Guided Walking on Mallorca

Puerto de Sóller

Puerto de Sóller, a small exclusive resort town, lies on the northwestern coastline of Mallorca, nestling in a sheltered, almost circular bay surrounded by orange and lemon groves and ringed by mountains. A traditional tram system connects the resort to Sóller from where you can take a bus or train to Palma.

Local Highlights

Palma, the capital of Mallorca, is easily reached by taking the tram to Sóller and then using the vintage electric railway from Sóller to Palma. The train journey across the island takes about an hour and makes an enjoyable activity in its own right. Once in Palma the historical city centre can be easily explored on foot.  

Places of particular interest in Palma include:

The Cathedral, built in gothic splendour some 500 years ago, is known as the Seo by the Mallorcans.  Look out for the Puerta del Mirador (an opening in the wall facing the sea) designed by Guillem Sangrera, the Trinity Chapel and the Royal Chapel. The side chapels and the cathedral museum are good examples of baroque architecture.

The Almudaina, or royal palace, where the king and queen of Mallorca once lived, was constructed on the remains of the Muslim castle (free entry on Wednesdays for EU passport holders).

The Lonja houses the provincial fine art museum and is one of the best examples of city gothic architecture in the Mediterranean area. The building was also designed by Guillem Sangrera.

The Paseo del Borne is the main thoroughfare in the old part of Palma. You will see medieval buildings flanked by elegant palace facades as well as 19^th century apartments. These palaces were mostly built in the 17^th and 18^th century and they give the city a noble, rich and vaguely Italian air due to the influence of the Venetians from Genoa and Venice.

Valldemossa is an attractive town to the southwest of Sóller which is also visited as part of the walking programme. However you may wish to explore the town more fully on your free day. The former Moorish hamlet of Valldemossa retains all the old charm of an ancient Mallorcan village, with its narrow winding streets and rustic stone houses. Originally the site of a Moorish palace, the buildings were later the retreat of King Sancho. Later, Carthusian monks built a monastery and when they were expelled from Spain in 1835, private owners took over the monastery and rented the cells to travellers. This is where Chopin and George Sand lived in 1838, occupying cells in the Monastery soon after the Monks left.

Boat trips: boats depart regularly from the marina and will take you along the coast to the beach at Sa Colobra. This is a magnificent stretch of coast and this boat journey will give you a totally different view of where you may have been walking. Once at Sa Calobra it is possible to visit the magnificent gorge of Torrent de Pareis. 

Shops & facilities:

There are plenty of shops, bars and cafes in Puerto de Sóller, and the market on Saturdays in Sóller is also fun to browse around. Two small shops, close to the entrance of the hotel sell bread rolls, local cheeses and salamis which make ideal lunch snacks. In general not much English is spoken by shopkeepers and restaurant staff, but a smile and a few words of Spanish work wonders!

Climate: averages for Palma, Mallorca: