, it is also home to many immigrants, such as Moroccans or other African nations, Americans, Germans, Swedes, and several other European nations. But most of the minorities in Sa Pobla are Moroccans. You can find their stores in the town selling fruits, veggies, and meat. The Moroccans mostly stay around their peers.
What is life in Sa Pobla – meet the Poblers and Pobleras
The people from Sa Pobla are called Poblers for males and Pobleras for females (the r is silent). During my two and a half months in Sa Pobla, I met various people and from my experience, I can say that they are all very friendly. But because of the language, I felt like the locals like to keep to themselves. It was hard for me to learn about unique cultural traits because I think they’re generally a little closed off, and that kind of reminds me a little of my hometown.
How about Sa Pobla residents talking about their experiences? I interviewed a few people in the town. The main question was about life in Sa Pobla and the description of the culture.
Biel from Sa Pobla
Biel, the former mayor of Sa Pobla is incredibly proud of the town. He gave me a little tour, explaining the history of Sa Pobla and its connection to Austria. As well as information about the major festival, St Antoni. Biel told me that the population of Sa Pobla is increasing. There are a lot of old empty houses in Sa Pobla. Foreigners come and renovate these old houses. Therefore, you can also find a lot of construction companies that specialize in various niches.
Biel answered his own question, “Why are people coming to Sa Pobla and living there?” with “Why not?”. He elaborated more: people who visit Sa Pobla connect with the town. People greet each other on the streets. The people here aren’t closed, they are very open. 50% of people living on the island are not from here, that’s why they aren’t closed-minded. Biel describes the characteristics of the Poblers and Pobleras as very strong, and hard-working, referring to their farming history. Sa Pobla has many restaurants and bars where you can find good affordable food of high quality.
Tiffany from the United States
Tiffany comes from the United States and has been living in Sa Pobla with her small family for about nine months. She and her family chose the town because they were looking for a more affordable place to live in Mallorca before they stayed in Palma. Sa Pobla is convenient because it is along the railway and not too far from the coast. She described the people of Sa Pobla as friendly and the life here is not boring at all. There is always something going on. However, since she does not speak Mallorquin, she finds it difficult to integrate and befriend locals. For her, the things that stand out for the Mallorquin culture are their dances during festivals, and their pride in the culture, which they are happy to share.
If you are new to Mallorca, Tiffany advises you to just go out and visit festivals. Even if you understand nothing, the locals are super friendly. You can also check her Instagram, where she shares her life abroad in Mallorca.
Malena from Sa Pobla
Malena was born in Sa Pobla and thinks that the town has a lot of atmospheres. Sa Pobla is very festive, a town with a lot of cultural festivals. The migration in the town has changed the dynamic in the village a little. Since there is an increase of people from foreign countries moving to Sa Pobla the locals became more open. Malena describes the Mallorquin culture as very traditional. Tourists can experience the culture by either participating in any cultural festival or through traditional food or visiting museums.
Sheila from Scotland
Sheila is originally from Scotland but has been living in Mallorca for 58 years and for 8 years in Sa Pobla with her husband.
She said in another phase of their lives, they wouldn’t be interested in a village life like Sa Pobla. But in this phase of their lives, it is great, the town is calm, everything is nearby, and people are kind and friendly. Sa Pobla has its own charm, as it is not completely touristy.
Sheila says that the Mallorquin culture is connected to dancing and describes it as folkloric, everything relates to food. The history of Mallorca cannot be neglected when it comes to the Mallorquin culture, because that’s what shaped the culture. A lot of people from outside brought their own ideas.
Like Malena, Sheila points out that people are becoming more open-minded through immigration. She said, it takes time to get to know the locals of Sa Pobla but once you are friends with them; they are really good friends. Of course, Mallorquin makes it easier to interact with the locals.
Francesc from Sa Pobla
Francesc was also born in Sa Pobla and lived there all his life. He describes the town life as calm, and he values that everything is close by, for instance, the highways, the sea, restaurants, supermarkets, and service providers. Of course, Sa Pobla does not have the same offers the bigger towns of Manacor or Palma do. However, there are bars and events also in Sa Pobla. Visitors can enjoy the events and the traditional dishes of the island.
Things to do in Sa Pobla, Mallorca
You can enjoy the atmosphere of Sa Pobla by sitting in a café at Plaza Major or strolling through the streets during the weekly market on Sundays. Around Sa Pobla, you can also find various walking and cycling tours. There are maps scattered around town that show you various routes to walk or cycle (these signs have a QR code with which you can download the maps).
You can check out the Albufera near Sa Pobla, it is a protected nature area with ponds and rivers. Especially beautiful next to the coast, north of Can Picafort.
Events of Sa Pobla
In Sa Pobla there is always something to celebrate. During November there was the rice festival. In December, there were various events across town related to Christmas. In summer, the Mallorcan town celebrates the Sant Joan Festival. You can look up the Facebook page of Sa Pobla to know what’s going on or ask about the place of your accommodation. If you are staying in Sa Pobla look for the flyers that are distributed to each house.
Sant Antoni Festival in Sa Pobla
I cannot write a blog post about Sa Pobla without mentioning the huge Sant Antoni festival, which is the biggest annual celebration of the town. This festival is celebrated in many towns in Mallorca. But the event in Sa Pobla is outstanding.
It is definitely a reason to travel to Mallorca during the winter months if you really want to know how a Mallorcan town celebrates. The main celebrations are on the 16th and 17th of January, but it starts after Kings Day on the 7th of January and last till the end of the month.
Saint Antoni most popular Saint in Mallorca or in the Balearians. Was known to overcome his demands with fire. Its celebration dates to the Middle Age. During the Sant Antoni festival in Sa Pobla, you can find bonfires in front of houses, and in the main square pets being blessed, music played, and dances performed. Every town has its own dressed-up demons, dressed and/or colored differently. Here is a video about the festival in 2023. This video is a bit older but gives a great overview of what the celebration looks like:
You can find many other videos that give you a glimpse of the event. By the way, this event is also held in Barcelona in January. Even people from Sa Pobla travel to Barcelona to help organize it.
Do you want to learn more about understanding different cultures? Then this post might be of interest.
The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.
[…] also important to know is that the Sant Antoni festival is organised by people of Sa Pobla, Mallorca. That’s why it also has the name “From Sa Pobla to Garcia”. They organise it in the […]