The Festivities of Sant Joan de Ciutadella, which take place in June, inaugurate the summer season in Menorca, and the Festivities of Sant Nicolau de Es Mercadal say goodbye just on the weekend of mid-September, which this year 2015 coincides with the days 12 and 13.
The last parties of the summer have the particularity that they are celebrated in Monte Toro, at the highest point of the island and where you cannot stop going up if you have a rental motorcycle in Menorca, because from there you can see practically the whole territory of this beautiful Mediterranean island.
During Sant Nicolau, the Monte Toro sanctuary is transformed into a colorful setting in which horses and caixers celebrate the highest festival in Menorca.
We tell you the hours and the events that take place in this emblematic place, so that you can actively participate in its parties.
At 9 in the morning the procession (the colcada) meets in Es Mercadal and there begins the ascent to the Monte Toro sanctuary.
At 11.00 the colcada is already in Monte Toro to celebrate the Missa de Caixers
From 12:30 pm, when the religious ceremony ends, the ‘caixers’ accompanied by the music of the orchestra form in front of the sanctuary. There the flags representing the festivals of all the towns of Mallorca are delivered.
Just afterwards the Jaleo begins, a show that stars the horses jumping on two legs in the crowd and that lasts for two hours.
After the Jaleo, the green canes are handed over to the caixers and the act of the ‘Beguda’ is held at the Posada del Toro.
Finally, the ‘colcada’ begins the descent to the town of Es Mercadal where the party continues.