No huge floodlit stages and flashing screens. Istan is doing things the opposite way for its annual La Vela festival

Why the lights go out in Istan

Istan is holding it’s eighth edition of La Vela, a night-time street festival, held on Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29 with squares, fountains and mountain viewpoints across the Sierra de las Nieves village lit only by beautiful flickering candlelight rather than street lamps. Neighbours decorate their own front doors with flowers and fairy lights for the occasion, and the whole event runs on free entry, as it has done since it began back in 2019.

Council organisers call it a sensory experience built around a carefully selected line-up spanning several musical styles, rather than a straightforward gig night.

Who is playing nestled in the glittering lights

Samuel Tosso opens the weekend with a tribute set to Huelva star Manuel Carrasco, with Javier Ojeda, once frontman of Malaga new wave outfit Danza Invisible, bringing his solo material to perform to the crowds. Cadiz Carnival favourite Rafa Taleguilla completes a mix that includes tribute acts, regional folk traditions and homegrown pop. Both evenings also give a platform to local singers at the El Peñon viewpoint, and a fresh stage has been added at El Coto, a district on the edge of the village, spreading performances across a wider stretch of Istan than in previous editions.

Istan’s town hall say the festival now pulls in visitors well beyond a resident population of roughly 1,400, giving the local economy a welcome late-summer boost.

Getting there

If you want to join the magical weekend please note that roads into Istan become extremely narrow on the approach from the coast, and parking is limited once inside the village, so those making the trip up from Marbella or Puerto Banus should aim to arrive well before dusk and plan to walk between venues. Detailed stage times are published on the town hall’s website in the run-up to the weekend.

One piano, 200 flickering candles and a centuries-old tree will create the setting for one of Mallorca’s most enchanting musical nights when a spectacular open-air concert returns to Sineu on Sunday, August 23.

Pianist and composer David Gómez will perform his acclaimed 1 Piano & 200 Candles experience at Finca Ca’s Pianista, with the concert beginning at 10pm.

Set beneath the night sky in the Mallorcan countryside, the performance promises a striking change of pace from the island’s busy beach clubs, fiestas and summer nightlife.

One piano and hundreds of candles

The concept is beautifully simple. Gómez performs at his piano while hundreds of candles illuminate the surrounding space, transforming the rural setting as darkness falls.

Rather than a conventional concert hall filled with stage lighting and screens, the focus is firmly on the music, the natural surroundings and the intimate atmosphere created by candlelight.

The unusual format has become a signature experience for Gómez, who has staged performances in distinctive locations and settings designed to bring audiences closer to the music.

A magical night in Sineu

The August 23 concert will be the final Sineu date listed for this summer, following performances at the finca throughout June, July and August.

The setting itself is a major part of the attraction. Located in Mallorca’s rural heartland, Sineu offers a dramatically different backdrop to the island’s coastal resorts, with the concert taking place beneath the branches of an imposing old tree.

As the sun disappears and the candles begin to glow, the piano becomes the centrepiece of the evening.

It is an experience aimed not only at classical music lovers, but also at anyone searching for something a little different to do on a warm August night.

A different side of Mallorca after dark

Summer evenings in Mallorca are normally associated with packed terraces, bustling promenades and lively fiestas, but 1 Piano & 200 Candles offers something altogether calmer.

With just the piano, candlelight and countryside providing the backdrop, the August 23 performance promises an atmospheric night beneath the stars.

The concert begins at 10pm on Sunday, August 23 at Finca Ca’s Pianista in Sineu, giving music lovers another chance to experience one of the island’s most visually distinctive summer events.

One piano, 200 flickering candles and a centuries-old tree will create the setting for one of Mallorca’s most enchanting musical nights when a spectacular open-air concert returns to Sineu on Sunday, August 23.

Pianist and composer David Gómez will perform his acclaimed 1 Piano & 200 Candles experience at Finca Ca’s Pianista, with the concert beginning at 10pm.

Set beneath the night sky in the Mallorcan countryside, the performance promises a striking change of pace from the island’s busy beach clubs, fiestas and summer nightlife.

One piano and hundreds of candles

The concept is beautifully simple. Gómez performs at his piano while hundreds of candles illuminate the surrounding space, transforming the rural setting as darkness falls.

Rather than a conventional concert hall filled with stage lighting and screens, the focus is firmly on the music, the natural surroundings and the intimate atmosphere created by candlelight.

The unusual format has become a signature experience for Gómez, who has staged performances in distinctive locations and settings designed to bring audiences closer to the music.

A magical night in Sineu

The August 23 concert will be the final Sineu date listed for this summer, following performances at the finca throughout June, July and August.

The setting itself is a major part of the attraction. Located in Mallorca’s rural heartland, Sineu offers a dramatically different backdrop to the island’s coastal resorts, with the concert taking place beneath the branches of an imposing old tree.

As the sun disappears and the candles begin to glow, the piano becomes the centrepiece of the evening.

It is an experience aimed not only at classical music lovers, but also at anyone searching for something a little different to do on a warm August night.

A different side of Mallorca after dark

Summer evenings in Mallorca are normally associated with packed terraces, bustling promenades and lively fiestas, but 1 Piano & 200 Candles offers something altogether calmer.

With just the piano, candlelight and countryside providing the backdrop, the August 23 performance promises an atmospheric night beneath the stars.

The concert begins at 10pm on Sunday, August 23 at Finca Ca’s Pianista in Sineu, giving music lovers another chance to experience one of the island’s most visually distinctive summer events.