EXCURSION TO PALMA BY TRAIN

The Valley of Sóller is known, among many other things, for being the only municipality in Mallorca that has a century-old train and tram that, to this day, continue to operate, offering an unforgettable experience to all its visitors. The Sóller Railway, inaugurated in 1912, runs through the Tramuntana mountain range linking Sóller with Palma de Mallorca along a route full of landscapes, history and nature that transports us, through a journey through time, to discover the essence of the Tramuntana and its idyllic landscapes. So today we will talk about what for us is an essential excursion if you are going to spend a few days in the Sóller Valley: the excursion by train to Palma de Mallorca, the capital of our island. 

It is important to point out that the Sóller train timetables vary depending on the time of year, although you can always check them on their website. Even so, if you are travelling in summer, we suggest the following return route: We will leave the Gran Hotel Sóller in the direction of the Sóller Railway Station at around 8.15am, located 5 minutes' walk from the hotel, just behind the town hall. Once there, we will buy the Sóller - Palma - Sóller ticket leaving at 09.00h and returning at 18.30h to make the most of our day in Palma - although you can always leave or return earlier as there are several journeys each day. Once you have bought your tickets, you will board the train and discover that you are in a special place: you will find yourself immersed in history, inside a convoy with lacquered wooden floors, walls and ceiling, sash windows, gilded sconces and leather and metal seats. It looks exactly as it did on the day of its inauguration, thanks to the constant care and attention to detail. Once we have settled in, the train will leave the station at the sound of the horn, taking us through landscapes surrounded by orange groves and mountains, crossing several tunnels such as the "500" tunnel, half a kilometre long, and crossing the curved viaduct that crosses the Torrent dels Montreals, a viaduct known as "Els Cinc Ponts", before stopping for about 10 minutes at the Mirador del Pujol d'en Banya viewpoint. At this point we can get off the train and take our photographs. After resuming our journey, we will enter the Tramuntana mountain range, with the Valley of Sóller and Puig Major on our right. We will then enter a landscape surrounded by centuries-old olive trees and cross the longest tunnel of all, 3 kilometres, at which point the lamps of the convoy will open and, if we open the window slightly, we will be able to feel the cold, damp air of the tunnel. We will finally reach Bunyola, a neighbouring municipality where the train makes a stop at Bunyola Station, built over a hundred years ago. We then continue our journey in the direction of Palma, passing through Son Sardina Station, a rural parish of Palma. We will then drive through fields of carob and almond trees towards the urban area of the city until we reach Palma de Mallorca's Sóller Railway Station. Once there, we will discover that the train has left us in an excellent location to enjoy and get to know the Mallorcan capital to the full. 

Located next to the Plaza de España, the Sóller Railway Station allows you to visit different places on foot, such as the Plaza de España itself, the Plaza Major, full of shops and cafés, and to explore Palma's old quarter through the street of Sant Miquel. From the station we can also take a walk in the direction of the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria, known as La Seu. Undoubtedly one of the buildings that most distinguishes our capital. 

When we get there we can see how tall it is - it is one of the tallest cathedrals in Europe and has the largest rose window - and visit it. Afterwards, we will take a stroll along the sea along the old city walls and the historic centre of Palma, where the Mallorcan nobility used to live and where we can discover different palaces and churches such as the Palau de la Almudaina, from the 14th century, or the Parc de la Mar, a saltwater lake ideal for taking some photographs with the cathedral in the background. We can also visit the gardens of s'Hort del Rei and the Swan Pond, architectural works of Arab origin. After discovering the old part of the city, we can return in the direction of Plaza de España along Jaume III street and Plaça de Ses Tortugues, where we can stop to enjoy ensaimadas or homemade ice cream at Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo or try a "Langosta" at Bar Bosch, known for its famous llonguets.  Once there, you can choose to visit the Museu contemporani de Es Baluard, a place where there are always exhibitions and which has a large terrace with sea views, located 10 minutes' walk from the Plaça de Ses Tortugues. 

When it comes to eating, there are plenty of places to enjoy Mediterranean and Mallorcan gastronomy, so we recommend eating in the centre. Finally, after lunch, you can choose to walk around the Ses Rambles area and go up the stairs next to Palma's Teatre Principal. These stairs will take you back to the Plaça Major and, from there, to the Plaza de España. Once back in an area close to the station, and depending on the weather, we can take a stroll through the Parc de Ses Estacions, next to the Plaza de España, or relax and contemplate life in the Mallorcan capital while enjoying a drink in the centre. Finally, we will return to the station to catch our train back to the Sóller Valley. 

Although we will have done the same route in the morning, doing it in the opposite direction offers us a much more immersive view of nature and a great contrast between the urban area and life in the Sierra de Tramuntana. So we recommend that you enjoy the scenery as much as possible on the way back, especially once you are already touring the Serra de Tramuntana from the inland part of the Sóller Valley. Finally, the train will cross its last tunnel and announce its arrival at the station with a final whistle. Once the train has arrived we can choose to go down to the main square of Sóller and enjoy dinner in the centre or return to the Gran Hotel Sóller to enjoy our evening menu at Can Blau Restaurant, the Gran Hotel's restaurant where you can enjoy the local gastronomy to end your day's excursion to Palma de Mallorca in the best possible way. Undoubtedly, a unique experience that we recommend one hundred percent during your stay in the Sóller Valley. 

If you are staying at our hotel and would like more information about the Ferrocarril de Sóller, timetables, tips, as well as other places to visit in Palma de Mallorca, do not hesitate to ask our reception team, who will be delighted to help you. 

INFORMATION OF INTEREST

TIMETABLES TRAIN FROM SÓLLER