The old wooden train or Tren de Soller leaves from its own little station on the Plaza de Espana in the centre of Palma. We had originally planned to do this in February when the countryside is covered in almond blossom but we didn’t make it until last week so we got oranges instead!

 

In the station you can only buy a ticket on the day and you must pay in cash. You also have to decide what time you want to go back as they stamp your ticket.  For 32 euros you get a return train ride with the tram into Puerto  de Soller included.

The journey takes just under a hour starting as the track runs  on the roads of Palma where everyone waves cheerfully as you pass. There are several stops with thirteen tunnels and a viaduct on the way as you travel alongside  the Tramuntana mountains to Soller.  We found the first class carriage right at the front of the train so we  had lovely soft padded seats for the journey. There was  a five minute photo stop on the way at Banya.

When you arrive in the village of Soller you have the choice of wandering around this charming village, which is famous for ice cream, or catching the old tram down hill through orange and lemon gardens to the coast and  Puerto de Soller. We didn’t have much time due to the afternoon train times so we got straight on the tram. This was started in 1913 to transport oranges to the station and you could probably pick them through the tram windows. It took us downhill to the sea.

The port is quite upmarket (well we had seen Magaluf!) with nice shops and restaurants and a lovely sandy beach. A nice place to wander around and find something to eat before the ride back.

Going back to Palma we got the wooden seats of ordinary class but the regular noise of the train sent us to sleep for most of the journey waking up in time to get off back in Palma and have an excellent coffee in the station cafe. This was a nice day out and the train is the main attraction but a longer time to explore Soller would have been good.