Soller lies in the middle of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that lines the north west coast of Mallorca. For centuries the high mountains to the south of Soller isolated the town from Palma and the rest of the island. Today a road tunnel goes under those mountains though for day trippers from Palma the way to arrive is on the Palma-Soller train which is one of Europe’s great railway journeys. The train arrives in the town of Soller then you must change to a tram which crawls its way down to the port of Soller.
On arrival at Soller port you’ll get off the tram right next to the Marisol café restaurant at Moll Turistic. This has a dining room overlooking the port for windy days and has a lovely sun terrace when the weather’s fine. As you stroll around the bay on the pedestrianised walkway you get wonderful views into the mountains which surround the whole of Port de Soller. Boats operate from the port to Sa Calobra which is a marvellous way to appreciate the rugged coastline of north west Mallorca.
Beyond the tram stop there are plenty souvenir shops and places to eat on the opposite side of the road. Take a right up the hill heading for the Ermita Santa Catalina. On this street you’ll see a few restaurants such as C’an Ribes which have outdoor terraces overlooking the bay. At the top of this hill is the Soller Maritime Museum (Museu de la Mar) which is housed inside the Ermita Santa Catalina. Next to the entrance is a great viewing point over the sea which is particularly impressive on days when the sea is rough and the waves batter against the rocks below.
Puerto de Soller has a small, unremarkable beach but this is of little consequence as the majority of visitors are only there for the day. If you do fancy staying there is a quaint hotel on the seafront called Hotel Miramar and a few other hotels at the opposite side of the bay from where the tram stops. Alternatively, you can stay in the town of Soller which is just 3km inland.
Soller Town
The Soller railway station dates back to 1911, a crucial date in the town’s history when communication by rail with the island’s capital finally became a reality. From here the tram runs down to Soller Port. Placa de la Constitució is 50m along the tram line and is the centre of town. Here you’ll find the impressive modernist church of San Bartomeu which looks down on a series of smart café bars that surround the square. Café Central is a good choice for a genuine mallorcan Pa amb oli sandwich. There are a few places to stay in the town including the five star Gran Hotel Soller which offers some great off season deals.
Around Soller the landscape in spring is covered with oranges, lemons and olives. Beautiful local villages such as Biniaraix and Fornalutx are the best places from which to appreciate this landscape and have become popular havens for walkers and cyclists visiting the Tramuntana region. Fornalutx is particularly pleasant for a lunch break. Stop at the parking and enjoy fine local dishes at Restaurante Bellavista or head to the tiny snack bars under the clock of the church square. C’an Reus and Fornalutx Petit Hotel are a couple of lovely rural hotels in the village.
Take a look at our Mallorca North West Coast page for ideas for things to do from Soller.
Useful Soller Websites:
Barcos Azules
This company offer trips by boat along the north west coast of Mallorca.
Very interesting, keep up the good work.