Traditional festivities

The patron saint festivities of Menorca have become an attraction for visitors to the island. The festivities of Menorca are of centenary tradition that have their origin in the Festivities of San Juan, which have been celebrated in Ciutadella since the 14th century. 

The main protagonist of the festivities is the Menorcan horse. The caixers (riders) ride their horses through the streets of the village, until once they are all gathered together, the traditional “jaleo” or “caragols” is held.

In the “jaleo” the “caixers” enter the town square and pass through the crowd demonstrating their skills and making the horses jump, showing all their power and nobility "dancing" to the rhythm of the typical songs of thesefestivities.

The typical drink of the festivities in Menorca is the "pomada", which is a mixture of Menorcan gin andlemonade.

Useful information and tips

Respect: The local people live their festivities with a lot of feeling and respect.

All of them have very deep-rooted protocols and customs. They are very special days for the local people. Visitors are always welcome as long as they show respect for the popular customs and traditions.

Caution: The horses are very well trained and generally very noble. However, you should always take precautions and inform yourself about the areas where there are horses, especially if you are traveling withchildren.

Shoes: For the more daring who want to participate in the ruckus, it is essential to wear sports shoes or at leastclosed shoes.

Horses: Horses may be petted. In the “jaleo” you must never stand in front of the horse and in no case touch the reins or disturb the  “caixer” (rider).

Jaleobus: A special bus service is available during the festivities.