Mercat Olivar walking tour

A Mercat Olivar walking tour in Palma is the perfect way to while away a few hours in Palma.

Albert Bouzas of Mallorca Cultural Tours is the perfect choice of guide and a font of knowledge.

From the moment we met at Mercat de l´Olivar, I knew I would learn a lot and laugh a lot. With his depth of knowledge Albert takes his audience on an unforgettable journey through Palma´s heritage with his gastronomic and cultural tours.

Mercat de l´Olivar ( taking its name from a 16th century Convent which stood on this spot) which I know well from shopping visits but which I had never really stopped to find out more about has, as I have learned from Albert, been at the very heart of city life in Palma for over 60 years.

The impressive building dates back to 1951. Prior to this all markets in Palma were street markets without a permanent home. But in the middle of the 20th century, in the interests of progress and protection from the weather, it was decided that traders should be brought together under one roof. In fact it was such a novelty at first that for many years traders still hung around the entrance and would not venture inside!

Thanks to the Mercat,more than a hundred shopkeepers now sell their fresh produce under one roof. It was only in more recent years that a dining element was introduced with the appearance of cafes and tapas bars and now of course sushi bars which would have been unthinkable 10 years or more ago. The Mercat is now a gastronomic venue in its own right.

The Mercat is of course all about food and its place at the centre of Mallorcan life and culture. As you stroll around, Albert will talk you through the history and heritage of olive oil production, wine production and almond production etc on the island and will tell you the truth about sobrassada; the Sicilians had it first!

Albert will also talk you through the different type of Mallorcan bread from the `pan moreno´ (the brown bread of the countryside) to the `llonguet ´ (the white bread rolls popular in the city of Palma). Indeed residents of Palma are referred to as` llonguets´ by their country brethren for their softer taste in bread!

To complete the tour, and if you have time, Albert will delight in taking you outside and through the streets of Palma to tell you more about the history of the city and the long tradition of public markets in the capital of Mallorca.

Of course you may also choose to find out more about the city on one of his many other walking tours, Mallorca Cultural Tours  or indeed about different places on the island as his tours can be tailored to your interests.

I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. It was a fascinating journey of tastes and senses.

So if you would like to get under the skin of the island and find out more, then just click the link below…

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