Dining `al fresco´ to reclaim terraces

Residents and neighbours of Santa Catalina in Palma have taken to dining `al fresco´ in a peaceful and original campaign to reclaim what they consider to be their own territory.

Santa Catalina is one of the most fashionable areas of the city and is particularly popular for the range of exciting and contemporary restaurants and bars, drawing both tourists and residents from across the island there in order to experience the gastronomy and nightlife on offer.

However, fed up with having to battle their way through throngs of visitors and the noise and chaos that comes with them, members of the Santa Catalina and Es Jonquet residents´ association have teamed together to hold the first `sopar a la fresca´ event in Carrer la Fàbrica, which is renowned for its restaurant and bar terraces. `Sopar a la fresca´ is Mallorquín for dining outside, and as the president of the residents´ association, Esperanza Lliteres, points out, the business establishments have taken over what, once upon a time, belonged to the residents.

The idea is that residents will hold a civilised fun event at least twice a year in which neighbours and residents of the Santa Catalina and Es Jonquet neighbourhoods can join together, eat outside and actually enjoy using space which historically would have belonged to them. Lliteres emphasises that the celebrations will not be huge street parties, explaining that the whole idea behind the proposed get-togethers is to encourage more “civic-mindedness and reduce chaos”.