SOLLER
The City of Soller sits in the middle of the 'golden bowl 'of the valley and gets its name from its Moorish past.
The valley and the fertile orange growing lands give this place its heart and soul and in the past its prosperity. Soller is a City and not a town or large village.
City status was awarded to it by King Alfonso of Spain and photographs still exist which marked the occasion. Most notably the triumphal ironwork arches which bear the words 'City of Soller'.
The history of this City is best told at the Museum of Soller which is located in a side street near the Post Office. The Museum shares the space with the memory of Maria Mayol Colom – a notable citizen of Soller who was one of the first feminist activists that Soller and indeed Mallorca had. She was a prophet without honour to start with but these days she is revered for her work in the education of the women of Soller. Wonderful stories exist telling of her role in teaching women to read and providing a 'women’s only library' in the days when libraries were only for men. How times have changed!
Soller is a City whose population is growing and achieving the expectations for the area that the opening of the Soller tunnel promised. Prior to 1997 the only way in to Soller was driving up the mountain and negotiating 57 hair pin bends or taking the electric train from Palma. These days the thirty minute drive to Palma means that people who work or go to school in Palma and the surrounding areas can still live in Soller. The time when it was a days journey to get to the centre of the island have now gone for ever.
Soller is the vibrant heart of the Soller Valley and houses its banks, schools, medical centre and main shopping street in the Calle Lluna. The Ferrocarril's electric train from Palma terminates here and the Soller Tram begins. The square in front of the church and Town Hall is where the rich tapestry of life is on display every day and particularly on Saturday's when the Market rolls into the City. Local people tend to meet in the square rather than entertain at home and so the place becomes an extension of their lives. The square is the focus for fiestas and celebrations, parish al fresco dining, weddings, children's play area and music. Sollerics love to dance and play the local instruments and the main performance area is – yes – you've guessed it in the square in front of the Church.
Soller is a café society and the days papers are read, events discussed, friendships made and broken all in that tree lined square. The focus changes a bit in the summer when the café society moves to the beach for a couple of months but even then they are back in the square come nightfall.
There are many tourist guides to the City of Soller which will tell you of its past glories, fine houses and the Museum of Modern Art that exists in Calle Lluna. This guide will do all that too but our aim is to introduce you to the real Soller which is full of the amalgam of people that make it such a dynamic place. We know that the readers of this are visitors, holiday makers, would be and existing residents plus many others who want to get into the soul of the place.
The first visit you should make after marvelling at Soller's centre is the walk up to the City Cemetery. The view over the valley from this place is extraordinary as is the place itself. It is a testament to all the eccentric people who have given so much to the place to make it what it is today. When you land in Soller you land in alternative universe and the cemetery puts it all into perspective.
The golden bowl of Soller welcomes you and encourages to stay a while or indeed for ever. Many before you have done just that and created a world full of beauty, friendships, music, oranges, sea, mountains, and culture in all its manifestations. All here in Soller for you - you are most welcome.
