Train Sóller Station (Palma de Mallorca)

Excellent day out to Port de Soller, highly recommended. There are only two trains each morning running the one hour from Palma to the town of Soller in the north of Mallorca: 10 and 10:40. The departing station in Palma is conveniently very close to the main Estacio Intermodal at Placa d’Espanya. Book online the day before to ensure a ticket. Tickets on the day can be bought at the station but numbers for each train are limited. Warning: it’s cash only for tickets on the day at the ticket office, cards not accepted. No need to print out the combined receipt and ticket that comes by email but online tickets have to be exchanged at the ticket office before boarding, just show your phone. You must travel on the booked train but as we were early for the 10:40 train and the 10:00 had spare seats (end of October), they let us board the 10:00 train. Allow 15 mins for the online queue to exchange tickets. A return trip for two adults is €64 but this also includes the 30 min tram from Soller down to the port and back. Masks must be worn at all times and this is strictly enforced. The old-fashioned narrow-gauge railway trundles north out of Palma and, after some depressing industrial areas on the outskirts of the city, continues through some very picturesque scenery of astonishing mountains and valleys. The train passes through some 13 tunnels and over a viaduct. You will want to take lots of pictures! Ignore the advice we saw online that the best views were from the left-side seats. In fact, the most impressive views going towards Soller were on the right but there are some pretty views on the left too. Coming back to Palma sit on the left. The windows open upwards allowing both ventilation and unobstructed views from almost every row. The seat backs flip across to allow almost all passengers a forward facing seat. If the train is not full the seat back in front can be pushed forward to give greater leg room. The train is quaint and it’s surprising that in this age of health and safety it has avoided safety modifications. E.g., don’t lean out of the window, as you could literally lose your head. There’s a 5-minute stop high above the last valley before Soller where everyone can get out to take photos. Be aware that some carriages are reserved for tour groups and when we arrived at Soller the tram at the station was also reserved for the tour group. However, the main (and longer trams) leave from just outside the station gates every 30 mins during the day. No reservation is needed but in busy periods it’s standing room only for many. Take our advice and first spend some time wandering the shops and cafes in Soller before taking the tram to the port. The church is moderately interesting but entry is 1 euro. The busy town square where cafe customers compete with cars and the tram in narrow, twisting roads is interesting to observe. The tram down to the port is the main event. On reaching the bay, the tram turns right along the promenade to stop almost at the far end, close to the marina entrance. Port Soller is an almost unspoilt area of Mallorca quite unlike most of the tourist areas in the south and west of the island. The stores and restaurants are that bit more refined and filled with less crass tourist tat. The Cala of Soller with lighthouses perched on each side of the bay is picture-postcard perfect with safe-to swim blue water and fine sandy beaches, more sandy towards the east end. You can stroll round the marina taking in the yachts and motor cruisers, small and large. As you are likely to be at the port for the day - the return trains are not until 4:30 or 5:30 - you should prepare for the beach. Alternatively, take a slow stroll from one end of the promenade to the other, stopping for ice cream and a drink, and back again. There are many restaurants to chose from for lunch. The return trams leave every 30 mins. To be sure of a seat on the 5:30 train back to Palma, we left the port on the 4:30 tram. As we had already visited Soller town earlier in the day, we just walked over to the train and had our pick of seats.