Mountains & Villages of Mallorca

This is such a beautiful part of Mallorca - one that we had not visited before. The mountains are spectacular and the walks took us to some of the highest peaks. Walking through the forests was a tranquil experience with many birds - it was interesting to see so many robins and chaffinches as well as the big raptors. The history of the charcoal burners, lime kilns and ice houses was evident as we walked along. The villages are delightful with honey coloured stone houses and cobbled streets. The weather was mild - shorts and t-shirts in March is an unexpected treat.

We had a lovely holiday thank you, the hotels hit the mark for us. All the staff were so friendly and helpful in every place we stayed.

The meal we had included at Cal Bisbe was fabulous. The Es Petit Hotel in Vallemossa was lovely, there was a fire lit in the lounge each day after walking which was very welcome as it was quite cold and blustery weather wise.

Eating wise we loved the Es Roquissar restaurant in Valldemossa, tiny, delightful, friendly and such yummy food.

The Cafe Med in Fornalutx was a fabulous find, a really welcoming reception from a husband and wife team, and again great food.

This holiday offered a range of interesting walks with a particular highlight being the Cuber Reservoir to Fornalutx route. Molón restaurant is close to the hotel and serves delicious small and sharing plate options. In Sóller we would recommend Restaurante Luna 36 and in Valdemossa restaurant Es Taller.

My personal highlight was the climb up Gros Puig. The views from the top were stunning and I felt a sense of achievement, having actually climbed a mountain! I also enjoyed swimming in the sea in the harbour at Deia. It was great not to have to worry about hotels, luggage etc. I liked the fact that all the hotels were centrally placed in towns which made it easy to explore and to eat out.

The quality of the accommodation was excellent. We especially enjoyed our breakfast sitting outside on the terrace surrounded by stunning scenery. It was also good to be able to have a refreshing dip in the sea or hotel pool at the end of our walk given that we experienced hot, sunny weather.

Another great Inntravel holiday which as usual ran like clockwork.  Some challenging walking at times but mostly on very clear paths with excellent signposting so great choice for anyone nervous about following instructions and a map. We started with a very welcoming greeting from our driver Antonio who safely took us to our first hotel in Fornalutx giving us lots of useful information on the way. Fornalutx was a lovely little village with a great atmosphere. On the first day we did the walk from the Cuber Reservoir. The lady at reception organised a taxi to take us to the start which cost about 22 euros. It was a fairly challenging walk with a long descent of a cobbled path but perfectly manageable. On the second day, it was a straightforward walk to the next hotel in Soller. Soller was our favourite hotel and our favourite town. Ca's Curial is a beautiful oasis of calm but is only a very short walk into the town which is nice and busy with lots of nice restaurants. We would particularly recommend Ca'n Pintxo (reservations reccommended). There were so many places to eat we almost didn't take up our one included dinner. To be honest the menu did not sound that appetising (think there was something lost in translation!) but so glad we did as food was delicious. Did a couple of walks round Soller suggested in our instructions. Favourite was walk down to Port de Soller and we then got tram back. We finished our walking in Valdemossa which is a very pretty but busy little town. Would recommend Troya restaurant and also Es Roquissar. Did the walk up to Puig Gros which had a very steep start but had great views and after the initial ascent was a fairly easy walk. We finished our trip with a couple of nights in Palma which we really loved. Had a great walk along the seafront up to Portixol. Hotel Almudaina was a great hotel with a central location and a lovely Skybar. Would recommend Ombu restaurant not far from the hotel which is a modern tapas place. You need to book as very busy. 

The walk from Lake Cuber was a an excellent introduction to the area through beautiful scenery, flora and fauna. All the walks were extremely well marked. We ate at the Molon and S'Aturada restaurants both excellent. In fact at the Molon we rejected desserts and went for another couple of tasty tapas. Soller and walks to the coast were great.

We enjoyed most of the walk to Deia apart from the last part but that was due to the hunger and the delay for the motor race. 

Really enjoyed the Hotel in Valldemossa. Views from the room, breakfast on the terrace, position in the village, I could find no fault. A great little town, particularly towards the end of the day when it went quieter glad I took my sketch pad.

This was our first Inntravel holiday. We enjoyed the walking very much. We had expected to either do circular walks or walk on to the next hotel and not to have to use taxis and buses to complete or start the walks some days (one taxi cost €75). The hotel in Fornalutx is in serious need of repair. We witnessed a glass panel fall and shatter just missing 2 guests. The premium room was tired, lights not working, dirty in places, loose door handles etc, if that was the best room I dread to think what the others were like. The packed lunch was terrible, we didn’t take it. Celine was the redeeming feature there, but our contact with the owner was poor. The other 2 hotels C’al Bisbe and Es Petit Hotel Valldemossa were very good and we would stay there again. It would be good to offer a room only option at all hotels and it would have been nice to be able to upgrade the dinner option at C’al Bisbe. Antonio the driver was very helpful and reliable. 

Another excellent walking holiday with no problems at all.

We had a lovely holiday, even though the walking was more challenging than expected due to the record heat wave in Europe. The walking notes were detailed and clear and we never had any trouble following them or finding our way. The hotels were all very cosy and pleasant, and given the weather we particularly appreciated the pools at Fornalutx Petit Hotel and Ca'l Bisbe. As for eating out, we recommend the restaurants Molón (in Fornalutx), Ca'n Pintxo (in Soller) and Bon Lloc (in Palma), especially for anyone looking for vegetarian-friendly fare.

Overall an excellent holiday in the Tramuntana mountains; the Hotel Ca'l Bisbe was fabulous with a very calm and relaxed atmosphere where you could quite happily relax by the pool with some lovely background music, all very low key after a good days walking. We also stayed at Es Petit in Valldemossa right in the little town centre, a wonderful boutique hotel with fabulous views from the balcony over breakfast.

The walk to Tuent and the boat back to Port de Soller was definitely the highlight. Local buses are far the cheapest, most convenient, way to get around. You pay on the bus. For our day trip to Palma, we took the bus, which was very straight forward and far cheaper than train or taxi.

We particularly enjoyed the upgrade to Ca's Curial which we felt was well worth the extra.

Our 2 nights in Palma prior to starting the walk was the perfect introduction to Mallorca, and is highly recommended.

 All of the walks were brilliant. We have been on a few Inntravel adventures, and this must be one of the best. The climbs were always rewarded by stunning sea views.

Possibly our favourite was the walk to Tuent, stopping at the "cafe" for orange juice. The following steep climb was soon forgotten on reaching the beautiful coastal path, the superb restaurant, and the secluded beach. The receptionist at C'al Bisbe was very helpful in booking our return trip on the water taxi, which turned up very promptly.

Our only regret would be not making the effort to explore Deia, beyond the very inviting, cafe just past the bus stop. In our defence, the day was very hot and the climb up from the beach very steep, and the earlier bus was too great a temptation. Maybe next time....

 Naturally, food is a very important feature of this kind of holiday. Highlights for us were the breakfasts at C'all Bisbe - lovely views, eating outdoors by the pool, superb pastries, pancakes, fruit... We have invented the 4 - course breakfast.

 Sa Aturada in Fornalutx. So good we ate there both evenings. It is popular with the locals, and with good reason. Try the pork wrapped in cabbage, but only if ravenous. Which you will be having walked down from Cuber. 

 S'estret  in Valldemossa - our favourite tapas of the whole trip.

For me, as a first time customer of Inntravel, the highlights were the accommodation in both Fornalutx & Valldemossa together with the wonderful walking in stunning scenery.

The holiday was brilliant from start to finish. The walking was great and we certainly discovered some unused muscles in our legs after the descent from Cuber Reservoir. Accommodation and food were all excellent. We would have preferred an extra night in Fortnalutx rather than Soller and most of the suggested walks can be done from there too. Like a previous comment we found the distances to be out by a few kilometres. The highlight had to be Puig Gros from Valldemossa. We almost did not bother but it was easily the best walk of the week. It was much easier underfoot than any of the other walks and the main ascent is done over a very short distance early on making the rest of the walk a breeze. The scenery was also different to anything else encountered during the week and the views throughout were just stunning. You will not regret doing it!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: We're pleased you enjoyed the fabulous walking to be had in this area. As with all of our walks, the distances are very carefully checked; we find that 'raw' unedited distances recorded by GPS devices are almost always too long by 10-15%.

 Small pack lunches would be a bonus and saves searching for a supermarket / shop before starting the walks.

A well organised walking tour of a very beautiful area, punctuated by charming villages, with excellent food and a particularly super hotel with a wonderful swimming pool in fragrant orange orchards. Highly recommended by seasoned walkers with high expectations.

This is not a criticism, but we did find the descent from Cuber Reservoir very demanding, particlarly exacerbated by the steep cobbled stone steps. It did make us reassess our capability and so chose not to attempt Ses Barques to Caia Tuent. On the route from Fornalutx to Soller the path is blocked by fallen trees. (See 'Careful! just over 100m down the path you come to a set of SP where you continue SA' ). This route is blocked and impassable. Instead you have to take the path we were told to ignore to the L unrtil you reach the concrete track. If you then turn R and walk about 100m you can find where the blocked path meets the concrete track.

We really enjoyed the walks and routes around Soller and Ca's Curial was delightful, breathing in the scent of orange and lemon blossom every day. Our host Andres was really helpful, ringing round at least half a dozen restaurants and hotels to find us somewhere to eat on a busy Sunday night.

This was perhaps the best Inntravel trip we have done, exceeding our expectations. The walks are great and in beautiful, quiet countryside with wonderful views. Some parts of some walks are more challenging than the Grade 1/2 might suggest, and we thought the distances are longer than the walking notes suggest, but all are well worth the effort.  The boat was not running from Tuent to Port Sóller, which was a pity, but we did the walk in the reverse direction by getting a taxi to the start point at Tuent.  Ca's Curial is well worth upgrading to - it is delightful, and the home-cooked food was delicious.  In Valldemossa, the restaurant Se Taller is excellent. If you get the bus from Deia to Valldemossa, get to the stop in good time - it was a bit of a scrum to get on the bus.

Really lovely holiday. You can easily avoid additional costs of taxis because there is plenty of nice walking to be done without.

I will never forget the gorgeous scent of orange blossom on our trip to Mallorca.

Fornalutx: The first walk starting at the Cuber Reservoir was a spectacular start to our holiday. Even with rain, hail and wind we were blown away by the colours, landscape and variety in the walking. Soller: Ca’s Curial was a tranquil oasis with amazing 360* views of the surrounding mountains. The owner, Andres, is one of the most thorough and helpful hoteliers we have ever come across. We enjoyed an extra day here and it was a worthwhile extension to our holiday. Valldemossa: A word of advice - if it breezy in Valldemossa when you start your walk you could experience wild winds around the summit of the walk.

This was a well organised holiday by Inntravel. The suggested walks were all superb, with very easy to follow walking notes. The Tramuntana mountain villages are so attractive and we found all the hotels excellent - in particular Ca's Curial in Soller which was extra special. Andres the Proprietor was so friendly & went out of his way to help. Travel light if going to Petit Hotel Fornalutx - our room was at the top, up lots of very steep stairs. It would be worth upgrading here as the mountain views from the rear/garden are just stunning. The breakfasts surpassed expectations at all our hotels. All in all, a brilliant holiday.

The Valldemossa walk was exceptional - we saw black vultures and booted eagles flying over the ridge. It's easier than the hike from Sóller to Deia, so don't be put off. The Cuber reservoir descent to Sóller also has beautiful views, and a good end tea stop in Biniaraix. We found Valldemossa always heaving with day trippers and less attractive than Fornalutx. In Sóller we really enjoyed two good meals at Casa Alvaro.

Crazy though it may seem, we enjoyed walking from Formalutx to Soller in the pouring rain on the Friday. It was very challenging and the rain was coming down so straight and fast it was actually filling our walking shoes! We'd occasionally try and shelter under trees when it got particularly heavy  which didn't work  as it was pouring through the trees. The whole holiday was brilliant, with just the right amount of free time when we could choose to do suggested walks or take it easy. 

Es Petit Hotel was super. The hosue was converted into an hotel approx. 14 years ago. They had given a lot of thought to what guests would need. A small hotel, with lovely big rooms, a lift, a lounge and a terrace, with views over the beauthiful scenery, to sit and enjoy the morning, evening and any time of day sunshine. Thoroughly enjoyed the final walk up and around Valldemossa. Whilst it was challenging, it was especially rewarding to get to the top and see for miles the wonderful landscape. The choice of restaurants in Valldemossa was great. We were only there 2 evenings and thoroughly enjoyed both places - Tolya (traditional) and Es Taller (modern). It is a place we will re-visit to explore the walking further.

The Tramuntana area has become very popular with walkers and so some of the routes are becoming over-crowded. Inevitable I suppose that as nature-loving toursists we spoil the wilderness that we seek. The walking around Soller is very well signposted. The walking around Valdemossa was hardly signed at all so much easier to get lost. We managed the classic walk from Valdemossa to Deia using the map but with some difficulty finding the route. It would be worth providing walking notes if you can, to give another option. All three hotels could not have been more friendly and helpful.

This section of the island is one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, and with some rare flora and fauna. There are climbs to coquer but the scenic rewards at the top are huge.

Personal highlights were the two short walks around Fornalutx (options 1 and 2, pp27-28), which we were able to do on the day of arrival, the walks between Fornalutx and Soller (Option 2) and between Soller and Valldemossa, the day spent at Port de Soller and the food (we ate there every night) and accommodation at Hotel Ca'l Bisbe. All the accommodation was at least good, the hoteliers were all friendly and accommodating and Antonio the taxi driver was friendly and helpful.

I strongly advise that you rewrite the notes for the Valldemossa circuit as soon as possible and warn future travellers to take care when doing this walk, as the current notes are very inaccurate.

This was a great walking holiday for us. Lots of choice for walking everywhere we went. The pathways were well maintained and took us through some lovely countryside. Accommodation was all welcoming and clean. This was our first time in Mallorca but we don’t expect it to be the last. We loved Fornalutx, so relaxing and informal, set in a lovely location. Soller was a great little town with some lovely places to eat and we so much appreciated Ca’s Curial as a place to stay - as we walked up to it we were wondering whether it wold be good but there was no need to worry, it is in a brilliant location surrounded by citrus groves - the fresh orange at breakfast was the best and the breakfasts overall here were a treat. It was an easy walk into town for some good eating in the evening which we chose with good advice and pre booking from Andreu. We have to give particular mention to Andreu who was always available and always so helpful. Highlight for eating was halfway along the walk from Soller to Deia - can’t remember the name but you referred to it in your notes as good place for orange juice - it was far better than we expected, the savoury and sweet tarts were a treat! Overall we had a really enjoyable stay In Mallorca

So many lovely walks, our personal favourite was from Soller to Deia. The route and scenery was perfect. It was worth walking the extra kilometre to Deia cove/beach to chill will a cool drink before heading to get the bus to Valdemossa

Overall an excellent holiday with good selection of hotels and walks.  It was our first visit to Mallorca and we really enjoyed it.  We loved Cal Bisbe in Soller, good food, pool and service, especially from one of the ladies at reception who was a mine of information on local walks.  She recommended an alternative route to walk down to the port, which we took and really enjoyed. We found some of the Inntravel routes more challenging than we anticipated but we managed and enjoyed them. We especially liked the Muleta plateau walk and the walk Soller to Deia ~ we did the Valldemossa Circuit but the cloud came down and the views disappeared.

Tips ~ take walking poles, using one or two on downhill cobbles makes life easier.

Restaurants:
Fornalutx we recommend Es Turo for good food and a fantastic view from the terrace. Sitting in the village square drinking local beer and watching the locals was fun.
Soller ~ we reccomend Ca'n Pinxto for a modern take on Tapas and a good range of local beer
Valdemossa ~ we enjoyed eating at Es Roquissar and got excellent sandwiches at Ca'n Molinas ~ also good for coffe and pastries.
Palma ~ we ate at La Taberna del Caracol and Celler sa Premsa ~ good food at both with a lively atmosphere at the latter.

Our favourite walks were the Cúber route and the Valldemossa circuit. Our favourite meal was at Luna 36 in Sóller.

Great holiday. The hotels were all lovely in their own way. Brilliant views. Walks were varied and we enjoyed the fact that there were options on some days. It was good to move on from village to village after a few days....that added interest. Also places to visit such as Robert Graves House and the Monastery in Valldemossa. Some of us found the long descent on the first day challenging....well our knees complained! Still, weather was good to us and we had a great holiday. Thank you.

Our first holiday with Inntravel and I'm sure it won't be our last.  This part of Mallorca is beautiful with stunning scenery and lovely villages.  Despite being a seasoned walker, some of the walking was a little more challenging than I was expecting, partly due to the heat (end of May) and perhaps partly due to the other walkers on the GR221 sections, some of whom scampered past on the steep decsents like mountain goats leaving me feeling a little inadequate!  We thoroughly enjoyed the walks between the hotels (worth stopping at the cafe at Finca son Mico), the route down from the Cuber reservoir was amazing scenically if a little tough on the knees, and the walk to Cala de Tuent very beautiful, although it's worth noting that the beach iself has no facilities at all (apart from a shack which appeared to sell orange juice) - we arrived quite early due to fear of missing the boat and wished we had brought swimmers and towels. Our favourite walk was the Valldemossa circuit which we almost didn't do because of the description as being challenging and the heat, however, despite a long climb up, it was well worth it and I found it less challenging than some of the other walks as the descent was relatively easy and it was cooler due to the height. I agree with other reviewers - don't be put off doing this one.

The walking notes were excellent on the whole, the organisation faultless and Antonio lived up to his billing and was super helpful. All the hotels were good, our favourite being Es Petit in Valldemossa where the owner was particularly charming and they served real coffee at breakfast (the others having self service machines). We ate very well, our favourite restaurants being Kingfisher (Port de Soller), Es Roquissar (Valldemossa) and Sa Miranda (Valldemossa).

Already starting to ponder our next walking adventure...

We enjoyed all the walks on this holiday, particularly the Valldemossa circuit where the views were wonderful. Once at the top we made a slight detour to the next "peak" which was an easy 10-minute walk, but worth it for the views further down the coast. We weren't able to do the Cala Tuent walk as the sea was too rough for the boat and we felt the taxi fare (60E) was too much for us, perhaps if we'd been with another couple we'd have done that. We did get the taxi to do the Cuber walk as there's no public transport, but it's essential to book that the day before - the receptionist at Es Petit sorted that out for us. It's also worth noting that if you're planning to do this holiday in early May then watch out for the annual "Firo" festival in Soller. Our visit coincided with it, which unfortunately meant that everywhere was heaving on the Sunday and Monday and most of the restaurants and shops in Soller closed on Monday lunchtime and remained closed on the Tuesday. We did enjoy an excellent leisurely lunch at Kingfisher in Port de Soller - they definitely won the prize for the friendliest staff. 

Both the Petit Hotel Fornalutx and Es Petit in Valldemossa are wonderful places to stay and the breakfasts were fantastic. We weren't as impressed with the C'al Bisbe. We were able to buy excellent, freshly made-up baguettes, from the bakeries in Fornalutx and Valldemossa to take on the longer walks and the cakes on offer at Son Mico on the walk to Deia are definitely worth stopping for. 

The weather in early May was perfect for walking and the trails, especially those around Fornalutx were a delight, not simply because of marvellous views but also because of the beauty of the Mediterranean vegetation around us. As we moved up and up though high stone terracing and into rougher boulder strewn areas we moved from the passion flowers, jasmine and roses of the village gardens into heavily laden orange and lemon orchards interspersed with almond and carob trees and into olive groves which included numerous ancient gnarled specimens amongst younger trees already flowering. With yellow, white and pink flowers -  marguerites, cistus, convolvulus, orchids, euphorbias, gladioli and asphodel, edging paths and  clearings, the total picture was unforgettable.

This part of Mallorca is beautiful - [Mountains & Villages of Mallorca walking holiday] - so green and lush with the most picturesque towns and villages. The walks were well signposted, particularly the GR221 which features in a number of the them. Lots of cobbled steps to negotiate but nothing too strenous, although we did miss out on the final Valldemossa circuit because of unusual bad weather, so I can't comment on that one, unfortunately. There is lots of flexibility with the walks, as the towns are so near each other. We enjoyed mixing and matching some of the walks: for instance, walking to Mirador de ses Barques from Soller rather than Fornalutx.

The hotels all had something special to offer. The Petit Fornalutx had a beautiful garden with superb views, the Ca'l Bisbe had a fantastic room and lovely pool area, the Ca's Papa (in Valldemossa) was adorable, with top quality toiletries and the most gorgeous lounge area. 

Restaurant recommendations:

Fornalutx - Sa Cuina d'en Marc had some inventive cooking and attentive service. Es Turo was very busy and a bit chaotic but worth it for the roast suckling pig. 

Soller - Fantastic tapas in a quirky setting, Casa Alvaro got our vote. Ice creams at Ca'n Pau were delicious.

Valldemossa - the turkish restaurant, Troya, was very good and Casa Miranda, opposite, was worth a visit. 

We had a three day add-on in Palma, staying at the Hotel Almudaina. If you can, upgrade to the superior rooms which will be quieter and have views over to the cathedral and the sea rather than our standard room overlooking the busy shopping street. We did enjoy chilling with a G&T on the rooftop bar. Our favourite restaurants here were La Bodeguilla, on Calle Sant Jaume, and Koa on Calle Sant Joan but you'll be spoilt for choice as there are excelllent places to eat everywhere. Palma is a great city for sightseeing - small enough to see most things on foot and wonderful to just explore the back streets. 

The climb on the Valldemossa Circuit is very steep but worth the exertion for the glorious views from the top. Our walk from Sóller to Deianira was on a Sunday and we had a long wait after telephoning for a taxi to Valldemossa and it would not be practical to pre book it. The Botanic Gardens in Sóller are well worth a visit.

This must be our seventh holiday with Inntravel and as usual everything worked well. The accommodation was excellent, all the hotels were very different and we enjoyed the individuality of each. The walking was excellent we particularly liked the walk from the Cuber reservoir down to Fornalutx - the taxi ride up to the reservoir was well worth it. The walk from the Mirador des Barques to Cala Tuent and the boat ride back with lovely close up views of the cliffs was another favourite. Our final walk the Valldemossa circuit also gave wonderful views and the climb up was very steady, although initial route finding was a little tricky.

In Palma, Castell de Belver was very well worth a visit with lovely views of the city and great buildings. We had a great meal at the restaurant Toque (in Palma) good food and very helpful knowledgeable staff. In Valldemossa, we found the Troya was very good again freindly helpful staff.

We particularly enjoyed:  the mountain scenery, friendliness of all the Mallorcans that we met, the walk down to Port Soller from Soller and then tram ride back. The walk from Soller to Deia.

The hotels and the walking routes were well chosen and idyllic. The walking notes were very well described. And we appreciated the attentive service when we had to change our arrangements at short notice. Many thanks.

You didn't mention restaurants in Valldemossa. We enjoyed S'Estret. It's on a street up to the left just before you reach the monastery when coming from Es Petit Hotel. It serves very imaginative and tasty tapas at reasonable prices. There's a good selection, with a menu in English, but the food is tasty and well cooked and not just tourist fare. It looks a bit spartan inside, but the staff are friendly and the food good.