Soller Mallorca
Beachgoers at Port de Soller, Mallorca
The sun’s golden warmth declared a hearty Balearic welcome as we disembarked in Mallorca. Genuine cheer seemed to permeate, islanders beamed real smiles, that unpretentious Spanish charm immediately casting its relaxed spell over this summer’s holiday makers.
Rooftops of Soller Mallorca
Getting to Soller:
It is a quick but breathtaking journey from Palma to Soller. Steep and jagged mountains rise dramatically, topped with immense craggy cliffs and granite peaks hugging the clouds. By road or train it is a winding traverse, with each photo-worthy vista followed immediately by another.
Soller is a city existing in two parts, the primary town nestled high in a valley between Tramuntana mountain’s jutting peaks and steeply below, a little port city connected to its mountain counterpart via a quaint wooden paneled tram.
Exploring Soller:
Today Soller’s streets are peaceful, lined with artisan shops and local wares, and all but brimming over with guests and locals alike during its bustling Saturday market. Every half hour the antique tram rings its bell as it pulls into the square in front of the grand facade of Iglesia Sant Bartomue, narrowly sliding between a garden of white umbrellas shielding constant cafe goers from the Mediterranean sun. English, French, and Spanish alike can be heard in all directions as Europe makes use of one of its most delightful summer havens.
The Serra de Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca are known as a hiker and bikers paradise and it’s not difficult to see why. A more breathtaking and challenging landscape is hard to come by. Cliff-lined secret beaches are hidden below plunging mountain crags discovered via winding roads with unsurpassed views, sprinkled with tiny quaint villages, all the while, the air perfumed with citrus fruit, lavender, and pine. Here Island life can be enjoyed at its most inviting and plentiful.
Exploring Port de Soller:
Port de Soller is as bustling in the afternoons as Soller is sleepy. Beachgoers lounge just down from the picturesque marina. The bay is framed by the rugged Tramuntana mountains, summer homes spill down to the sparkling aqua waters with the lighthouse looking down over all, it doesn’t get more scenic then this.
Restaurants line the boardwalk and music spills from every eatery where summer holidaymakers take refuge in the shade from the baking Balearic sun.
The scene is a golden summer memory, children with melting gelato run by and the vintage tram that traverses the mountainside, connecting Soller to the Port de Soller arrives with regularity transporting sun-seekers in quaint fashion.
A bit of Soller’s History:
Soller appears almost like an alpine village with the granite crags of the Tramuntana range looming above its narrow cobbled streets, but this idyllic town can easily vie for the citrus capital of the Mediterranean. Its lemon and orange exports are as picturesque as they have been lucrative and the townhouse palaces that line it’s old streets we’re built on what are locally referred to as “orange fortunes”.
In a twist of events, many Sollerics are of French descent, transplanted fleeing the horrors of the Revolution. These ties remain and to this day seller’s trade relations with France still thrive.
Adding intrigue to this sleepy holiday destination, local history celebrates several dramatic victories over boards of murderous pirates. One popular account tells how during an invasion two sisters overcame an attacking marauder, bludgeoning him and heaving him from an upper-story window to a well-deserved end. Another pays homage to two priests who were killed, fighting heroically to protect the church, which was afterward plundered.
Where to stay in soller:
With quality from a bygone era, Gran Hotel Soller offers discerning travelers premium accommodations with every convenience at hand; from a pristine rooftop pool to a garden restaurant.
Where to stay in Port de Soller:
Aimia sits in the perfect location, just steps from the port and beaches. Recognized for its modern design, Aimia is complete with exquisite dining, a chic bar, a palm-lined pool, and bright rooms.
Soller and its sister Port de Soller are one of those “best-kept secrets” of summer sun seekers in Europe and are among our top most idyllic beach destinations and island getaways. Of course, you will have to come and explore for yourself!