Excursion to Palma by train. Discover the heart of the Mallorcan capital.

One of the greatest attractions of the Sóller Valley is, among many other things, to be able to boast of being the only municipality in Mallorca that has a centenary railway that operates daily offering an unforgettable experience to all its visitors and, in turn, links our municipality with Palma de Mallorca. The Sóller Railway was inaugurated in 1912 and runs through the Tramuntana mountain range along a route full of incredible landscapes and history. A route that takes us on a journey through time to discover the heart of the Tramuntana and its idyllic spots. For all these reasons, today we will talk about one of the most essential excursions that we recommend you to do if you are going to spend a few days with us: the excursion by train to Palma de Mallorca, the capital of our island.

Before we start, we must say that the Sóller train timetables vary depending on the time of year, although they are always available and updated on their website. We will make the excursion in summer with the following round trip route: we will leave the Aimia Hotel in the direction of the Sóller Railway Station at around 8.00h, we can get on the tram to start the experience from the hotel itself or by taxi. Once there, we will buy the Sóller - Palma - Sóller ticket with departure at 09:00h and return at 18.30h in order to make the most of our excursion to Palma (although you can always return earlier as there are several journeys during the day). Once you have bought your tickets, you will board the train and find yourself in a unique convoy. Immersed in history, inside a carriage with lacquered wooden floors, walls and ceiling, sash windows, gilded sconces and leather and metal seats. It looks exactly the same as it did on the day of its inauguration thanks to the constant care and attention to craftsmanship. At 09:00 the train will leave the station with a beep to mark the departure, taking us along the tracks between orange groves and mountains, crossing several tunnels such as the "500" tunnel, half a kilometre long, and crossing the curved viaduct over the Torrent dels Montreals, a viaduct known as "Els Cinc Ponts". We will then stop for about 10 minutes at the Pujol d'en Banya viewpoint. At this point we can get off the train and take some photographs. After the break, we will go into the Tramuntana mountain range, with the Valley of Sóller and Puig Major on our right, entering a landscape surrounded by centuries-old olive trees until we reach and cross the longest tunnel of all, 3 kilometres long, at which point the train's lamps will light up and, if we open the window slightly, we can feel the fresh, humid air of the tunnel. A few minutes after the tunnel we will arrive at Bunyola, a neighbouring municipality of the Sóller Valley where the train stops at the Bunyola station, built more than a hundred years ago. After the stop, we will continue our journey towards the capital, passing through Son Sardina Station, a rural parish of Palma, and heading through fields of carob and almond trees towards the urban area of the city until we reach Palma de Mallorca's Sóller Railway Station. Situated in an excellent location to enjoy and get to know the Mallorcan capital to the maximum without the need to use a vehicle.
 

Located next to the Plaza de España, the Sóller Railway Station allows us to visit several places in a comfortable way, such as the Plaza de España, the Plaza Major, full of shops and cafés, and the old town of Palma 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. This is undoubtedly one of the buildings that represents our capital. When we arrive at La Seu we will notice its height - it is one of the tallest cathedrals in Europe and has the largest rose window - and we can visit it. Next, we can visit the old city walls by the sea and the historic centre of Palma, where the Mallorcan nobility used to live and where we can discover palaces such as the Palau de la Almudaina, from the 14th century, or the Parc de la Mar, a saltwater lake that is perfect for taking photographs with the cathedral behind us. We can then visit the gardens of s'Hort del Rei and the Swan Pond, architectural works of Arab origin. After strolling around and getting to know the old part of the city, we can return in the direction of the Plaza de España along Jaume III street and the Plaça de Ses Tortugues, where we recommend a stop to enjoy the ensaimadas or homemade ice creams at Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo or try a "Langosta" at the Bar Bosch, known for its famous llonguets (sandwiches made with a typical island roll). After this aperitif we can visit the Museu contemporani de Es Baluard, located 10 minutes' walk from the Plaça de Ses Tortugues, a place where there are always exhibitions and which has a large terrace with views of the sea.

When it comes to eating, there are plenty of places where you can enjoy Mediterranean and Mallorcan cuisine, so we recommend eating in the centre. Finally, if you eat near Jaume III, you can continue towards the Ses Rambles area and go up the stairs next to Palma's Teatre Principal. These stairs will take you back up to the Plaça Major and, from there, to the Plaça d'Espanya to get to an area near the station. Once here, 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 Sóller.

It is interesting to note that although we will have done the same route in the morning, doing it in the opposite direction allows us to enjoy a much more immersive view of nature, as well as a great contrast between the urban area and life in the Sierra de Tramuntana. So we recommend that you enjoy the scenery on the way back at all times, especially when you enter the inner part of the Sóller Valley. Once inside the municipality of Sóller, 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 Port of Sóller by tram and enjoy dinner in the bay of the Port or return to the Aimia Hotel to enjoy the Airecel Dinners in our Airecel Restaurant. A place where you can enjoy the local gastronomy to end a perfect day in the best possible way. Undoubtedly, a unique experience that we recommend you to do one hundred per cent 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 or other places of interest in Palma de Mallorca, do not hesitate to ask our reception team who will be happy to help you.

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