Majorca Mallorca

Happy New Year, and welcome back to the Mallorca Mallorca Podcast. This week, Soller Shirley joins Vicki in the studio for a wide-ranging winter chat, starting with festive downtime, sea walks, and why the quiet season can be the most grounding time to live in Mallorca.
From there, we dive into one of the island’s most loved winter traditions, Sant Antoni in Sóller, from bonfires and barbecues to demonis, the blessing of the animals, and the surprisingly surreal horse races that take place right in the middle of town.
Along the way, the conversation moves into something deeper too, the difference between the postcard version of Mallorca and the year-round reality, the cost of living, subsidies, and the voices we do not always hear, especially from the immigrant communities who keep the island running.
And yes, there’s a delicious detour into Bhukkad Boca, the new Punjabi and South African-inspired neighbourhood bar in Palma.
What you’ll hear about
The joy of the “between Christmas and New Year” quiet days
Winter rituals, sea walks, slow season routines, and the comfort of familiarity
Why Repic and Port de Sóller feel like a safe place
What belonging really means when you live here year-round
Sant Antoni in Sóller, what happens, when, and where
Bonfires, demonis, barbecues, and why it still feels joyful and free
The blessing of the animals (and why you should wear red)
Horse races in the town car park, and how surreal that feels
The bus culture of fiestas (and why younger locals love it)
Cost of living, subsidies, and what a “voucher world” looks like
A personal story that brings the conversation back to gratitude and perspective
Desi pubs in the UK, and how communities reshape culture over time
Bhukkad Boca in Palma, a new opening with big neighbourhood energy

Places and mentions
Sóller
Port de Sóller
Repic
La Huerta (Sóller)
Sant Antoni (Mallorca)
Sant Sebastià (Palma)
Bhukkad Boca (Son Armadams, Palma)
Merchants (Palma)
Tom Brown’s (Palmanova)

Quote highlights

Vicki sits down with Maya Flynn, a Poland-born health practitioner who lived in Ireland before moving to Mallorca. Maya shares how her own health journey, from low thyroid and fatigue to digestive issues, led her into naturopathic nutritional therapy and functional medicine.
Together they unpack why symptoms are often signals, not the real problem, why the body is individual, and how lifestyle, environment, digestion, and stress all shape how we feel. They also discuss the difference between folklore wisdom and modern science, and why the best results often come from using both.
Vicki brings a real-world question to the table too, a skin antioxidant test result that made no sense on paper. Maya explains how nutrients are prioritised in the body, why absorption matters as much as intake, and why context always wins in nutrition.
Finally, Maya shares details of her new Mallorca workshop series, Food as Medicine, starting 24 January, a ten-session community experience designed to cut through misinformation, build food confidence, and help people understand their own bodies with practical tools, not perfection.
What you’ll hear about
Maya’s move from Poland to Ireland, then Mallorca
Why “healthy” diets do not work the same for everyone
Functional medicine, what it is, and why people seek it out
Common issues clients bring, acne, bloating, itching, allergies, hormone shifts, perimenopause
Why symptoms are not the disease, they are signals
Ancient wisdom vs modern science, and why both can be useful
Time, routines, and why simple, repeatable meals matter
The updated US food pyramid and what it could mean in practice
Antioxidants, beta-carotene, absorption, and why fats matter
How Maya works with clients, questionnaires, photos, consultations, tests, and support options
Organic vs non-organic, and the “level up, not perfection” approach
Maya’s Food as Medicine series in Santa Catalina, Palma, and what each module covers

Food as Medicine series, key details
Starts: 24 January
Format: 10 Saturdays (you can join single sessions, or bundles of 5 or 10)
Session length: 2.5 hours, with a brunch break
Location: Santa Catalina, Palma (at Cintina)
Language: English
Sign-up: via Maya’s website (Food as Medicine tab)

Modules mentioned

Food writer and Restaurant Week organiser Mia Naprta joins Vic and Ollie for a fast, funny, very hungry catch up on what she’s been eating around Mallorca, plus the places she’s most excited about right now.
They talk winter comfort food, Croatian Christmas traditions, Palma’s stand out lunch menus, tapas worth the splurge, and why first impressions matter so much when a new venue opens. You will also hear about a few lesser known neighbourhood favourites and how Mallorca’s food scene is expanding far beyond the classics.
In this episode, we cover
Why some Croatians celebrate Christmas on 7 January, and what a Croatian Christmas table looks like
The dishes Mia misses and the soups she is cooking at home this winter
Adrian Quetglas (Palma), a lunch menu that feels like a treat without going overboard
Bazar (Palma) for elevated tapas and generous set menus
A “vermouth show” bar, and why Palma is at its best when it gets a bit weird
Merchants (Palma) and their winter afternoon tea experience
A new opening: Bhukkad Boca, an Indian inspired cafe near Bellver Castle
Mango Beach, Colombian comfort food and a sugar cane based drink worth trying
Restaurant Week Mallorca, and how restaurants can get involved
A birthday spa day at La Residencia, including an ice bath moment

Places mentioned
Adrian Quetglas, Palma
Bazar, Palma
Merchants, Palma
Bhukkad Boca, Palma (near Bellver)
Mango Beach, Palma (Son Gotleu area)
Iroko, Palma (near Hotel Zel)
La Residencia, Deià
Connected Mallorca (events)

People and projects

Vicki McLeod and Oliver Neilson kick off the year from their “stationery cupboard studio” to recap 2025 with three standout moments each, a mix of uplifting local stories, celebrity chaos, and one beloved Mallorca project that did not quite survive.
In this episode
A new “studio” setup, and why January in Mallorca feels like a long, lovely exhale, thanks to puente days and slow returns to work
2025 pick 1: Otillie Quince, transplant athlete and relentlessly positive force, expanding her bike shop and winning again at the Transplant Games
2025 pick 1: Justin Bieber in Port d’Andratx, the reality of fame, crowds outside Nacra, and Vicki’s accidental viral “Beliebers” moment
2025 pick 2: Kanye West and Pueblo Espanyol, and the scramble to help Drag Brunch find a venue after a sudden complex takeover
2025 pick 2: The Disgusting Food Museum in Palma, what it was like to try the samples, why it was a great idea, and the disappointment of its closure
2025 pick 3: Nick Brown, the Palma walking tour expert who refuses tips and encourages donations to local charities instead
2025 pick 3: Luna Fluxà Cross, Mallorca’s rising motorsport talent, her Mercedes programme, and the step up into Spanish Formula 4
A quick note on 2026 intentions: consistency, community, and staying focused on what’s good about Mallorca

Names and places mentioned
Otillie Quince, OQ Service Course (Pollença), Port d’Andratx, Nacra, Cala Llamp, Gran Folies, Poble Espanyol, Disgusting Food Museum (Palma), ABTA conference (Magaluf), Simon Calder, Nick Brown (Palma walks), Luna Fluxà Cross, Spanish Formula 4
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