Island life
Tardeo
It’s our way of making the most of the day. We start around 1:00 PM with beers and a Variat at l'Olivar Market or Santa Catalina, and end up dancing by 8:00 PM. The golden rule: the party starts early so you can be home by midnight (or not). It’s the essence of Palma’s social life: sun, friends, and zero hassle.
Tardeo works best on a Saturday, when Mercat de l'Olivar and Santa Catalina market fill with people who come to shop and stay at the counters: a glass of wine, grilled prawns, oysters or a variat, the bar plate with a bit of everything (meatballs, frit, Russian salad) shared in the middle of the table. The markets open in the morning, Monday to Saturday, so tardeo starts there and then moves to the neighbourhood's terraces.
The classic mistake is turning up late: by 3 pm the market counters are already closing. Start at 1, graze instead of sitting down to a long lunch, and carry on with a vermouth in the streets of Santa Catalina or towards the Paseo Marítimo as the sun goes down. And if you're drinking, leave the car: central Palma has a low emission zone and camera-controlled streets, and on foot or by taxi everything is close.
Frequently asked questions
What is a variat in Mallorca?
A variat is a bar plate for sharing with a bit of everything: meatballs in sauce, frit, Russian salad, squid or whatever the kitchen has that day. In Palma it's the classic partner to a beer or vermouth at midday.
Where do you do tardeo in Palma?
The classic spots are the counters at Mercat de l'Olivar and Santa Catalina market, especially on Saturday at midday, followed by the terraces in the Santa Catalina neighbourhood. Start around 1 pm: the markets close early in the afternoon.
Updated in November 2026