The vehicles gathered in Palma's port. | Laura Becerra

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On Saturday, some thirty classic Volkswagens, mostly Beetles but also some other models, gathered in the car park at the Moll Vell pier in Palma.

Organised by Amics dels Escarabats de Balears (Balearics Friends of Beetles), this meeting normally takes place every two years. There wasn't one in 2020 because of the pandemic, so Saturday's event was the first for four years. For Pep Albero, the president of the club, he personally won't be organising any more. "I've retired and in 2023 I'll be going on the trip of my life - travelling through South America in a camper van."

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The club was founded in March 1992. Notes were left on each Beetle or VW van that two of the future members came across. Fifty to sixty people made contact. "It was very exciting," Pep recalls.

As well as the Beetles, the vehicles on Saturday included buggies, a Kharmann Ghia coupé, which was manufactured between 1955 and 1974, and a Kübelwagen Typ 82 military vehicle that was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for the Second World War.

The group left Palma at 11am and took the old road through Santa Maria, Lloseta, Biniamar, Selva, Moscari and Campanet before arriving in Puerto Pollensa for refreshments. They then headed for Lluc and an outdoor lunch by the Sanctuary. The final leg was to Puerto Soller for dinner and the screening of a documentary made by the Mallorcan director Jaume Lladó about the club's participation in this year's International Vintage Volkswagen Show in Hessisch Oldendorf, Lower Saxony, Germany.