Discover Inca: Markets, footwear history and urban heritage
Accommodation in Inca
If you are considering Inca as a base for your stay in Mallorca, its market life, footwear history and urban heritage offer concrete points to consider when choosing your destination. It is particularly helpful to distinguish between the regular Thursday market and the major autumn event, Dijous Bo. The town also has a municipal museum, a themed walking tour and countryside routes in the municipality, each offering a different perspective on the town and its surroundings.
Weekly Market and Dijous Bo
Inca’s weekly market takes place every Thursday in the historic centre. It offers fresh fruit and vegetables, handicrafts and leather goods; Inca is particularly well known for its leather goods. Exact operating details may vary seasonally. The regular market day is therefore a different point to consider when planning your trip from the autumn fair.
Dijous Bo is the highlight of Inca’s autumn fairs. On the third Thursday in November, it includes a market with hundreds of stalls selling products from the island. The programme also includes events in the days leading up to the fair and on the day itself, including wine and product tastings, guided visits and workshops. The events may vary from one edition to another. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates and programme for your chosen year.
Footwear History at the Municipal Museum
The Museu del Calçat i de la Indústria is a municipal museum in Inca. It explores the history of footwear and its supporting and related industries in Mallorca, from the 13th century to the present day. Its focus therefore extends beyond individual products to include the development of the associated trades.
The exhibition includes an extensive selection of tools used in manual shoemaking in the 20th century. Former shoemakers from the area donated the tools to the museum; they illustrate the many specialised steps involved in traditional production. Together with the leather goods sold at the Thursday market, they offer two distinct perspectives on Inca: goods at the market and craftsmanship at the museum.
Urban Heritage and Routes in the Municipality
The “Leyendas de Inca” walking tour presents stories and legends associated with Inca and takes visitors to places where aspects of the town’s history and heritage have been preserved. Its storytelling approach complements the themes of the market and shoemaking with local traditions and urban heritage.
The countryside routes in the municipality are a separate experience. In the east of the municipality, the route to Puig de Santa Magdalena follows little-used paths and passes remnants of the island’s pre-tourism society. Some of these remains helped lead to the area’s designation as an Area of Special Natural Interest (ANEI) in 1991.
The Santa Magdalena massif includes the 287-metre-high Puig de Santa Magdalena and the 307-metre-high Puig de la Minyó, the highest point in the municipality. Another historical route connection is the path to the Santa Magdalena hermitage: it forms part of the old road from Artà to Lluc. A stone staircase with 86 steps was planned for the final ascent in 1914.
Planning Your Journey and Stay
Inca has good public transport links, including frequent train services from Palma and other parts of Mallorca. As schedules and service frequencies vary over time, check the connection for your travel day. When choosing your travel dates, you can also consider whether the weekly Thursday market or November’s Dijous Bo better suits your plans.
Discover more destinations: Sant Llorenç Des Cardassar, Ferreries, Deyá, Torrenova, Lluc, Porto Cristo Novo, Muro, Campanet
For the main travel overview: Mallorca.
