Good Excursions By Car

[Mariquita]

It would be interesting to know where people drive to for a day out.

One of our favourite journeys is to Soller along the mountain road.

Have you stopped at the mountain refuge-like restaurant at the top of the walk down to Sa Calobra? The views are wonderful.

Soller itself is a very old town with some magnificent houses and a bustling square. Parking can be tricky so we always park at the botanical gardens and walk (about 10 minutes to the centre) Follow the signs to the botanical gardens and there is parking right outside next to the road. Ask in the botanical garden reception for directions into the centre.

The town square is an excellent place to have lunch and people watch. The town is very pleasant to wander round and there is a tram from Soller into Port de Soller which is an enjoyable trip with good scenery.

 

[smiddy]

day out

Soller is one of our favourites
but only go "out of season" as it gets a bit busy
recently drove to Puerto de Andratx
and had a nice sunday lunch there
but as i always say there is in my opinion
no place to beat pp

 

[JH02JLH]

Re: day out

Smiddy,

I love how you write your posts...

They look like poems...and reading them has the same calming effect as well.

Jane

 

[robjay]

Re: day out

My first and still favorite drive in mallorca (pre PP days:eek )was from Andratx to Soller.market day in Andratx is fantastic the route is a little Hair raising but the views are well worth it, If you try this route take it very slowly and keep pulling over to let other road users past including those crzy cyclists:evil because almost every turn in the road reveals yet another beautiful vista.
Take care.

Robjay

 

[Debilicious]

Re: day out

The drive down to Soller IS beautiful, like stated, hair raising at times, but worth it, for the views, mountains are amazing shapes, very rugged !! lovely drive !

Drive also to CSV is lovely, although dam right dangerous...lol: eek

The drive up the "puig" to La Reserva, is beautiful in puigmuyent..(spelt wrong ???) even nicer (in my opinion) than soller !!


lots of lovely drives all over the island, biggest disapointment was Palma, from what we seen it looked like a dump ! i swore we were in the wrong place, as heard great reviews, only draw back was the gorgeous purple blossom everywere, but actual buildings were run down etc ! may of been in the wrong part ??

 

[pollensa]

Re: day out

Re Palma, I should think you were in the 'wrong' area as some of the lovely old streets are so narrow you can hardly drive through them. The best way to see Palma is to first get an overview on the Open Top bus & then get off & WALK! There's a lovely walking route to visit houses with patios & courtyards. So this is definitely off-topic as Palma is not a lovely place for a drive!

But a lovely day out by car is going down the East Coast - Porto Petro, Cala Figuera, Cala Mondrago etc.

 

[Debilicious]

Re: day out

have to agree with you also, maybe we were on outskirts, as really was run down, didnt get a chance to get out of car, will re visit on return !! as had to admit, to being gobsmaked.

we came from the east coast, and stopped at this place with an old castle,at top of it... but cant remeber the name, had the best pa amb oli ever, will consult my notes, as this town, reminded me of pollensa, only not as pretty, but lovely drive to, park up, with a walk rounda lovely castle,

east coast recommended, was lovely.

 

[travellinghopefully]

The road to Soller? How scary?

We're wondering about driving from Pollensa to Soller - just how scary is the road? I really don't like unprotected drops, but can just about cope if there is continuous armco (or substantial barriers). And how wide is it? Would there be any awkward manoeuvres past tourist buses? While I'm confessing to wimpishness, what about the Sa Colobra road? And the road to Formentor? Is it really as bad as it looks on the photos?

 

[Snowy]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

Sollar not to bad Sa Colobra not so good if you meet a bus Formentor is worth it.

Happy driving

Enjoy

Snowy
:smokin

 

[debz1]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

Snowy surely those roads weren't so scary you had to start smoking!!

Debs

 

[Snowy]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

Its was to kill the smell


:rollin :rollin

 

[travellinghopefully]

The road to Soller? How scary?

Thanks for the reassurance - we've just returned so here's some feedback.
The mountain roads seemed well-protected in all the right places. We drove up as far as Cuber and then walked up to the viewpoints beyond the Col de l'Ofre. I got as far as Formentor beach (with a couple of sharp intakes of breath on the way back), but settled for seeing the lighthouse from a glass-bottomed boat :rollin :rollin
Back on the subject of day trips by car - drive to Valldemossa on the south side of the mountains, then along the coast via Deia to Soller (it's the side away from the edge ) then back through the tunnel.
Beautiful place - I'm sure we'll be back!

 

[spudbag]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

Now Pollensa has hit upon our favourite driving day out - heading down to Cala Figuera and Portopetro down south. In May we drove down inland through Sa Pobla, Sta Margalida, skirting Manacor, then through Santanyi.

Cala Figuera is a beautiful steep bay for sipping a little something and walking round the fisherman's pathway - delicious water colours like Cala San Vicente. Then to Portopetro for tapas with a twist at Rafael y Flora (honeyed spare ribs - delectable!!) on the far side of the harbour.

Back up the east coast through Cala Bona, Cala Millor, quick dip in the wet stuff at Sa Coma (lovely safe bathing there) and back up through Can Picafort and Alcudia.

Truly pleasant way to spend a day - now I'm yearning for the next time........

 

[Belladonna]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

I remember many years ago when our three children were 6 yrs old and under, travelling in an old van with no a/c over the mountains to soller one August! Hey, we were novices back then! On the way back we stopped off at a craggy part of the road for a "wind" break - it was hot remember - and hubby decided to obey the call of nature (sorry). Obviously he slipped on the rocks and fell out of site! After the obligatory screaming by me and the obvious laughter from kids who see no danger, he emerged back up with a badly cut leg.

Of course I offered to drive back down, and of course macho man declined the offer. On the way down we passed a pig farm and as we had to drive with the windows opened, suddenly all the flies seemed to smell fresh blood on hubbys knee. The drive back down this trecherous mountain with three hot excitable children, and me trying to knock the flies off of his leg and him telling me that I really wasnt helping the situation, haunts me to this day! To add insult to injury (ha ha) we then realised we were running out of petrol and only just managed to get to a petrol station in time!

Have visited Soller many times since then, in safe, airconditioned comfort, but have to say, no trip has left me with such vivid memories!! :x

 

[bee66]

Re: The road to Soller? How scary?

A few years back we were staying in Porto Cristo with brother and wife. We decided that as first timers they had to visit the lighthouse. We set off in reasonable weather which quickly deteriorated into a tremendous thunderstorm!! We have seen a few in majorca, usually from the safety of a bar not in a little foreign car!!!The lightening seemed to jump from one mountain to another and water was flowing down the fields and over the walls..
We tried to give husband( the driver) advice on what to do, but his reply is not repeatable. Suffice to say when we finally got to pp a few brandies were downed but not by the driver.