72-Hour Guide: Palma de Mallorca (Part II)
Now that you read about my day in Palma de Mallorca in Part I, it’s time to move on and tell you about a day trip to Sóller on Day 2 and discovering my neighbourhood Cala Mayor with its hidden gems on Day 3.
Day 2 – Sóller
Before I left for Mallorca a colleague of mine told me that I have to take a vintage train from Palma to Sóller. Little did I know it would turn into one of the best travel experiences of my life. Imagine riding a train that is over 100 years old and takes you from Palma’s city center through the breathtaking mountain range, Serra de Tramuntana, and into lush Sóller valley. The journey takes about an hour, which we didn’t notice while admiring Spanish countryside, and numerous tunnels and bridges we crossed. I felt like a kid again full of excitement riding almost a toy-like train.
Sóller is a small and cosy town in the northwest of the island. As soon as we got off the train, we found Sóller’s Saturday market buzzing with vendors selling fresh produce, leather goods and straw baskets, home accessories and other knick-knacks.
Going through the stalls makes a lovely walk leading to Soller’s main square, Plaça Constitució, with lots of outdoor cafes and church of Saint Bartholomew.
Since it was a weekend, lots of locals were out and about sitting in cafes, reading newspapers, sipping coffee and catching up on local gossip. After some walking and looking around, we headed to taste some of Sóller’s famous gelato. Gelato made at the Sa Fabrica de Gelats with fresh milk and cream is famous throughout the island. For about 5 euros, we got 4 delicious flavours to share: pistachio, amarena, snickers and chocolate mint.
After a sugar fix, we got on the vintage tram (or Orange Express as locals call it from the times of transporting oranges to the Sóller’s Port), the first and only of its kind on the island.
After a ride through lemon and olive groves, we arrived at Port de Sóller, a beautiful seaside gem at the bay of Balearic Sea. With lush Tramuntana mountains on one side and turquoise blue sea on another, it’s a truly breathtaking place. The horseshoe bay features a sandy beach and a pedestrianized promenade, lined with cafes and restaurants.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for long at the Port de Sóller as we needed to catch our train back to Palma. However, we promised ourselves to make another trip just to stay at the port and explore it more intimately.
Day 3 – Cala Mayor
Our last full day in Mallorca we wanted to spend locally in our beloved neighbourhood in Cala Mayor. It’s a very chilled, mostly residential area with a lovely sandy beach, few hotels and Joan Miró Avenue full of cafes and restaurants. But the main attraction here is Marivent Palace and gardens, one of the official royal residences where King of Spain and his family often spend their summers. While the Palace itself is closed to the public, the gardens are now open to everyone and a must see.
The gardens are a peaceful refuge with almost 1,000 square meters of greenery, fountains, and Joan Miró’s sculptures. And speaking of Joan Miró, famous Spanish painter and architect spent his last years in Cala Mayor and his nearby home has been turned into a museum and art gallery.
But for beach bums I recommend nearby Cala Mayor beach with beautiful cliffside. We particularly loved evening walks on the beach, when most of the people already left, to feel sand between our toes and watch the sunset.
If you continue walking on Joan Miró Avenue, you will eventually come to the Port Calanova. For me, as a true lover of the seaside, it was a great place to look at the boats and fancy yachts.
And if you are looking for a great place to eat here, I recommend Cyrano Resto-Bar. While it looks very low-key from outside, the food is so delicious and sets it apart from the rest of touristy restaurants and cafes in the area.
Their pizzas and pasta are divine! We ordered bruschetta as a starter, followed by lasagna for my hubby and spinach and ricotta ravioli for myself. It all tasted so fresh and rich. And did I mention, the whole menu is very reasonably priced.
Well, three days passed by very quickly. Mallorca is a truly beautiful place offering both city vibe and relaxing country and seaside. I now understand why many people keep coming back summer after summer and…I might become one of them! So, Mallorca, hasta luego!
Happy travels xx
