Beautiful Soller

Well that flew by - a sunny, happy week in Soller.

It wasn't a great start - a one and a half hour delay at the airport, then sat on the plane for a further hour and more but the pilot put his foot down and we got to Palma with 5mins to spare from getting delay compensation once over the 3 hours!!

The transfer taxi was all booked, didn't have to wait long, a 30 minute drive and we arrived at our new home for the week. I always worry whether it'll live up to the pictures, thankfully this did and some! Of course Sam was the first one in!!

We spent the first day exploring Soller, finding the supermarket, as our closest Spar was closed on a Sunday. It certainly was a less touristy area.

Soller is a beautiful town. Quiet is possibly not the right word to describe it, as there were people around, the tram travelling down to the Port through the centre but it had a calmness about it. We breakfasted in the Square, found the train station, Miro exhibition, then wandered back and spent the afternoon at the villa.

On Monday we went to Port De Soller via the Tram. 

 It was nice, not as nice as Puerto Pollensa, where we holidayed last year. We had a wander along the seafront, swam in the sea, had an ice-cream, then got the bus back to Soller, with the promise of returning one evening.

On Tuesday we left Sophie behind. Jeff, Sam and I caught the bus to Deia, then walked down to the rocky cove at Cala De Deia. It was a proper rocky path and mix of roads spiralling down to the sea. 

A scene from The Night Manager was filmed there. We didn't go to 'the' cafe, instead ate our bakery breakfast looking out to sea, after the most welcome swim in the rocky cove. The walk back was hard going in the heat but we were grateful at the top in Deia for a shady bus stop and air conditioned bus back to Soller.

That evening we met up with good friends Steve and Jan, who are lucky enough to live on the island. It was great to have a catch up, always a good time and delicious food. 

We spent Wednesday having a relaxed Villa day.

Jeff and I went into the Square for breakfast, 

the perfect spot for a little people watching and good coffee.

That evening we got the bus down to the Port, in the hope of a sunset (not that impressive) and a different spot to eat. My one rule on holiday is that I won't cook. I'll put together breakfast and lunch but the only thing I'll cook is a boiled egg!! It's my one week of the year where I can have a week off. It was certainly more expensive here than in Soller, which I actually preferred.

The alarm was set for Thursday morning and a day trip to Palma. I loved the city and will happily return but it was far too hot for 4 people to just mill around.

We went to Palma on the old train from Soller, through the mountains. The station in Soller is beautiful, quite arty and it was lovely to sit and eat our breakfast there, in the peace and stillness of the station before other people arrived.

As I said Palma was great, the architecture, atmosphere, mix of old and new. We stumbled on areas rather than having a plan for the day. The Cathedral was impressive but it was so hot and exposed. Our plan had been to walk along the seafront but there was no real shade, so we headed back to the old town and their shady streets and found a quiet square to get a drink.

We had lunch in St Cristo Bakery. I always do the bakery run on holiday, getting fresh pastries for breakfast, bread for lunch etc. I chatted to Alfonso most mornings, mentioned we were going to Palma and he told us to find his wife Rene in the Palma bakery, "tell her Alfonso sent you!!" which we duly did, 10% off and we got to meet his lovely wife. I love meeting people like that on holiday.

So Friday, our final day, pretty much went like Wednesday, with Jeff and I breakfasting in the Square, lunch back at the villa, time relaxing by the pool and our final evening in the Square.

Saturday came around far too quickly. We breakfasted at the Villa, having to leave at 11.30. Our pre arranged transfer arrived, super speedy drive down to Palma airport, where we spent the afternoon waiting for our flights.

It was a lovely holiday, time together, although whatever the age, Sophie and Sam always bicker. Not helped by the fact that they had to share a room but that was the compromise when booking for a larger pool. I do wonder if that could have been our last family holiday as a four. I'm guessing Sam will still holiday with us next year, maybe Sophie but she may have started her placement year by the time we go. I'll share villa details with you in the next post for anyone that's interested, this is way too long as it is. Sadly it's Adios for this year but as always, I'm beginning to research where to go next year. Always need something to look forward too x