Must see places in Mallorca
When holidaying in Mallorca there are beautiful towns and villages that need to be explored. The main City of Palma is one ( please see Palma blog ) here are some other must see areas of the Island.
One of the first places on the list is Soller. This is a charming picturesque town on the Northwest coast of the Island. Soller is a valley surrounded by the Tramuntana Mountain range.
Overview
Known for its Citrus orchards, Soller is a popular area for hikers and nature lovers. The town has a number of historical styles including Art Nouveau and Modernist. The Art Nouveau building C'an Prunera houses a lovely selection of art including a Picasso.
Main Square
The main square in Soller or Placa Constitucia is lined with numerous bars and cafes. St. Bartomeu Church dominates the square and has a beautiful facade, the Church dates back to the 13th Century. The popular Soller train runs through the square reguarly.
Market Day
Soller is not really known for having plenty of shops to look around but the market on a Saturday is when the town really comes to live with local traders selling arts and crafts. There are a small selection of boutique style stores.
Eating out
There are plenty of restaurants in Soller, Casa Alvaro is located just of the main square tucked away on a small side street. If you feel like authentic Spanish food then this is the place to visit. The restaurant opened in 2013 and has fast become a firm favourite with locals. Other restaurants to mention are landmark restaurant Randemar which has been serving locals for 20 years, La Sal restaurant in Port de Soller is a relaxed venue serving fantastic food.
Activities
Hikers and Nordic walkers are spoilt for choice with routes here. The long distance path GR221 can be joined from Soller and The Dry Stone route passes through the town. Keen Cyclists can tackle the Coll de Soller, a difficult climb with 20 tight bends and 30 hairpins! Absolutley stunning vistas en route.
Celebrations
Soller has many events and celebrations throughout the year but the biggest and most popular is at the end of August when the 5 days festival of St Bartholomew takes place. Exhibitions, concerts and sporting events happen. On the last day the party continues well into the early hours of morning with locals enjoying dancing and music.
The old wooden Tram
One of the top reasons why people flock to Soller is the old wooden tram, orgininally used to transort Oranges, it is known affectionately as The Orange Express, this iconic Tram connects Soller to Palma. The Tram started to operate in 1912 Take a trip on the tram and enjoy beautiful scenary on the way to the big City! The tram will also take you to Port Soller which has a lovely sandy beach and promenade with lots of seafood restaurants to choose from.
Port Soller
Port Soller is a 45 minure walk from Soller, Port Soller is a tradtional fishing village known for the tram, horseshoe shaped bay and harbour. A wonderful choice of sea food is available with views of the boats and yachts in the Marina. Here you can take sailing trips across to Sa Calobra Bay featured in the film Cloud Atlas. Thanks to the location of Port Soller, it has not been subject to over development and so preserved ints natural charm and beauty.