The Best Time to Visit Alcúdia
Alcúdia is a beautiful Mallorca town on the north of the island that is perhaps most famous for its mediaeval-style town walls. It’s one of the biggest hubs for tourism in this area and is an incredibly popular place to stay, with plenty of great attractions only a short distance away as well as lots to see and do within the town itself.
If you’re planning a visit to Alcúdia, you’ll likely be considering when the best time to visit is. Here’s our month-by-month guide to when to stay in Alcúdia and some of the key events to look out for.
January
Whilst January is the coldest month in Mallorca, temperatures never get uncomfortably cold, with average highs of around 14°C. You can expect some rainfall on around half the days of the month, with showers tending to be relatively light and short-lived.
Alcúdia will be very quiet in January as it’s not a popular month for tourists to visit. This does mean that prices for accommodation and flights are much cheaper than usual however, the mild weather makes it a great time for sightseeing or cultural trips to museums and galleries.
Key Events
5th January – Cavalcada dels Reis Mags
In Spain, the most important Christmas celebrations take place on Epiphany, the 6th of January, which tends to be when Christmas presents are exchanged. On the eve of this day, the arrival of the Three Kings is celebrated with a procession through many of the towns in Portugal, including Alcúdia.
From the end of January and throughout February, Mallorca’s countryside comes alive with the white-pink flowers of the almond blossom trees. There are more almond trees in Mallorca than there are tourists in the peak season, with over 7 million of the beautiful species found across the island.
The sight and scent often attract out-of-season visitors who flock to see the floral sensation. Coupled with the mild weather with average temperatures of 16°C in February, the almond blossom season is also a great time to visit to take advantage of the many hiking and walking routes that are on offer that start or finish in or around the town of Pollensa.
February
February is still part of the winter season in Mallorca, so you shouldn’t get your hopes up about enjoying particularly toasty temperatures. Average highs are still around 14°C, but the days do start to stay lighter for longer which is good news if you’re visiting and want to stay out and about.
Towards the end of February, the weather will start to become much milder, making this a lovely time to visit if you want to hike around Alcúdia. It will also be very quiet in terms of tourism, which is ideal if you like your holiday destinations to feel as authentic as possible.
March
March is one of the best months of the year to plan an active holiday in Alcúdia, as it’s still cool enough to enjoy staying outdoors all day, there’s an average of 7 hours of sunshine and Mallorca still isn’t particularly busy with tourists. Hiking and cycling are great ways to explore the area around the town and also appreciate the changes in nature as spring starts to arrive across the island, reflected in the daily high temperatures of around 17°C.
April
April is the first month where Mallorca starts to get busy with holidaymakers, and as one of the most popular tourist hubs, Alcúdia begins to see more and more visitors. There’s the biggest spike in tourism over the Easter weekend, but with most big events happening in places like Palma on the island, staying somewhere smaller like Alcúdia means that things won’t feel as busy.
The weather also starts to properly improve in April, with average temperatures reaching 19°C and 9 hours of sunshine each day.
Key Events
Semana Santa
Semana Santa is the Spanish version of Holy Week, which is the Christian celebration of Easter. The celebrations begin on Palm Sunday and continue throughout the week, with a parade usually held on Good Friday to mark the occasion of Christ’s crucifixion. Special church services are held across the island on Easter Sunday, and whilst the major celebrations on the island take place in Palma, you can still expect Alcúdia to be busier across the week.
Easter falls at a different time each year, and whilst Holy Week usually takes place in April it can sometimes also happen at the end of March or the very beginning of May.
Nautical and Cuttlefish Gastronomic Fair
If you’re a fan of seafood then the annual Nautical and Cuttlefish Gastronomic Fair will certainly be a highlight of visiting Alcúdia in April. Held in the Paseo Maritímo in Port d’Alcúdia, vendors and representatives from the nautical industry from across the island come to serve a wide range of cuisine, along with stalls from businesses advertising their products and services. If the weather is good, it’s a great day out for all ages.
May
Summer begins in Alcúdia in May, with only 9 days of rain throughout the month and temperatures reaching up to 23°C. It’s the last month for a while when the town won’t be overflowing with tourists, as June – September is the busiest time of the year, so May is a great month to visit Alcúdia if you want to enjoy the town and it’s attractions in warm weather but don’t want to deal with peak season prices and queues.
June
June is a brilliant month to visit Mallorca for an early summer holiday, and Alcúdia is a great place to stay if you want to be close to places like Pollensa and Puerto Pollensa but also want to enjoy the experience of staying somewhere a little quieter and more relaxed.
It starts to really get hot during the day in June, with average high temperatures of
27°C which only really drops down to 16°C at night. There are 11 hours of sunshine each day and the sea in Port d’Alcúdia is 21°C, making it a great time for the first dip of the summer!
Key Events
24th June – San Joan
The Christian figure of Saint John the Baptist is honoured each year across Spain and Mallorca with celebrations on the eve of his holy day, the 24th of June. On the evening of the 23rd, there are traditionally beach parties across the island that involve bonfires and barbecues, with people dressed up as correfocs (fire runs) to commemorate the occasion. There is a tradition of swimming in the sea once it gets to midnight, but as long as you at least get your feet wet, you’ll have partaken in the event.
29th June – Fiesta of Sant Pere
Sant Pere, or Saint Peter, is the patron saint of fishermen whose special day is celebrated on the 29th of June. in Port d’Alcúdia, a week-long festival takes place in honour of the occasion and the coastal town’s connection with the fishing industry.
The celebrations begin on the evening of the 29th with a parade on land and then out into the sea, culminating in a fireworks display. There is a range of other local events throughout the following week, including more parades, live music and dance performances, and food markets.
July
July is the first of the two busiest months of the year in Alcúdia, with most of the tourists to the area coming and staying during the school summer holidays. It will be busy if you plan to visit at this time, but with high temperatures of 29°C, only 4 days of rain and lots of exciting local events, it’s an ideal time for an exciting summer holiday.
Key Events
2nd July – Festes de la Mare de Déu de la Victòria
The Festival of the Virgin of Victory is celebrated in Alcúdia on the 1st and 2nd of July, with celebrations beginning with races near the local chapel. There are usually parties in the evening, where traditional ‘balls de bot’ dancing is common.
On the second of July, which is the official day of the Virgen de la Victoria, fireworks are set off from the centre of Alcúdia in the early morning and a live band travels around the streets playing music to wake up the local people. There’s a special church service held in honour of the Virgin of Victory, to whom chamomile flowers are traditionally given.
25th July – Sant Jaume
The patron saint of Alcúdia is Sant Jaume who is celebrated in the town on the 25th of July each year. In the week leading up to the day there are live music, dance and theatrical performances held around the town, as well as parties and gatherings with plenty of excellent food. Sant Jaume is honoured on the 25th with a special church service, and the town tends to be particularly busy in the days leading up to this event.
August
Temperatures reach their peak in August in Alcúdia, with daily highs of 30°C that rarely drop below 19°C at night. Again, this is a very busy month in terms of tourism, but there’s also lots going on in and around the town and it’s one of the best times of the year for trips to the beach because the weather is so warm.
Key Events
24th August – The Festival of Lanterns
Festa de Les Lanternes is one of the best-known annual events in Alcúdia. On the 24th of August, Sant Bartomeu is honoured with a procession by the young people of the town holding lanterns which are often handmade from hollowed-out melons. This parade is usually accompanied by singing, and the rest of the people in the town will come and stand outside to watch the parade.
There also tend to be performances and workshops held in the days before the festival, and it’s a great event to experience if you’ve got children travelling to Mallorca with you.
September
If you’d like to visit Alcúdia when it’s hot but don’t want to plan a holiday in the middle of the peak season for tourism. September is a wonderful time to visit. You can still enjoy highs of 26°C and very little rain, which is great if you want to visit the beach, explore the town or get out into the countryside, but towards the end of the month in particular it will start to get less busy, perfect for travellers that like a slower-paced trip.
October
October is the last month of the tourism season in Mallorca, so you may find that some attractions and restaurants in Alcúdia start operating on reduced hours or even close for the winter towards the end of the month. The likelihood of rain around the area is higher in October but the weather is still quite warm, with average highs of 23°C, so if you like hiking or cycling then this may be an ideal time to visit.
Key Events
Fira d’Alcúdia
The Autumn fair in Alcúdia is known as ‘Fira d’Alcúdia’ and celebrates agriculture and arts from around the town. This usually takes place over the first weekend of October and is a great chance to sample and buy a range of local products, from food to crafts and even clothing.
On the Saturday of the fair, a parade of ‘giants’ known as ‘S’Estol del Rei en Jaume’ takes place which involves people wearing giant heads that represent popular Mallorcan characters. It’s a great event that makes October a brilliant month to visit the island, even though it’s in the off-season for tourism.
November
There’s not much happening in Alcúdia in November, but if you’re looking for a really quiet time to visit the town then this is the ideal month to come and stay. As the winter approaches the weather gets cooler and wetter, but if you’re looking for a really relaxing time to come and stay in Mallorca then you can enjoy exploring the town, walking around the local area and relaxing in your accommodation as some of the only tourists in the area at this time.
December
Alcúdia gets a little busier in December because of people coming to Mallorca on their Christmas holidays, but it’s still the off-season for tourism which is reflected in prices for travel and accommodation and the number of other visitors you’ll see around the town. The main Christmas celebrations in Spain happen at the start of January, so whilst there will be events on the 25th and for New Year, it’s a nice place to stay if you’d prefer your festive celebrations to be relaxed and low-key.
Summary
Alcúdia isn’t as busy as some of Mallorca’s other popular towns in terms of annual events, but it’s still a great place to visit with lots of history and cultural activities. Whether you’re enjoying the varied landscapes around the town, relaxing on the nearby beach or doing some serious historic sightseeing, you can enjoy a classic Mediterranean climate from early spring to the end of autumn and make the most of being an easy drive from some of the island’s other famous resort towns.
If you’re planning a visit to Alcúdia and are looking for somewhere to stay in the area, Vida Villas has a fantastic selection of accommodation to choose from. Browse our selection here, or get in touch and talk to our team about what you’re looking for.