I LOVE islands so Mallorca was naturally on my radar. We stayed a week before a 4 day bike tour to get a feel of the island. To say Mallorca is very popular with tourists is an understatement! I am glad we booked for the end of September as July & August are totally crowded with visitors from all over Europe, especially Britain and Germany! We choose charming Port Soller on the west coast of the island to begin our Mallorca Discovery. 

I published an earlier version of this a few years ago with my old blog address which is not in use. Some of you have asked me about Mallorca travel so I am updating the post.

Our flight from Madrid to Palma Mallorca on Iberia Airlines was only one hour and 25 minutes. We decided to forgo a rental car and took a taxi to Port Soller. Hotels are fine, but we prefer an apartment so we can relax and cook some of our meals. A bonus was the great terrace overlooking the harbor. 

People wait for the 1913 vintage tram to the beautiful town of Soller,
just 5 kilometers away.

Port Soller is a fabulous combination of sand and sea, along with the beautiful Serra de Tramuntana Mountain range. I will be cycling up those hills when my bike tour begins.

We love exploring early in the morning before all the tourists descend on the town.

A fishing boat offloads their catch of Dorado.

Port Soller’s small harbor has limited docking facilities for mega yachts though a few still arrive. This 175′ super sailing yacht, “Nirvana Formentera” is owned by Spanish billionaire, Isak Andic, the owner of Mango stores. It has a crew of 9, can accommodate 10 guests, and was built in Holland for a price of $30 million.

This super sleek Italian built “Pershing 82” has a very cool look. We heard the woman on the deck complaining to a person on a neighboring yacht, “Can you believe we can’t find any fresh strawberries in town?”  I guess one has certain expectations when you have a $3 – $5 million yacht.

Later in the day, it was time for the beach. Marla checked out some sandals on the way.

Port Soller’s esplanade is wonderful!

Port Soller beaches have fine sand, clear water, and few waves. You can rent “2 beds and umbrella” for only 12 Euros, or just find a clear spot and put a blanket down.

https://www.beach-inspector.com/en/b/port-de-soller

Marla walks out for a swim to the platform in the bay.

One day we jumped on the tram for Soller. I love the sound it makes as it slowly heads out of town. 

The tram runs right through the town of Soller. In the early 20th century the tram was used to transport fish from the harbor.

We wanted to take the electric train to Palma after arriving in Soller. When you arrive at the Station in the Plaza de Espana, you will find the Soller to Palma train on a separate track to the left of the main Station line (see picture above).
The train makes a few local stops, the first at Son Sardina, before reaching the town of Bunyola. You then travel into the mountainous Tramuntana region (Sierra de Alfàbia), through 13 tunnels, and over several bridges.The scenery along the twists and turns of the mountains is breathtaking and because of the slow pace of the train, you have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the views. 

Time for lunch and local Mallorcan wines in Palma.

Waiting for our return train.

Marla gives me her glamour pose departing from the train back in Soller.

We love visiting churches and enjoyed “Sant Bartomeu” (Saint Bartholomew) in Soller.  

Checking prices in Soller.

Back in Port Soller we had a perfect dinner table to enjoy the sunset at “Brisas del Mar.” We loved the Cava Sangria while watching the golden sunset sky.

The owner of our apartment owns two restaurants in town. “Cava” has nice outdoor seating next to the harbor. They feature interesting gin and tonics served with dramatic flair by our waiter. We chose “Cabraboc”, a local Mallorcan gin. We still had room for a little snack.

Breakfast on our terrace was our favorite. I went out early each morning to buy pastries for breakfast. Each little side street has at least one supermercado ( mini market) baking their own pastries and bread. It was fun to sample them all!

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.