Majorca Mallorca

After a bit of a break, Vicki and Oliver are back behind the microphones.

In this episode they discuss the latest developments in Mallorca, including new direct flights from Canada and Abu Dhabi, why cycling tourism continues to be so important to the island, the evolution of Mallorca Live Festival, the upcoming San Juan celebrations, and the tragic fire at the Trianon 2 apartment block in Magaluf.

It's a relaxed catch-up covering life, tourism, events and current affairs on the island.

Topics covered include:

• New routes from Montreal and Abu Dhabi
• Growing long-haul connections to the island
• How global events are influencing travel patterns
• Why Mallorca continues to attract visitors from around the world

• Why Mallorca remains one of the world's most popular cycling destinations
• The economic impact of cycling tourism
• How shoulder-season visitors help local businesses
• The benefits and frustrations cyclists bring to the island

• A more international visitor profile
• The rise of luxury tourism
• New food and dining options
• Why Mallorca now attracts some of the world's wealthiest visitors

• What happened at the apartment block in Torrenova
• The impact on residents and families
• Questions around building safety and fire prevention
• Why the tragedy may prompt wider discussions about older residential buildings on the island

• First impressions of this year's event
• Improvements to transport and organisation
• Food, drinks and facilities
• Upcoming concerts and summer events

• Mallorca's magical midsummer celebration
• Night swimming, candles and traditions
• Why it's one of the island's most unique nights of the year

Plus, a few celebrity sightings, a discussion about tourism trends, and a reminder of some of the fantastic guests already featured on the podcast.

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Gastro journalist Mia Naprta is back in studio (with a special guest appearance from Bert the dog) to tell us where she has been eating since we last saw her knee-deep in Restaurant Week. This episode covers the full spectrum of Mallorca's food scene: tapas at the two-Michelin-star Cap Vermell resort, a wine tasting at Richard Branson's Son Bunyola estate, Nikki Beach's season opening, and a data-driven marketing company that is changing how restaurants fill tables. But Mia's heart belongs to the village restaurants too: paella in Fornalutx for forty euros with mountain views, and lechona at a demon-themed spot in Algaida where they leave the bottle on the table. Plus: Palma Boat Show tips, what is coming up in May, and why Mia adopted herself out of corporate London.

Mia Naprta is a gastro journalist and food writer based in Mallorca. Originally from Croatia, she spent years in corporate London before moving to the island and building a career covering Mallorca's food and hospitality scene. She writes for local publications, is part of the Restaurant Week Mallorca team, and can be found on Instagram @mianaprta.

• Restaurant Week Mallorca: 52 restaurants in 2026, plans for 40 next year, possible expansion to Ibiza and Barcelona
• Anna Potus and Juan Fran: Restaurant Week co-organisers
• Nelson (photographer) and Mars (social media): the RW team
• DS Hospitality: Alex Czerveni and Alosha, data-driven restaurant marketing, 8-12x ROI
• Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, Capdepera: Bravo tapas restaurant, Woro (2 Michelin stars)
• Son Bunyola (Richard Branson): recovered Malvasia wine, 700 bottles first vintage
• Castillo San Vida: new restaurant Esbalco opening
• Nikki Beach Mallorca: chef Alex, pistachio cheesecake, Tattinger, Tricyclium bread, Trufad truffles
• Esturo, Fornalutx: paella, fideua, trampo, flan, apple tart, 40 euros/person
• Growing (Mesha) and Ritma by Marciano (Fricky Food) also in Fornalutx
• Cal Dimoni, Algaida: lechona, gato de almendra, arros brut, Licor 43
• Motorworld Palma, Cuber lakes drive
• Palma Boat Show: Mark Fosh / Fosho Aces, Harlequin cocktails, Superyacht Charities fundraiser at Can Eduardo
• Pura Beach Palma opening May 15
• Jumeirah Soller event
• Yala Magaluf: pistachio tiramisu
• Europa restaurant Magaluf: cheap, cheerful, traditional
• Steffi Schulz: Faces of Mallorca book

• 00:00 Intro / Where has Mia been?
• 01:15 Restaurant Week recap: 52 restaurants, what worked
• 03:25 Plans for next year: 40 restaurants, Ibiza, Barcelona
• 06:09 DS Hospitality: data-driven restaurant marketing
• 10:06 Cap Vermell / Bravo: elevated tapas at a Michelin resort
• 14:42 Son Bunyola: Branson, Malvasia, and a wish list interview
• 17:38 Castillo San Vida: Esbalco restaurant opening
• 21:50 Nikki Beach: oysters, truffles, and why the restaurant is the real draw
• 29:30 Esturo, Fornalutx: paella, views, and forty euros
• 35:57 Cal Dimoni, Algaida: demons, lechona, and a bottle left on the table
• 40:13 Palma Boat Show tips
• 47:23 What is coming up for Mia
• 48:23 Mia's story: London to Mallorca

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Oliver sits down with Steve Redfern, former Leicester, England and Sheffield Eagles prop, who seventeen years ago brought six teams to a beach in Mallorca and started what is now one of Europe's biggest beach rugby tournaments. This year's edition had 84 teams, six pitches, more women's teams than men's, and an estimated two million euros flowing into the Magaluf economy over one weekend. Steve talks about the pink card that stops fights, the German team that brings ham and flags, the referees who double as crowd entertainers, and why he has never introduced prize money. Plus: next year's dates are confirmed and bookings are already filling up.

Steve Redfern is a former professional rugby player (Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles) and the founder and organiser of Mallorca Beach Rugby, one of Europe's largest full-contact beach rugby tournaments. He has been running the event on Magaluf beach for 17 years.

• Steve Redfern: Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles (late 70s/80s)
• Retired from playing due to double retina detachment
• Mallorca Beach Rugby: 17 years, started in Santa Ponza, moved to Magaluf year two
• 2026 edition: 84 teams (record), 6 pitches, 5,000-6,000 spectators
• 2027 dates: 1-2 May (opening party 30 April), first UK May bank holiday
• Women's competition: now equal or more teams than men's
• Vets tournament: 12 men's teams, 6 women's teams
• Auburn: women's team from year two, still competing, won trophy this year
• Bremen: German team, 12-13 years attending, tent/flags/ham tradition
• Matthias: Bremen organiser
• Pink card: players must kiss and hug to defuse tension
• Roger Musi Memorial Trophy: named after late Mambo's DJ
• Rules: 5-a-side, rolling subs, 4 mins each way, no scrums/line-outs
• Sponsors: Tom Brown's, Blackbeard's, Crusoe's, Chili Lounge, the Square
• Calvia Council support, Mayor (former Old Toro player) presents prizes
• Pembroke: first team booked for 2027
• Scottish national team once played under a fake name
• Economic impact: estimated two million euros
• Website: mallorcabeachrugby.com
• Luna Radio: where Steve and Oliver first met

• 00:00 Intro / Steve's playing career (Leicester, England, Sheffield Eagles)
• 01:40 The retina detachment that ended his playing days
• 02:28 How Mallorca Beach Rugby started (Italy trip, Magaluf boys' weekend)
• 03:17 Year one in Santa Ponza, year two in Magaluf
• 04:52 From 6 teams to 84: the growth
• 05:18 Rules of beach rugby explained
• 06:13 The social side: rugby players in Magaluf
• 08:27 The pink card: kiss and make up
• 09:04 Why there is no prize money
• 10:19 Women's teams: from one to majority
• 11:50 Vets tournament and diversity of players
• 13:01 Bremen: the German team that defines the spirit
• 14:15 Roger Musi Memorial Trophy
• 14:46 Next year: dates, bookings, and how to enter
• 15:56 Economic impact: 5,000 people, two million euros
• 17:05 Calvia Council and the Mayor
• 18:25 Biggest beach rugby tournament in Europe?
• 19:00 Come and watch: why non-rugby fans love it

https://www.majorcabeachrugby.co.uk/

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In this episode, Vicki McLeod welcomes food writer and Mallorca restaurant reviewer Jan Edwards back to the studio for a wide-ranging conversation about food, restaurants and life on the island.

Jan begins with the new edition of the Chefs(in) guide, a restaurant and cocktail bar guide covering Mallorca and the Balearics, before she and Vicki dive into chef culture, why the restaurant industry can still be difficult for women, and how changing dining habits may make the industry more family-friendly in future.

The conversation moves through new and notable restaurants, including El Bandarra, Selvacha, Shima at Hotel Formentor, Brusca brew pub in Manacor, Blanca Terra winery restaurant near Montuïri, Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí and Ponderosa Beach.

Jan also explains how she approaches restaurant reviews, why she usually pays for her own meals, and why honest, unannounced reviewing matters.

There is also time for wine fairs, the Mallorca 312 traffic problem, Books Uncorked, literary dinners in Valldemossa, restaurant gossip, chef moves, Protur Chef, Reserva Rotana and a mention for Bhukkad Boca.

It is a warm, funny and food-filled episode for anyone who enjoys eating out in Mallorca, or simply likes hearing two women talk honestly about restaurants, real life and where to find the good stuff.

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Jan Edwards returns to the studio

01:30 The new Chefs(in) guide

03:50 Chef culture and restaurant associations

04:40 Why are most chefs men?

07:20 Lunch, dinner and changing dining habits

08:55 Restaurants Jan wants to try

10:45 Shima at Hotel Formentor

11:30 Where to find the Chefs(in) guide

12:10 Sóller restaurants and Tuesday night closures

14:15 Brusca brew pub in Manacor

17:30 Eating out, balance and cheese

18:30 Beer tasting and flights

20:00 Traffic, cyclists and the Pollença wine fair

22:50 Blanca Terra winery restaurant

25:00 Terra Gust and farm-to-table food

27:40 Molí de Sant Rafel in Llubí

28:15 The bee museum in Llubí

30:00 Beef, barbecue and family restaurants

32:35 Why paella is a lunchtime dish

34:30 Ponderosa Beach

36:10 How Jan reviews restaurants

39:30 Books Uncorked

41:00 Literary dinners in Valldemossa

44:25 Andrés Benítez leaves Botànic

46:40 Protur Chef competition

51:30 Reserva Rotana

53:20 Aethos Mallorca in Peguera

55:00 Where to find Jan’s reviews

56:00 Bhukkad Boca recommendation

57:15 Closing thoughts

In this episode, Vicki McLeod sits down with long-time Mallorca resident Justin Jones for a moving and deeply human conversation about life before and after the accident that changed everything.

Justin originally came from George, South Africa, before moving to the UK and later to Mallorca after visiting his brother on the island. What began as a weekend visit soon turned into a new life, first through Balearic Adventures, then through metalwork and Balearic Coating Solutions.

The conversation covers the reality of building a business in Mallorca, the importance of reputation, word of mouth and community, and why the island can be such a rewarding place for people willing to work hard and show up properly.

Justin then speaks openly about the catastrophic car accident that left him with life-changing injuries. He remembers the crash, the rescue, the weeks in a coma, the operations, the hallucinations, the medical decisions, and the people who fought to save his limbs and his future.

He also talks about the emotional aftermath: depression, isolation, dependency, pain, family changes, and the people who kept turning up when he needed them most.

The episode also looks forward. Through a specialist hand trike, Justin has found a new way to move, train and experience Mallorca again. With the support of friends, physiotherapist Tracy Evans, Oliver Neilson and the Six Points community, he is now preparing to take on the Six Points Challenge, raising money for local charities and proving, in his own way, that life can still open new doors.

This is a story about survival, friendship, Mallorca, sport, mental health and the stubborn decision to keep going.

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Welcome to Justin Jones

00:45 Growing up in South Africa

01:40 Moving to the UK

03:20 First visit to Mallorca

04:30 Moving to Mallorca with Marie

05:00 Balearic Adventures and the Zorb years

06:00 Why Mallorca felt familiar after South Africa

07:40 Raising children in Mallorca

10:50 Life and business on the island

12:20 Balearic Metal Projects and Balearic Coating Solutions

14:00 Starting small and building a business

15:15 Reputation, marketing and word of mouth in Mallorca

16:40 The car accident

18:10 Son Espases, coma and life support

19:15 Remembering the impact

22:30 The alternate reality during the coma

25:20 Operations and medical miracles

28:40 What Justin has lost and what may still be possible

31:00 Fighting to keep his limbs

33:30 Tracy Evans and the physiotherapy journey

35:30 Coming home during Covid

36:10 Gratitude, positivity and perspective

37:30 Life after the accident

39:40 Insurance, court and the Spanish system

42:50 Depression and isolation

44:00 Getting out again

45:45 Discovering the hand trike

47:00 Cycling again for the first time

49:00 Meeting Oliver on the road

50:30 Six Points and charity cycling

52:50 Sport, fitness and mental health

55:30 Raising money for local charities

59:30 Advice for anyone struggling

01:00:45 Closing thoughts

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Oliver Neilson talks to Shirley Roberts of Sollerweb about life in Sóller, changing seasons, local fiestas, tourism, traffic, housing, restaurants and the communities that keep the valley alive.

Here is a link to the agenda for the firo on SollerWeb, and make sure you visit back, she writes about life in the valley every day. https://l1nq.com/sr9k8q0

...and if you can't get a wristband for access to the plaza for the final moors and Christians battle, you should be able to watch it on IB3, the Balearics TV channel, here is there YouTube account. https://www.youtube.com/IB3

In this episode, Oliver Neilson is joined by Shirley Roberts, the writer behind Sollerweb and a long-standing voice of the Sóller Valley.

The conversation begins with the change of season in Mallorca, from winter calm to the early signs of summer, and the welcome news that rainfall has helped ease water concerns for the months ahead. Shirley and Oliver discuss why Sóller becomes so busy early in the year, especially with day trippers arriving by train, tram, bus and hire car.

They also look at the practical realities of life in a popular destination: traffic through the tunnel, parking changes, residents’ zones, the role of the Consell, increased bus services and why visitors are best advised to leave the car behind where possible.

The conversation moves through Deià, cycling season, Mallorca 312, the pressures on housing, the realities behind second homes and empty properties, and the often misunderstood relationship between tourism, employment and local life.

A major part of the episode is dedicated to the Firó de Sóller, one of Mallorca’s most dramatic and emotional traditional fiestas. Shirley explains the story of the Moors and Christians, the beach battles, the final battle in the square, the role of the Valentes Dones and the newer children’s Firó, which she describes as unmissable.

Finally, Shirley shares her thoughts on the changing restaurant scene in Sóller and Port de Sóller, from local food and traditional dishes to late lunches, private chefs, takeaways and the island-wide shift in how people are eating out.

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Shirley Roberts returns to the podcast

01:00 Water, rain and the start of the season

02:00 Shirley’s work with the Majorca Daily Bulletin

03:00 Sóller, Port de Sóller, Fornalutx, Biniaraix and Deià

04:00 English-speaking communities and the Anglican Church in Palma

05:30 Winter in Mallorca and the George Sand myth

06:40 Why Sóller is such a popular day trip

08:30 Traffic, the tunnel and the main road into Sóller

10:30 Parking changes, green lines and blue lines

13:00 Port de Sóller improvements and pedestrianisation

15:00 Mallorca 312 and cycling season

18:30 Deià, buses, taxis and getting around

21:30 Second-hand markets and the reality of local incomes

23:00 Housing, second homes and empty properties

28:30 La Huerta, family homes and local life

30:30 The Firó de Sóller explained

33:30 The children’s Firó

35:30 Smoke, gunpowder, pirates and tradition

37:30 Summer changes in Sóller

39:30 Restaurants, late lunches and private chefs

43:30 Local Mallorcan food and where to eat

46:30 Shirley’s restaurant recommendations

49:00 Where to find Sollerweb

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This week on the Majorca Mallorca podcast, Vicki sits down with Glynis German for a conversation about one of life’s few certainties, death.

It may sound like a heavy topic, but this episode is full of warmth, honesty, humour and practical advice. Glynis shares how her background, family life and years in Mallorca led her to become an end-of-life doula, funeral celebrant and host of Death Cafés.

They talk about why death is still such a difficult subject for many people, how grief needs space rather than silence, and why planning ahead can make an enormous difference for families. The conversation also explores what happens when someone dies in Mallorca, why funerals happen so quickly here, what repatriation involves, and why understanding the system matters whether you live on the island or are simply visiting.

Glynis also explains the role of a death doula, the purpose of Death Cafés, and why asking “what matters to you?” can be far more helpful than asking “what’s the matter with you?”

This is a compassionate, fascinating and very human episode about grief, ceremony, community and making peace with difficult conversations.

• Glynis German’s journey from Jamaica and Wales to Mallorca
• Why Mallorca reminds her of Wales
• Her work as a celebrant, funeral celebrant and end-of-life doula
• What a death doula actually does
• Why funerals matter in the grieving process
• How families are becoming more involved in eulogies
• The cultural differences around death in Mallorca
• Why funerals happen so quickly on the island
• The importance of funeral planning, paperwork and insurance
• Repatriation and what happens if someone dies abroad
• What a Death Café is, and what it is not
• Why talking openly about death can be a relief
• Support options in Mallorca for grief, illness and end-of-life care

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Meet Glynis German

01:09 Growing up Jamaican and Welsh

03:11 How Glynis ended up in Mallorca

05:33 Why Mallorca reminds her of Wales

08:03 Life and work on the island

10:53 Becoming an end-of-life doula and celebrant

13:39 Holding space for weddings, funerals and families

16:29 Asking not “what’s the matter?” but “what matters?”

19:41 Why funerals are such an important part of grief

22:01 Memorials, rituals and saying goodbye in different ways

24:45 What happens when someone dies in Mallorca

26:53 Funeral costs, planning and practical realities

32:45 Repatriation, travel insurance and preparing ahead

38:05 Why Glynis was drawn to working with death and dying

42:18 Death Cafés in Mallorca and how they help

47:31 Why these conversations matter for grief and loss

51:01 What a death doula actually does

53:16 An old role returning in a modern form

56:56 Spirituality, grief and finding peace

01:02:21 Advice for anyone feeling anxious about death

01:05:18 How to contact Glynis and find support

01:07:58 Outro

You can get in touch with Glynis here https://glynisgermanfunerals.com/

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A warm, thoughtful conversation with Tara Huber, creator of Deia Unpacked, about life in Deià, the stories that shape a village, and what happens when a place changes from holiday fantasy to real home.

This week’s guest is Tara Huber, host of Deia Unpacked, a podcast devoted to the characters, ideas and voices that give Deià its identity. Tara first came to Mallorca in 1989 and, after years of returning, eventually began spending much more of her life in the village during Covid. Out of that period came Deia Unpacked, a podcast she created in 2021, built around long-form, lightly edited conversations with people connected to Deià and the wider island.

In this episode, Tara reflects on the shock of arriving in Mallorca from late-80s Brooklyn, the beauty of the drive through Valldemossa into the mountains, and the complexity of moving from visitor to resident. She talks honestly about small-village life, the value and danger of gossip, the international make-up of Deià, and the sense that even in a place often caricatured from the outside, there is a very real and supportive community underneath it all.

She also shares how the podcast grew out of grief and reinvention after Covid disrupted her long career in fitness and personal training in Washington DC. What began as a project became a grounding force, and a way of understanding not just the village, but herself.

The conversation also explores the differences between life in America and life in Mallorca, from food culture and healthcare to entrepreneurship, politics and pace of life. Tara speaks with real passion about women’s health, ageing, the freedom that can come after fifty, and why art, conversation and curiosity matter more than ever.

There is also a fascinating section on Regenera Deià, a regeneration project looking at how the village can restore terraces, reduce fire risk, support local agriculture and create an economy that helps people stay rooted in the community.

It is a wide-ranging, funny, thoughtful episode about place, identity, creativity and what it really means to belong somewhere.

You can see more about Tara and her podcast here https://www.deiaunpacked.com/

00:00 Intro to Tara Huber and Deia Unpacked

02:05 First arriving in Deià in 1989

05:19 Holiday Mallorca versus living here

10:21 What village life in Deià is really like

13:45 Brooklyn, New York, and parallels with Deià

15:05 Living between the US and Mallorca

16:54 Tara’s work in fitness and how Covid changed things

17:55 Why she started Deia Unpacked

20:17 Food culture, health and America versus Mallorca

28:52 Washington DC compared with island life

31:50 Politics, entrepreneurship and life in Spain

37:24 Women’s health, HRT and getting older

43:38 Starting the podcast and learning through it

45:44 How Tara chooses her guests

48:46 Who listens to the podcast and where

52:43 Favourite episodes and where to start

54:36 Advice for Americans moving to Mallorca

57:31 “If Deià is Manhattan, Sóller is Brooklyn”

01:00:49 Regenera Deià explained

01:07:03 Why art matters and whether artists should be funded

01:13:26 What’s next for Tara

In this episode, Vicki sits down with Bronwen Griffiths, president of Cancer Support Mallorca, to talk about her remarkable life in Spain and the charity’s work supporting people affected by cancer on the island. Bronwen shares how she moved from the UK to Spain in her twenties, built a life across Menorca and Mallorca, spent decades teaching at Bellver International College, and eventually stepped into one of the island’s most important volunteer roles. Together, they discuss language, belonging, paperwork, healthcare, family life abroad, and why nobody facing cancer in Mallorca should feel they have to do it alone.

What happens when you move to Spain in your twenties for love, build a life on the islands, raise a family, teach generations of children, and then find yourself leading one of Mallorca’s most important charities?

In this episode of Majorca Mallorca, Vicki talks to Bronwen Griffiths, president of Cancer Support Mallorca, about her 50 years in Spain, her life between Menorca and Mallorca, and the work the charity does for people facing cancer far from home.

Bronwen talks about arriving in Spain in a very different era, learning the language from scratch, adapting to island life, and spending 32 years teaching at Bellver International College. She also explains how Cancer Support Mallorca helps patients and families navigate one of the hardest experiences life can throw at them.

They discuss practical support, hospital appointments, translation help, counselling, nutrition, wigs, transport, end of life planning, volunteering, and the realities of private versus public healthcare in Spain. It is a warm, honest and deeply useful conversation for anyone living in Mallorca, especially those who may one day need help, or want to offer it.

In this episode:

• Bronwen’s journey from London to Spain
• Life in Menorca and Mallorca in the 1970s and 80s
• Learning Spanish and finding your place abroad
• 32 years at Bellver International College
• What Cancer Support Mallorca actually does
• Why paperwork matters so much in Spain
• The difference between private and public healthcare in serious illness
• Volunteering, fundraising and community support on the island

Useful links

Cancer Support Mallorca

cancersupportmallorca.com

Contact Cancer Support Mallorca

[email protected]

WhatsApp: +34 659 887 455

Cancer Support Mallorca publicly lists support including patient drop-in centres, emotional support, nutrition advice, translators, transport, practical help, oncology materials and volunteer programmes.

00:00 Intro

04:06 How long Bronwen has been in Spain and Mallorca

04:39 Leaving the UK at 23 after a holiday romance

05:23 Life in Menorca, hotel work and moving around Spain

07:44 Being a young British woman in Menorca in the 1970s

10:08 Learning Spanish and settling into island life

12:08 Leaving teaching in the UK behind

13:20 Family, friendship and community in Spain

16:00 Returning to teaching at Bellver International College

18:27 Retirement, daughters and grandchildren

20:00 Raising bilingual children

22:00 Why making the effort with language matters

25:00 Taking over Cancer Support Mallorca

26:14 How the group began

27:25 What Cancer Support Mallorca actually does

29:21 Nutrition, counselling and buddy support

32:42 Living through cancer and speaking openly about fear

34:00 End of life planning and practical help for families

36:34 Funding, volunteers and how the charity runs

39:53 Hospital drop-in centres and awareness

41:02 Wigs, scarves and support materials

42:11 The art group and knitting group

43:00 Fundraising and the annual walk

46:54 How many patients are being supported now

47:20 Private versus public healthcare in Mallorca

50:00 Why getting your paperwork in order matters

55:00 Helping patients navigate bureaucracy

56:51 The future of the charity and volunteering

58:38 Who volunteers and how the organisation works

01:00:34 Where to find Cancer Support Mallorca

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You can email MM on [email protected]

Oliver sits down with Nick Brown, a regular in the Majorca Mallorca community known for translating complicated rules into plain English, to unpack what is changing at Europe’s borders.

They cover the Entry/Exit System (EES) kiosks and biometrics, how the Schengen 90 days in any 180 days rule actually works, what could cause longer queues at Palma, and the practical stuff people can do to reduce stress when arriving or departing.

They also break down ETIAS, why scam websites are already appearing, and a separate but related headache: the UK’s ETA rules, especially for British dual nationals travelling on non-UK passports.

1. EES is the “at the border” change: biometric registration and electronic tracking replace the old stamp logic for most non-EU short-stay travellers.
2. 90/180 is rolling, no reset: it is not “90 then one day out then 90 again”, it is “are you over 90 of the last 180 days, today?”.
3. Queues may be worse before they are better, especially at busy regional airports in peak season, because first-time registration takes longer and needs staffing.
4. ETIAS is not live yet: the EU’s official position is that it will start in the last quarter of 2026 and travellers do not need to do anything now.
5. UK ETA is now enforced for people who need it, and costs £16 via the official route.
6. Beware paid “application services” and fake sites, especially for ETIAS, since it is not even open yet.

Mentioned in the episode

1. EU official Travel to Europe pages: EES and ETIAS (what they are, and current status)
2. European Commission explainer: EES vs ETIAS differences
3. UK Government guidance: Apply for a UK ETA, cost, what it does and does not do
4. UK Government announcement on ETA enforcement (25 Feb 2026)
5. Banco de Alimentos de Mallorca, donation options (as referenced by Nick)
6. Brits in Spain Facebook page, run by the British Embassy in Madrid (referenced in the discussion)

EU EES (official): https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

EU ETIAS (official): https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

European Commission: EES vs ETIAS explainer: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/ees-vs-etias-main-differences-know-travellers-2026-01-29_en

UK ETA apply (official): https://www.gov.uk/eta

UK ETA enforcement news release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-enforces-digital-permission-to-travel

Banco de Alimentos de Mallorca (donations): https://www.bancodealimentosdemallorca.org/donativos

Brits in Spain (British Embassy Madrid): https://www.facebook.com/BritsInSpain/

....and some links from Nick.

Work out how long you can stay with this spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wTSpknDO0azRvEa_JQvCTJ_W3iMBafySYi9p3i6KvYw/edit?gid=1766127169#gid=1766127169

...help him to help local charities while getting a personally guided tour of Palma from the man himself.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563615153343