The secret’s out. For years, the sleepy Sóller Valley in the north west of Mallorca, remained one of the island’s best-kept secrets, an old merchants’ town beloved by hikers, tucked away in the fist of the imposing Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, and reached only by a helter-skelter mountain road for masochistic donkeys and adrenalin addicts. But all that changed with the arrival of the new Sóller toll tunnel which scythed a path through seemingly impenetrable mountain, to slash up to a half an hour off the journey time from Sóller to Palma, Mallorca’s capital. Now a mere 30-minute drive from Palma will take you to the Valley of Sóller, a veritable Eden bursting with citrus and olive groves, and with a vibrant town and Port on the brink of reinvention and deluxe tourism nirvana.

In Sóller town, stylish cafés and chic boutique hotels such as the beautifully appointed, six-bedroomed retreat, Hotel Salvia, and the cult Hotel C’an Isabel, are shooting up faster than bamboo and attracting a discerning clientele in search of a luxurious holiday experience. A short tram ride from Sóller’s elegant train station is the Port of Sóller where two new contemporary four-star treats, Aimia Hotel & Spa and Hotel Esplendido could rival the moodiest and most cutting edge of Barcelona or Madrid. Both hotels have first-rate spa facilities and restaurants, and offer magnificent views over the sea and mountains.

Sóller street leading
up to the
main Plaça and the
Church of Sant
BartomeuThroughout the year Aimia offers fishing trips and culinary tours of the area with a local chef, picking mountain mushrooms, known as setas and caracoles, the local snails. Around the horseshoe bay of the Port, right on the sea’s edge are a host of culinary delights such as Mallorcan specialist restaurant, Es Passeig, Restaurant S’Atic, a grown-up dining experience with a Catalan twist, and Agapanto run by the effervescent Anna Maria Stern, which offers a diverse and unfussy international menu and has DJs and live music on the beach by night. High above the Port up a winding, vertiginous road, and close to the lighthouse, is Es Faro, a hideaway from the bustle, offering fresh seafood dishes and its own distinctive fare.

Linking Sóller to its vibrant Port is a four-kilometre stretch of road, currently undergoing a major facelift in order to make way for a mountain tunnel which will bypass the Port’s busy esplanade, creating a pedestrianised zone overlooking the stunning beach and lighthouse. This new initiative is the brainchild of Sóller council headed up by dynamic Carlos Simarro, the town’s Mayor, whose intention is to make Sóller Valley the hot, must-visit quality destination of Mallorca.

The wonderful Finca
Gourmet in Calle
Luna, Sóller“We are investing a great deal of money into creating a sound infrastructure for the whole area that will benefit residents and tourists alike,’’ says Simarro. “The Port will soon become an exclusive and unrivalled all- year-round destination with improved beaches, sports and sailing facilities and attractive pedestrianised zones for shopping and relaxation.”

In Sóller town itself, the town council has begun converting disused historic buildings into vibrant art, music and cultural centres and is upgrading parks and recreational areas to include more trees and better facilities for visitors, including parking. A year from now, it will be hard to imagine a more happening place on the island outside of Palma.

In Sóller town, stylish cafés and chic
boutique hotels are shooting up faster than bamboo

Leaving the Port and heading back towards Sóller town, in the direction of nearby Deia village, home for many years to revered British poet and author, Robert Graves, is Can’Ai, a discreet rural agro-tourism hotel. Beloved by celebrities such as Stella McCartney, craving peace and anonymity, this haven of calm with its orchards, tranquil gardens and heavily beamed rooms combines rustic charm with first-rate amenities. A brisk walk away is newly arrived C’an Coll, an elite California conceived Ashram offering yoga, vegetarian food and rigorous walks for a mere snip at about €3,000 per week.

A great place for
people- watching,
Cafe de Paris in
Sóller’s main plaça
Back in Sóller’s bright and bustling main square with its neo-gothic Church of Sant Bartomeu and elegant town hall, one can wile away the time people watching from favourite local haunt, Café de Paris or trendy Bar Sóller. For shopaholics, a paradise awaits in Calle sa Lluna, Moon Street, where delicatessen, Finca Gourmet, a showcase for artisan-made local food products, and historic Colmado La Luna, the town’s mini Fortnum & Mason, blend in with exclusive designer boutiques such as Adrec, artisan jeweller’s Galleria Carlos Tellechea, shoe emporium Buades and cool interior design and kitchen specialists, Castañer, Amaranta and Can Toni Reia. Off the main square is Raco 99, a slice of fashion heaven, classy gift shop Cavall Verd, and Melissa, a lingerie outlet to rival London’s Rigby & Peller. An essential stop for ice-cream fetishists is Fet a Sóller whose scrumptious homemade ices come in every conceivable flavour.

For culture vultures, Sóller
has its own historical museum in Calle San Mar

Just off the main square a welcome new addition is Café Raddya, a boho- chic teahouse offering tapas, and afternoon pastries and Ca’n Gata on Calle Sa Lluna which offers a cheap and delectable menu del dia. For culture vultures, Sóller has its own historical museum in Calle Sa Mar and just out of town are the botanical gardens and museum, Jardí Botànic. Throughout the year a number of historic fiestas are celebrated in the town square such as The Three Kings on 5 January and the Carnival in February which marks the beginning of Lent. There’s also the Moors & Christians fiesta, which is held in May. This is Sóller’s most famous public event and involves a spectacular re-enactment of the battle that took place in the 16th century between the (victorious) locals and marauding Moorish pirates.

Aside from the attractions of the town and port, Sóller has so much more to offer. Known as the Golden Valley, a historic reference to its glory days as a producer of rich olive oil, the area has become a hikers’ playground and a magnet for those in search of peace, culture and rural tranquillity. Only a stone’s throw from Sóller town a visit can be made to the beautiful village of Biniaraix where Ca’n Det, a family olive pressing business, has kept to the traditional methods of oil production for the last 300 years. For hikers, a ten- minute drive away is the Mirador from where you can take a breathtakingly beautiful walk through the cool mountains to the unspoilt beach of Cala Tuent. En route a lunch stop can be made at idyllic Balitx d’Avall (+34 639 718 506) an ancient finca surrounded by forests where hearty roast lamb and succulent pork is served with oodles of sautéed potatoes by an open fire, washed down with carafes of red wine. At Cala Tuent, walkers can either retrace their steps through the mountains or take a leisurely 40-minute boat ride back to the Port of Sóller and give their feet a rest.

Best restaurants
Where to eat in Sóller

S’Atic
Los Geranios, Paseo de la Playa 15, Puerto de Soller, tel: +34 971638113, www.hotel-losgeranios.ch

Restaurant Agapanto
Camino del Faro, 2, Platja d’en Repic, Puerto de Soller, tel: +34 971 633860, www.agapanto.com

Restaurant Es Passeig
Paseo de la Playa, No 8 Bajos, Puerto de Soller, tel: +34 971 630217

Ca’n Gata
Calle sa Lluna 51, Soller, tel: +34 971 638634

Es Faro
Cap Gros de Moleta,
Puerto de Soller tel: +34 971 633752

The wonderfully arty and
literary hilltop town of
DeiaA short drive out of Sóller will take you to the literary village of Deia and further south en route to Valldemossa, to Son Marroig Estate, one of the residences of the late Archduke Luis Salvador of Austria who in the 19th century refashioned this medieval mansion to suit his opulent tastes. At Valldemossa, there is a Carthusian Monastery, famous for its connection with the composer Frederic Chopin who, with his companion, George Sand, spent an icy winter here writing his preludes and attempting to cure himself of consumption. The village of Valldemossa is full of good value restaurants and shops, and on a wintry day is a Mecca for locals and tourists wishing to sample its speciality of piping hot chocolate, chocolate à la taza, served with delicious potato buns.

Throughout the year a number of historic
fiestas are celebrated in the town square

Owner Xavier in his
deli full of treats,
Colmado La LunaIn the past, Sóller was a hive of commercial activity, enjoying an international reputation for its production of superb olive oil and the export to France and the Spanish Peninsula of its beautiful cotton textiles and exceptional oranges. Its success made it one of the wealthiest areas on the island which is reflected in the lavish construction of many of the town’s historical buildings and impressive, vast stone-built mansions. Since those hallowed times, the Golden Valley has taken a backseat, allowing other parts of the island to hug the limelight. Now, though, it is about to celebrate a magnificent renaissance. For Sóller it is the dawn of a new era, of, rebirth and regeneration. Never has its future looked so good.

Best hotels
Where to sleep in Sóller

Hotel Esplendido
Es Traves 5, Puerto de Soller Tel: +34 971 631850, www.esplendidohotel.com

Hotel Aimia & Spa
Calle Santa Maria del Cami 1, Puerto de Soller Tel: +34 971 631200, www.aimiahotel.com

Hotel Ca’n Isabel
Carrer Isabel II, 13, Sóller Tel: +34 971 638 097, www.canisabel.com

Hotel Ca N’Ai
Carrer de Son Sales 50, Sóller Tel: +34 971 632494, www.canai.com

Hotel Salvia
Carrer de la Palma, 18, Sóller Tel: +34 971 634936, www.hotelsalvia.com