St. Peter might be special to fishermen, but the Virgin Carmen is the patron saint of anyone who goes to sea or uses it in any way.

Not surprisingly, most of Port de Sóller’s residents have a connection to the sea. The “Fiesta de Mare de Déu del Carmen”, that takes place every year on July 15, traditionally includes a mass that is well-attended by the local faithful. After the service statues of Carmen are carried to the harbor and loaded onto a flotilla of small boats that leave the port at 9.00 p.m. to sail around the bay to Santa Catalina. Expect to get goosebumps if you’re there – all the power around the bay is cut off while the boats are out on the water, with the only light coming from flares that burn on the beach.

The lights go back on around the port when the procession ends and everyone joins in a big but quiet fiesta, enjoying picknicks and BBQs on the beach.