Local Guru - Soller, Majorca

Written by Sally Dowling (51), frequent visitor to Soller

Getting there/around
If you can, forget car hire and take the number 1 bus from the airport to Palma’s main square – Plaza Espana. It costs €1.80.

The railway station is to the left of the square and the trains run roughly every hour to Soller but with a gap over lunchtime. The journey takes just over an hour and is a real experience. The little wooden train trundles through the back streets of Palma and then over the flat plains before disappearing into a series of tunnels through the Tramantana Mountains. It costs about €10.

On arrival in Soller you will find most hotels are within walking distance of the station but there is a taxi rank if need be.

Staying there
We stay at La Vila http://www.lavilahotel.com/. It is a restored town house right on the main square. The 8 rooms are very comfortable but quite simple. The owner – Toni – is very helpful. Book B&B and then have an evening meal in the hotel restaurant if you have time. The food is very good. Quite an adult hotel with no facilities for children.

Other hotels are Le Gran Hotel Soller, just around the corner from La Vila. It has the advantage of large hotel facilities including a swimming pool and spa.

The Salvia is a beautiful, if more expensive boutique hotel http://www.hotelsalvia.com/.

Le Avenida is another, more contemporary boutique hotel http://www.avenida-hotel.com/.

Things to do
The town of Soller is a working Spanish town with a daily market and

bustling atmosphere that centres around the main square. One of its

great attractions is the pretty trams that run between the town and port – 3 miles away. A great day out is to walk to the port, have lunch and get the tram back.

Port Soller is being upgraded from a simple fishing port and made into more of a tourist destination. Its popular for those who want the beach on the doorstep. I haven’t any personal recommendations of hotels but have heard the Hotel Esport is popular. And also the Esplendido.

Walking is the number one pastime and a trail through the mountains to the tiny hamlet of Fornalutx with lunch at the beautifully positioned Es Turo restaurant is a great day out.

Another option is take the public bus to Deia and walk back. Home to the famous La Residencia Hotel, Deia is always full of ‘beautiful’ people in unsuitable shoes!

Further away is Valldemossa – another pretty town with lots of history and interest.

If you need a day trip then take the train back into Palma for the day. Palma has a lot to offer, shops, sightseeing, marina and lovely gardens. It is hopeless for parking though so go by train or the new Express Bus.

Eating out
Places to eat in Soller include the very authentic Spanish Restaurant Sa Cova. Good Italian food at Don Capriani in the Gran Via. The bars around the square sell good tapas, especially the Café Soller.