Sineu is one of the most important villages in the interior of Mallorca, as it still maintains a centuries-old tradition that today, although with variations, still tries to preserve the essence of yesteryear.
If you stroll through the streets of this charming village you will find crosses, wells of medieval origin, restaurants (Cellers), stately homes and windmills, reminders of the importance of cereal cultivation in this village.
Moreover, its weekly Wednesday market is one of the most important markets in Mallorca, being a great tourist attraction both for visitors and for the locals themselves, with an important agricultural and livestock activity.
Do you want to know more about Sineu? Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know to visit!
Weather in Sineu today: weekly forecast
SineuHistory of Sineu
It is certain that Sineu was already inhabited in prehistoric times thanks to the evidence of vestiges of talayots such as Son Creixell, Sa Ritxla, Sa Ritxoleta, Son Rossinyol and Son Vanrell.
After the expulsion of the Arabs from the island at the beginning of the 13th century, which is described in more detail in the article on the history of Mallorca, the island’s lands were divided between the Crown of Aragon and the Crown of Cataluña. As early as 1300, the town of Sineu took the title of Pueblo Real (Royal Town), as the royalty of the Crown of Aragon established their residence there (nowadays almost disappeared under a convent of Conceptionist cloistered nuns).
The village of Sineu had its heyday at the end of the 19th century, when it had more than 5000 inhabitants thanks to its railway connection with the rest of the island; but in the years 1925 with the disintegration of Lloret de Vistalegre and 1975 when its railway traffic was suspended, its population began to dwindle, reducing it to 2200 people.
How to get to Sineu
Sineu has very good connections and can be reached by car, train or bus. Whether you intend to fly to Mallorca or arrive by boat, if you don’t have your own vehicle we recommend that you hire a car to suit your needs and budget from the many companies and options.
If you prefer to use other means of transport, here you will find all the options you have to get around Mallorca, as well as all the “tips” to save time and money.
If you have finally decided to use a car, to get to Sineu from Palma you will have to take the Ma-3011 national road and drive 37.5km.
💡 Do you want to locate Sineu and all the other villages on the island? Don’t miss any of its nooks and crannies by downloading the free Mallorca map that we have designed for the readers of Yo soy Mallorca.
For a more “islandy” trip, enjoying the picturesque inland villages of Mallorca, the train or bus is an excellent option. From the Parc de les Estacions you can take either of the two routes to Sineu:
- Train: take line T3, towards Manacor.
- Bus: you will have to take bus number 402.
What to see in Sineu
Sineu is a village with a great cultural heritage of which it is very proud, so if you have decided to visit it, we recommend that you get to know some of its most important buildings, among which the following stand out:
Parish Church of Santa María de Sineu
The Parish Church of Santa Maria of Sineu is the most important and emblematic monument in the municipality. As you approach Sineu, whichever side you come from, the first thing you will see is the church, which rises imposingly as it is the tallest building in the village. It is located in Sa Plaza, Plaza Es Mercadal and Plaza Es Fossar and the surrounding area.
Before the church we know today, there was already a temple (of which there are records from the year 1248) that suffered a fire in 1505, which led to the construction of the Gothic church that we see today and which was completed in 1520.
The bell tower has a whopping 7 floors and is crowned in a pyramidal shape. It is separated from the main building, but is connected by a causeway called Es Pontet de Santa Bárbara after the name of the chapel with the same name located just below the bridge.
Every Wednesday, coinciding with Sineu’s weekly market day, an exhibition of medieval pottery can be seen in the sacristy.
The Parish Church of Santa María of Sineu is a clear example of the predominance of geometry in the architecture of medieval tradition, which you can also admire in towns such as Alcudia.
Statue of the Lion of St. Mark
The Statue of the Lion of St. Mark is a copper sculpture dating from 1945, representing a lion with wings holding the coat of arms of the municipality of Sineu with its front paw, the symbol of the evangelist St. Mark.
Monastery of the Immaculate Conception or Palace of The Kings
The Palace of the Kings is a monastery built on the site of an old Moorish palace from the 8th century and rebuilt during the reign of Jaume II of Mallorca at the beginning of the 14th century.
Since 1583 it has been inhabited by a community of Conceptionist nuns, which has survived to this day. Is not open to the public, although you can enter a small chapel where you can pray.
Convent of Jesús María or Convent of the Minims
The Convent of Jesús María is Baroque in style and dates back to 1667. It was occupied by a congregation of friars of the Minims, which is why the convent is also known by that name. Today it has no ecclesiastical presence and has been the seat of the Sineu City Council since 1877.
If you need any kind of information about Sineu, this is the place we recommend you to go to, as it is where the Tourist Office is located, which is open every Wednesday.
Sineu Hospital and Sant Josep Oratory
The Hospital of Sineu or old hospice was founded in the year 1240 following a concession from King James.
Sineu, with this hospice, boasts the oldest rural hospital in Mallorca. Inside there is the Oratory of Sant Josep, where you can see valuable carvings such as the Sant Crist de la Sang (1584), of the Virgin of the Rosary, a Renaissance altarpiece from 1570; or the carving of Sant Josep, who is the patron saint of the building (1630).
Today this hospital does not function as such, being the building where the social entity Mater Sineu gives its occupational workshops for people with disabilities and provides care to these people and their families.
Creu dels Morts
The Creu dels Morts (Cross of the Dead) is a cross that dates back to the 16th century and was given this name when the cemetery on the Inca road was built and the funeral remains that were transported from Sineu to be buried passed in front of it.
Old railway station building
The old Sineu railway station was inaugurated in 1878, where the Palma – Artà train used to run, but for institutional and political reasons it was suspended at Inca in 1975.
In 2003, the railway service to Manacor was resumed, crossing Sineu by a different route and, consequently, the railway station building became obsolete and abandoned.
It later passed into “private ownership”, transforming the building into an Art Centre. It operated for a while and in 2012 announced its closure following the financial crisis of SFM (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca). At that time the collection “Classical painters of Mallorca” was on display. If you are interested in seeing it, you can find it at the Pula Golf facilities in Son Servera.
Nowadays the building houses a restaurant, the Restaurant Vi-ésque, which is temporarily closed, and on the upper floor there is still the old Art Centre of Sineu, which has been closed for years.
Sa Quintana
Sa Quintana is the building that the City Council has recovered it as a Youth Information Point with the Youth Plan. It is a street project available to the young people of Sineu, associations, educational centres and the library.
Pou Llevaner
Pou Llevaner is a protected historical and cultural monument of Sineu from the 16th century. It is a well covered by a rectangular plant and located on the bypass road, between the Sant Joan and Petra roads.
What to do in Sineu
Sineu weekly market
The Sineu flea market, together with the markets of Santa María del Camí and Alcudia, is one of the most important weekly markets in Mallorca and is the main attraction and tourist attraction of the town of Sineu.
It has been held for over 700 years, although the earliest traces of the market are believed to date back to Islamic times.
With the Spanish conquest of the island and after the division of the land between the Aragonese and Catalan Crowns, Sineu became part of the royal territory. This caused the city to slowly grow and consolidate. The Catalan settlers established an economic system based on extensive dry farming, predominantly wheat.
At the weekly market in Sineu you will find almost everything you need… and what you don’t, too: vegetables, legumes, preserves; craft products, costume jewelry, natural soaps and perfumes; typical Mallorcan sausages such as sobrasada or butifarrón and even products from Menorca such as the exquisite Mahon cheese. Also farmyard and pet animals, and plants and flowers for the countryside or the home. If you are looking for textiles, you can also buy them in their clothing shops, which are a bit more sophisticated.
Cellers (restaurants) and bars in the market of Sineu
So much sightseeing and gastronomic sampling will whet your appetite. You will be able to sit down and try some of the products on display at the “stalls” such as some tasty Chilean pies or have a ” snack” in one of the many bars that Sineu has to offer. Music will also accompany you throughout the morning thanks to the musicians who play at different locations throughout the day at the market.
Nowadays, the market is spread throughout the main streets of Sineu, with the Plaza de Es Mercadal and the Plaza de Es Fossar being the neuralgic centres of the Sineu flea market.
Without a doubt, if you practice wine tourism, or simply want to taste wines with designation of origin, in Sineu you have the opportunity to try those of D.O. Pla y Llevant. You can’t leave without trying a wine tasting in Mallorca!
What to eat in Sineu
Sineu is one of the villages with the highest number of restaurants, bars and cafés in relation to the population of the municipality. It currently has more than 40 catering establishments and two-, three- and four-star inland hotels.
The “cellers” (wineries in Mallorcan language) are the perfect place to sample the island’s gastronomy, as they conserve the traditional recipes used to prepare Mallorcan cuisine practically intact.
Frito mallorquín
One of the recipes for which Sineu is well known is its frito mallorquín, one of the star dishes of Mallorca, which is cooked with art, care and a lot of taste in this village. Mallorcan frito is mainly made with lamb or pork, although there are other varieties. Potatoes, fennel and a touch of spice are a must. It’s a real treat!
Historically, this purely Mallorcan dish was prepared at Easter, on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, or to make use of the pig’s meat after the “matanzas” (slaughtering) in winter. Nowadays, you can enjoy it at any time of the year and your visit to Sineu could be the perfect time.
The main recipes of frito mallorquín are:
- Frito de “matanzas”: fried pork meat from the “slaughtering” that takes place on the island with potatoes and red pepper as the main ingredients.
- Frito de cordero: this Mallorcan fried lamb is, without a doubt, our favourite! The meat is cut into very small pieces and accompanied by potatoes and other seasonal vegetables. At Easter, cauliflower is usually added to it and it becomes really good.
- Frito de sangre: parts of the liver, lung, heart and blood of lamb are usually cut into small pieces. We admit it doesn’t sound very good… but we assure you that if they don’t tell you what it is, you’ll love it!
- Frito de variado: frito made with a mixture of meats.
- Frito of seafood, chicken or vegetables: other alternative recipes.
If you want to know where to eat the best frit mallorquí in Sineu, we recommend Bar Es Triquet.
Fairs and patron saint festivities
Sa Fira of Sineu
Sineu is one of the capitals of the spring fairs. It is the village that attracts the largest number of visitors to its fair and the oldest in Mallorca. Sa Fira de Sineu is a traditional festival that was consolidated after the Muslim conquest and expulsion of the island and is celebrated every year in May.
Sineu’s patron saint festivities
Sineu celebrates its patron saint’s feast of the “Mare de Deu d’Agost” on 15th August with games, music, street parties and fireworks. These are typical summer festivals like the ones that take place in all the villages of Mallorca during the summer. It hosts a number of cultural events during the day and many other activities at night.
Easter Week in Sineu
Easter Week in Sineu is well known in Mallorca and attracts a large number of people, both tourists and locals. Everyone comes to the town sineuro looking to see the processions and the capirotes that parade along Villa Street, especially on Holy Friday.
Es Much
It is a street party for all ages but with a predominance of young people and is held on 14th August. If you decide to go, you will meet up with all those attending at around 10 a.m. at the village station and then set off on the road to Puig del Reig where you will invoke Es Much with singing and dancing.
Once the ritual is over you will return and stroll around the village and the bars. Afterwards, the men and women separate for lunch and later meet up in front of Ca’n Castell. If you hold out until the end of the party you’ll end up dancing and singing until your legs say enough!
Other festivities
Other celebrations are those of San Marcos (patron saint of the village) on 25 April and San Antonio, on 17 January, where sausages are roasted on bonfires. The last of these is a festivity that is also widespread in Palma and is especially important in Manacor and Sa Pobla.
Finally, in an attempt to revive old fairs to promote the sobrasada, the Mallorcan star product, they hold the Fair of Santo Tomás, which is a slaughtering exhibition that takes place every year on the second Sunday in December.
Where to stay in Sineu
Whatever day you go to Sineu, you will undoubtedly love it: on Wednesdays with its weekly market full of colour, noise, movement and crowds; as well as its peace and quiet on the rest of the days, you decide your own pace!
We advise you to take your time, appreciating the dozens of details hidden in its streets and cultural heritage; savour the nuances of Sineu’s food that you will be able to find in its bars and cellers. You may need more than one day to see it all..
Sineu is a town that, due to its huge tourist attraction, offers a wide range of accommodation. Below we provide you with a search engine so that you can enter your dates and find all the options for where to stay in Sineu. Choose your perfect accommodation to spend your days in the centre of Mallorca:
Booking.comAre you up for discovering one of the most charming and historic villages in Mallorca? We read you for any questions you may have and we will try to answer them as soon as possible. Let us know about it here!
