Soller is a lovely place to visit – not really for its beaches but for its unspoilt charm. An old San Francisco tram still runs and takes you from the Old Town of Soller to the Port – its rickety but great fun! When you get to the Port you will find a wonderful sea front restaurant (in the Port of Soller) called Sa Llotja des Peix (971 63 29 54) – they literally haul the fish from the bay, grill it and serve immediately – delicious!
My advice though is to go to Soller via the main road route and not the mountain way – though the scenery is dramatic it takes forever and the hairpin bends can make you feel sick after a short while!
There is also a train which takes you from Palma up to Soller through the mountain pass – this is a lovely, scenic route. It’s a full day trip and you can find all the details of the train times in the tourist information bureaux at the Port de Pollenca by the marina.
Cap de Formentor
If you want to take in some of the Mallorcan mountain scenery a trip to Cap de Formentor on a clear day is unmissable. There are look out places along the way and when you get to the light house point the view across the ocean to the mountains beyond is breathtaking. You can travel on afterwards and enjoy the long sandy beach at Formentor (though busy in high summer) or treat yourself to lunch or dinner at the famous Formentor hotel. Their dining terrace is a special place. During high summer you may have to book ahead.
The Old Town of Pollenca
The fruit and veg market in the old town of Pollenca is every Sunday morning from early until about 12 noon. It is fabulous and extends through the old winding streets where you can by just about anything. There is loads there for children too including jewellery stalls, clothes, hair braiding, pictures etc!
Not to be missed. On Wednesday mornings there is also a market in the square of Puerto Pollenca. It is similar, though smaller than the Pollenca market, but do go early as it gets VERY hot.
Trips in the Mountains – Es Guix
This is a totally unique experience where you will find a natural rock spring which has been dammed to create a mountain swimming pool. You can find it by travelling up into the mountains towards Lluc and carrying on towards Sa Calobra where you begin to wind upwards steeply. You will find Es Guix on the right down a long track. If you want to swim there you must eat lunch as this is part of the deal! You will need to book and they are closed on Tuesdays (latest info). Our advice is to go there to swim before lunch as its quieter then and you can enjoy your lunch at a leisurely pace afterwards. The water is absolutely freezing! It runs constantly off the mountains and so never warms up! However we have all swum regularly there – even the children and it’s a great experience and very beautiful. The restaurant serves good fish and is average on pricing but based on previous experience the service has been fairly indifferent.
