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/

Mallorca Restaurant Week is live, and despite the name, it’s five weeks long.

We’re joined in the studio by Anna Ruiz Alvaro and Mia Narpta, the team behind Mallorca Restaurant Week, to share what’s new for this edition, why the event focuses on the low season, and how it brings together restaurants, producers, hotels, and partners across the island.

We talk about:

1. When it runs, and why the timing matters
2. How restaurants are chosen, beyond Michelin stars
3. The local produce commitment, and why it’s part of the point
4. What you can book, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails
5. How feedback leads to end of event recognitions
6. A few suggestions to get you started, from Japanese spots to veggie picks

Book through the official site and explore the list of restaurants and menus. Links are in the show notes.

Guests

1. Anna Ruiz Alvaro, Mallorca Restaurant Week
2. Mia Narpta, Mallorca Restaurant Week

What you’ll hear

1. Mallorca Restaurant Week starts now and runs until 31 March, with a closing party on 30 March at Tabana
2. Over 50 restaurants participating, with more joining during the run
3. Why it’s designed for low season, to support restaurants and extend the season
4. The focus on local produce and the island’s food ecosystem
5. How booking works, and how feedback is collected
6. Names mentioned in conversation include Mark Fosh, Voro, DINS Santi Taura, Adrián Quetglas, Andreu Genestra, Aromata, and others

Mentions from the conversation

1. Restaurant Week website: restaurant-week.es
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurantweekes/

MallorcaRestaurantWeek, RestaurantWeekMallorca, PalmaDeMallorca, MallorcaFood, MallorcaRestaurants, MallorcaLife, EatLocalMallorca, Km0, SlowFoodMallorca, VisitMallorca, FoodiesMallorca, PalmaFood

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.

1. The joy of the “between Christmas and New Year” quiet days
2. Winter rituals, sea walks, slow season routines, and the comfort of familiarity
3. Why Repic and Port de Sóller feel like a safe place
4. What belonging really means when you live here year-round
5. Sant Antoni in Sóller, what happens, when, and where
6. Bonfires, demonis, barbecues, and why it still feels joyful and free
7. The blessing of the animals (and why you should wear red)
8. Horse races in the town car park, and how surreal that feels
9. The bus culture of fiestas (and why younger locals love it)
10. Cost of living, subsidies, and what a “voucher world” looks like
11. A personal story that brings the conversation back to gratitude and perspective
12. Desi pubs in the UK, and how communities reshape culture over time
13. Bhukkad Boca in Palma, a new opening with big neighbourhood energy

1. Sóller
2. Port de Sóller
3. Repic
4. La Huerta (Sóller)
5. Sant Antoni (Mallorca)
6. Sant Sebastià (Palma)
7. Bhukkad Boca (Son Armadams, Palma)
8. Merchants (Palma)
9. Tom Brown’s (Palmanova)

1. “I love that week where you don’t know what day it is, you can just mooch about in your pyjamas.”
2. “The sea is definitely my safe place.”
3. “Everywhere you go in the next ten days, you’ll find a celebration of some kind.”
4. “It’s not spicy, it’s spiced up.”
5. “Mallorca has so many layers, the holiday version, the resident version, the international version, the working version.”

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow the Mallorca Mallorca Podcast wherever you listen, and share this episode with a friend who loves Mallorca in the quieter season.

And if you’re spending January on the island, this is your sign to get out and experience the winter fiestas, even if you watch from a safe distance with a warm drink in hand.