Puerto de Soller

The highlight for us was the landscape. Having avoided going to Mallorca for many years because lying on tourist beaches in the sun never appealed, we succumbed to the Ramblers Worldwide Holidays descriptions of walking in the Sierra de Tramuntana; and also to friends’ recommendations. We were not disappointed. Orange and lemon groves, olive groves, evergreen oak woods, spectacular limestone mountains and gorges, old traditional paths, wildflowers, and the sea never far away. Puerto de Soller itself is a quiet resort with more walkers than sun-worshippers.

Whilst the landscape itself was interesting, it came to mean much more because of our local guide, Juan. He told us how the use of the land has changed over the years, how there used to be charcoal-making in the oak woods and how the olive terraces were worked. He also explained about the present-day orange and lemon groves, where the smell of orange blossom filled the air. The freshly squeezed juice was always popular! And, of course, Juan knew all the best walks!

On our free day we walked part of the Archduke’s path – more wonderful scenery along an airy clifftop path. Away from the big resorts and beaches, Mallorca has been a great discovery for us.

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