The Soller area of Mallorca is often overlooked as one of the best regions to visit on the island. Those willing to discover Soller and Port de Soller can do so all year round and will find it a world away from Mallorca as you may know it.
Soller’s enviable location on the North side of the Tramuntana Mountains through a 3km toll-free tunnel is set in a landscape of orange and lemon groves, and rustic traditional Mallorcan cottages.
The area oozes charm and has a much slower pace of life. So whenever you choose to visit, whether staying in the mountain town of Soller or on the coast in neighbouring Port Soller there is still plenty to see and do.
You really get a feel of old Majorca with the Tramuntana Mountains acting as an impressive backdrop. With hiking routes and quaint villages to explore as well as a lovely beach area, and plentiful boat trips departing from the Port, you can really experience the best beach and mountain break rolled into one fantastic holiday experience.
Updated in March 2023
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What’s Soller like for a holiday?
Visitors to Soller town during the summer months have a selection of beautiful historical hotels, private homes and villas in which to stay.
As an example, I visited the Gran Hotel in Soller and made a video of my visit.
Check out this video of one of the town’s most famous hotels and a mini guide to the town.
You can also go ahead and book this hotel here.
Summer months can be busy and bustling around the main square Plaza Constitución, and streets filled with visitors passing through for the day.
In the evening though, really enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional bars and restaurants and the feeling that you are experiencing a slice of Mallorcan life.
Soller is a really popular hiking and biking destination year-round. There is also a huge residential population here so you know a holiday to Soller town also means experiencing real Mallorca.
However, Soller is also a great place to go for a day trip too if you’d rather holdiay in another resort on the island.
It’s well connected by bus and the traditional train from Palma, and if you’re driving by hire car, then Soller is accessible by a toll-free tunnel.
What’s Port de Soller like for a holiday?
Soller Port or Port de Soller is not a purpose-built resort, but one of the largest working port towns on the island. That said, it is also a fantastic place to enjoy a Mallorca holiday.
The giant horseshoe bay in Port de Soller is home to a golden sandy beach which is lined with a varied selection of hotels, making this a great place to stay.
The port is also home to a magnificent five-star hotel – the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa – which is located high on the cliff edge of the port.
With amazing views, an infinity pool, and incredible dining, expect celebrity treatment from your stay here.
This hotel opened in 2012, and offers a great alternative to the Hotel Residencia in Deia if you are looking for five-star luxury, with room nights coming in a half the cost. You can check out the rates here.
If you are travelling on a budget then do check out the Hotel Citric with rooms starting from 75€ per night in May. The views from this hotel are absolutely some of the best you can get in Port de Soller.
The aboslute advantage here too is not only having the entire Port de Soller on your doorstep, but also you are located on an amazing walk up to the lighthouse.
So check out the rates here.
And to find out more about the hike from Port de Soller, check out this Yotube video here to check this out here
The entire port area has a huge array of restaurants, bars and shops, and is packed with activities from boat trips to excursions giving plenty of options on how to spend your day.
Port de Soller is of course home to the iconic San Fransisco-style tram which connects the port with Soller town. And it’s the perfect way to travel in style.
Even in the winter months Soller Port still feels busy. Unlike most resorts in Mallorca which close over the winter months, many of the restaurants stay all open year-round due to the high residential population on this side of the island.
Check out my Youtube live stream that I filmed in March 2023 so you can see what Port de Soller is like in early Spring. I was pleasantly surprised to see it so busy and so many people on the beach!
What are Soller and Port de Soller like for a day trip?
It’s perfectly possible to visit both Soller and Soller Port for a day trip.
Either take the quaint wooden train or Ferrocarril from Plaza España through the mountains and the orange groves to Soller town.
Then spend a couple of hours in Soller town getting a refreshment, do some shopping and take a look around, before taking the San Fransisco style tram to the Port.
If you leave on a morning train, you will have plenty of time to look around both areas and even go for a swim from the beach in the Port before heading back.
If you’re visiting on a budget then take the much cheaper TIB red and yellow bus. Details are below this post.
What is the beach like in Port de Soller?
Port the Soller beach offers a wonderful treat for those visiting coming into the Port for a day trip or holidaymakers.
The beach starts if you turn left when leaving the tram station and it stretches all the way down the promenade.
With cafés and restaurants lining the beach, it’s the perfect place to go with access to all the services.
During the summer, you can rent sunbeds and sun loungers on the beach here. I’m still waiting to hear how much these will be, but last year two sunbeds and a rental cost 15€ for the day.
The beach here is lifeguarded from May to September and there are good access points too for those with accessibility issues.
Further along the promenade towards Repic beach, the beach does turn a little pebbly in places, but you will find it’s also a little emptier too.
And on the far end of Port de Soller beach, you will arrive at Repic beach too which is another sandy stretch, also with sun lounger rentals for hire.
The water here is cool, clean and calm making the beach here perfect for families.
Discover Soller – Things to do
For a full guide to things to do in Port de Soller check out this article here.
A local market is held in Soller town every Saturday and there are many local shops to explore selling locally made products. Head to the Commercial Centre in Soller, which lies just off the Plaza Constitución.
Of course, you have to drink the orange juice here. Soller is famous for its oranges since they are grown in orange groves throughout the north of the island.
There are also some interesting cultural sights to discover including taking a tour around the Sant Bartomeu church as well as the Can Prunera Museum of Modernism.
But one of the main reasons visitors come to Soller is for it’s access to this northern side of Mallorca and sightseeing around the other villages.
Again, these villages feel a world away from traditional Mallorca seaside resorts.
During the summer, a great value-for-money day trip is the Mallorca Scenic Island Tour which includes not just the train and tram experience from Port de Soller and Soller but also a boat trip to Sa Colobra, and the Torrent de Pareis.
The most popular are day trips to Deia and Valldemossa. Both attract celebrities and the glitterati during the summer season, but even out of season, these towns offer a wonderful insight into the traditional side of the island.
Soller Hiking Adventures
Hiking is a hugely popular activity for both tourists and residents on the island between the months of September and late May.
From Soller Port, one of my favourite hikes is to Es Cap Gros Lighthouse. And you can do this whatever the weather. The hike follows the road from Soller Port, winding its way hugging the coastline to the lighthouse.
You can enjoy incredible views all the way along the coastline from here. Check out my Youtube video to see what this route is like, even on a rainy day!
But there are many hiking routes in this area which are too many to list here. And if you would rather explore the area with a group then there are several tour companies which offer guided tours, including transport.
Book Port de Soller Boat Trips
Head down to the Port to check out what boat trips are on offer. You can book tickets including; tourist catamarans, a private day charter and tailor-made excursions.
The most popular excursions are to take the option whether visiting from the South West (if you’re staying around Palmanova, Magaluf, Playa de Palma etc) or North East of Mallorca (staying around the Puerto Pollensa, Alcudia, Can Picafort area) is to book the cruise visiting Sa Colobra and the Torrent de Pais, taking in Port de Soller and Soller and of course experiencing the wooden tram and Ferrocarril train.
This tour represents great value for money and is a great way to see an amazing area of the island in one trip.
But if boat trips are not your thing, then many companies offer day tours which take in sights including visiting Alfabia gardens or a tram and bus trip to visit Soller, Port de Soller and Valldemossa.
Getting Around Soller
You can travel to Soller for a day trip from the centre of Palma. If you’re staying in Soller, it’s easy to get to Palma city for the day. Take a look at this video clip here where to pick up the train:
Alternatively, Soller is well connected to Palma on the cheaper and faster TIB bus service. Check out the timetable here.
Soller Port to Soller to Palma:
And if you wish to explore the other villages without hiring a car, take the 205 and 232 TIB buses
You can also visit Soller by TIB bus from Alcudia. You can take an epic tour through the mountains on the 231 bus during the summer months. See the timetable here.
For all direct TIB bus timetable options to Soller, check this link here.
As you can see Soller and Port de Soller are a world away from the traditional seaside resorts you will find elsewhere on the island.
The incredible beauty and scenery offered by the area make this one of the most picturesque and unforgettable places to stay on the island.
It’s also a reason that brings people back to the area time after time.
If you like Soller, you may also like to explore these other areas of the island here.
