Some of the village´s old buildings are now small hotels for those wishing to enjoy a holiday away from the main tourist resorts on the coast, though in Sineu you are never too far from any point on the island. In the centre of Sineu there are some old cellers – traditional Mallorcan restaurants which are housed in basements – allowing diners to enjoy Mallorcan cuisine in a setting full of history. Sineu is located at the crossing point of two roads and is also on the train line from Palma to Manacor.
The Parish Church of Santa Maria is Sineu´s most outstanding building; it is documented as far back as 1248 but was severely damaged by fire in 1505, leading to the construction of a new church, in the same Gothic style as the previous one. In 1880 and 1881 significant expansion works were carried out, providing the transept, the large star-shaped dome with an octagonal base and a new apse. Inside the church there is a single nave with a transversal transept, a cross-vault roof and lateral chapels. Joined to the church is the Rectory, which is in front of the early cemetery which is now occupied by the square of Plaça de Sant Marc. Inside the rectory there is a medieval ceramics exhibition, with some pieces with Arabic epigraphy. In front of the rectory is the Monument of Sant Marc, which is a copper sculpture from 1945 which shows a winged lion – the symbol of the evangelist – which is holding the shield of Sineu. At number 10 on the street of Carrer de Sant Francesc 10 is the town hall, which is housed in the old building of the Convent del Mínims; this building maintains its cloister and is located next to the Baroque-style church which formed part of the convent complex which was built throughout the 18th century. King Jaume II ordered the construction of the old Palau dels Reis de Mallorca (Palace of the Kings of Mallorca) in 1309 on a base formed by a Moorish construction. In 1583 an order of Conceptionist nuns occupied the building. The works carried out to adapt and expand the convent in the 17th century give us the structure we see today; many elements of the fortified palace can be observed, such as the homage tower crowned with four merlons, and elements of the enclosed convent are also visible, such as the Baroque-style church. On the street of Carrer de l´Hospital is the building of Hospital i l´Oratori de Sant Josep (Hospital and Oratory of Sant Josep), which was founded in the 13th century; it has been heavily modified, though the oratory conserves original Gothic elements from the first building. The railway station building, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century, houses the Sineu Art Centre, where contemporary artists can exhibit their work. In the streets of Sineu there are various medieval crosses and wells, as well as old windmills, reminding us of the importance of wheat cultivation.
Weekly market: Every Wednesday morning, this is the most traditional and popular market in Mallorca.
beautiful town, worth a visit
We visited Sineu as part of a day trip so of course were there for the wednesday market. It was really busy wih all sorts for sale including local honey and almonds, art work and leather goods, snacks and drinks, our daughter enjoyed bartering for some souvenirs. The square with all the wonderful fruit and vegetable stalls was a great sight, but the highlight for me was visiting the church, it was beautiful and full of atmosphere and was a cool, quiet respite from the bustle of the market. It would be a privilige to come back to Sineu on an ordinary weekday and really take time to explore this beautiful town