Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Soller: Casa Bougainvillea (Booking.com)

Bike Route: Palma to Soller, 21 miles, 1800 feet of climb

It was easier to get out of Palma than we had feared, and we quickly found ourselves on the Ma-10 up to Soller. The climb was gradual, the sun was shining, it was 75 degrees, and the road was full of cyclists. We arrived in Soller in the early afternoon and were able to check right in to our hotel. Our host, David, was extremely nice and accommodating. He helped us stow our bikes downstairs and then led the way to our room on the second floor. It was lovely, with all the little touches that make us feel taken care of (desk and chair, extra towels, king-sized bed, tall windows, refrigerator, and coffee machine).

David is from France. He was cooking dinner to be served in the hotel dining room that night--a special French meal. Unfortunately, all his tables were already booked, but he recommended a restaurant serving traditional Mallorcan food just around the corner. We walked over and ordered a seafood platter to share--just because we know we won't get a chance to eat all the good seafood we want once we are back in Minnesota.

We waddled back to our room, showered, and then walked down to the main square, intending to catch a ride on a tram that runs between Soller and Port de Soller (on the sea), about 2 miles away. At the station, we found that the tram would cost us 28 euros round trip, and we decided to spend the money on ice cream, cookies, and orange marmalade instead. (I'm almost embarrassed by our obsession with food lately. We just can't seem to get enough of it!) We found plenty to do in Soller itself, a-wandering the streets, window shopping, and sitting in the plaza people watching.

Sant Bartomeu de Sóller was built in the early 1200s. Over the years, it has been renovated and expanded several times. Today, it displays elements of its medieval origins along with Gothic, fortified, Baroque, and Art Nouveau architecture.

The Plaza de la Constitucion de Soller is a good place for ice cream eating and people watching.

Trams runs about every half hour between Soller and Port de Soller.