• Homepage
  • Destinations
  • About Me
  • Contact
facebook twitter pinterest instagram

Mum's Gone To …

Travel tales of an empty nester
  • Homepage
  • Destinations
  • About Me
  • Contact
Home  >  Blog  >  Walking in the Serra de Tramuntana of Mallorca

Walking in the Serra de Tramuntana of Mallorca

Trish Burgess Posted on11/06/201805/07/2018 Inntravel, mallorca, Spain, Walking holiday 40 Comments
view of Port de Soller in Mallorca
View of Port de Sóller in Mallorca

After the huge success of our walking holiday in Austria with Inntravel, we were keen to pull on our hiking boots and book another one. Trying to whittle down our list of favourites from the brochure and website was a tough job. It was a fellow travel blogger who unwittingly helped us to decide. Corey, who writes at Fifi + Hop, had travelled to Mallorca with her family last summer. Her description of the western part of the island, with its rugged coastline and idyllic mountain villages, sealed the deal: we would be walking in Mallorca.

Like many other tourists, I thought I knew the island from several happy holidays since I was a child. But my Mallorca, or Majorca as I always knew it, could have been a world away from the stunningly beautiful west/north west region, its landscape created by the Serra de Tramuntana, the 80km long mountain range forming the backbone of the island. It’s understandable that this part of Mallorca is not as well-known to visitors as it’s only been widely accessible since the building of the MA-11 toll road and tunnel in 1997. In order to preserve its beauty, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

View of Valldemossa, Mallorca
The town of Valldemossa, Mallorca

The Inntravel self-guided walking trip in Mallorca is classed as Grade 1 and 2 with flexible options. We were provided with maps and walking notes, with a choice of routes on the days we weren’t moving to another hotel. Inntravel is renowned for its hotel-to-hotel walks, where your luggage is transported between accommodation while you take the scenic route on foot. We stayed for seven nights in three of the area’s prettiest towns and villages; Fornalutx, Sóller and Valldemossa. Inntravel has built up a solid relationship with its hoteliers so you feel confident the transfers will go smoothly. Even the taxi drivers are Inntravel regulars: Antonio picked us up in Palma, handing out more maps and offering suggestions. Very reassuring.

Cobbled paths and olive groves around Soller, Mallorca
On the cobbled paths in the olive groves around Sóller

One of the main hiking routes in the area is the GR 221 which follows the beautiful, historic, cobbled paths which have always linked the villages and estates on the Serra de Tramuntana. Often recognised by the rows of olive trees on terraces with dry stone walls, this route featured a lot on our walks in the region. The GR 221, all 160km of it, is planned to be 8 stages in total and stretches from Port d’Antratx in the south west to Pollença in the north. The paths we took during our holiday were in stages 5 and 6 and have all been recently completed, so they are well-signposted.

Cúber reservoir to Fornalutx via the Ofre Pass and Barranc de Biniaraix – 12km (about 4.5 hours)

This was our first proper walk of the holiday. We should have limbered up a little the previous day but we ended up sunning ourselves in the gardens of our hotel, Petit Hotel Fornalutx instead.

gardens of Petit hotel, Fornalutx
Gardens of Petit Hotel, Fornalutx

So it was with rather stiff limbs that we set out on the 12km hike. Thankfully the notes told us to take a taxi up to the reservoir to begin our walk, so our route would be a descent back to the hotel. It was a spectacular trail, taking in the beauty of the reservoir and the pass of the Coll de L’Ofre. We looked up to see the peak of the Puig de l’Ofre but our walk wouldn’t be taking us up to the top. But the ascent is achievable. Another blogger, Christine, who was walking in Mallorca with her family a few weeks before us, did just that on a walk which involved a circuit of the reservoir. You can read about her trip on her blog, A Family Day Out.

Walker on Barranc de Biniaraix Mallorca
Barranc de Biniaraix near Sóller

The most dramatic part of the walk was descending through the Barranc de Biniaraix, an astonishing gorge that cuts through the mountains. Cobbles all the way down, it’s quite hard on the knees. We should have put our walking poles away a lot earlier as they didn’t seem to help us tackle the descent as they tended to get stuck in the cracks. I was in awe of the people coming the other way, running up the steps in their lycra like brightly-coloured gazelles.

walker on cobbled paths of gorge in mallorca
More cobbles!

The views from the gorge were stunning and I knew we had made the right decision to choose Mallorca: walking in mountains but having the sea nearby is a winning combination. The spring flowers were out, we passed little streams and waterfalls and gradually made it to the tiny village of Biniaraix for a well-deserved ice-cream stop.

hamlet of Biniaraix, Mallorca
Hamlet of Biniaraix, near Fornalutx, Mallorca

The walking notes suggested we follow a road out of the village which would take us back to our hotel in Fornalutx. Things didn’t quite go to plan, thanks to me losing the walking notes and Dougie deciding to go a different way. If you want to know what happened, you can read about our antics in the column piece I wrote for the Lincolnshire Free Press.

Muleta Circuit from Sóller –  approx. 12km (about 4 hours)

From our second hotel, Ca’l Bisbe, in the town of Sóller, the Inntravel walking notes suggested we either walk to the pretty harbour of Port De Sóller or take the vintage tram. You’d think we’d have learned our lesson from the previous day’s wrong turn (that’s a hint, if you haven’t read the article!) but my master map-reader tweaked the route slightly so we wiggled our way out of the town, hit the GR 221 as it crossed the main MA-11 and had a lovely walk with some gentle ascents and descents until we reached the point at which the Inntravel notes kicked in. That’s the joy of being self-guided. The suggestions are there for you, but if you want to do things a little differently, you can do.

walker in hills above Soller
The walk from Sóller to the coast

We loved this walk which was about 12 km in total. Despite signs warning us about Big Game hunting, we only came across a goat and a donkey. We headed to the Muleta shelter which is situated next to the Cap Gros lighthouse. Feeling like Victorian explorers, we always imagine we’ll be the only people to arrive at a destination. Not this time. We discovered dozens of schoolkids had beaten us to it and were happily eating their sandwiches and queuing for the one solitary toilet.

Cap Gros lighthouse in Mallorca
Cap Gros lighthouse at Port de Sóller

We carried on walking, past the beautiful lighthouse and the recommended refreshment stop (it was sadly closed) and stopped to admire the beauty of Port de Sóller and its gorgeous curved bay. Invigorated by the view, we fairly skipped down the road to the sea, before tucking into tasty tapas on the promenade. We sauntered around the bay for an hour or two then headed back to the hotel by taxi, rather than the suggested tram, as there were a lot of queues and a 9 euro taxi cost less than two 7 euro single tram tickets.  A pre-dinner snooze and glass of Cava by the swimming pool ended the day rather well.

Port de Soller, Mallorca

Sóller to Mirador Ses Barques circuit – approx. 9km (about 3.5 hours)

The walk to this spot, where we were assured of panoramic views of the coastline, could have been attempted from Fornalutx as one of two routes to reach our second hotel on transfer day. But that day had been very stormy in the morning so we had cheated and taken a taxi. But our notes advised us that many of the walks were doable from different starting points. This was certainly true of the Mirador Ses Barques as there are numerous paths leading up to it.

Mirador Ses Barques viewpoint

The path we chose was very quiet and the weather was glorious as we made our way towards the viewpoint. But, just like the previous day, we arrived seconds after a pack of cyclists, who had come up via the road. I thought they were going to clean the little café out of food but thankfully the last two KitKats had our names on them and we pounced on one of the best outdoor tables, with superb views over the coastline.

Dougie’s donkey

The path we took back to Sóller was equally lovely, passing more olive trees older than Methuselah.  We were joined part of the way by a very friendly donkey who took a shine to Dougie. The feeling was mutual, Dougie feeding his new pal our last apple. We were soon back in Sóller, stocking up on pastries and beer and keen to catch a few more rays by the pool before heading out to dinner.

Ancient olive trees in Mallorca
Ancient olive trees

Sóller to Deià – approx. 10km (about 3 hours)

Our final hotel was in Valldemossa so we were advised to walk to Deià then catch the bus to Valldemossa. It was a bit of a drizzly day but the route, on the ubiquitous cobbled paths of the GR221, was as delightful as it had been all week. As regards refreshment stops, the gods were on our side as we reached it just before a large group of walkers. Hoorah! And this was no ordinary pit stop. The Finca Son Mico was a feast for the senses. Part of this grand country house is now a B&B and the owner provided freshly-squeezed orange juice and divine home-made cakes. We were shown into the back room to make way for the large group. We sat beside an open pit fire, eating orange and almond tart, feeling extremely pleased with ourselves.

View from window at Finca Son Mico

It was hard to leave the finca, with its abundance of flowers and warm hospitality, but we continued on the path. The second part of the walk was fine but the rain was coming down harder so the views weren’t so good. It was here we invented the Burgess Law of Walking Trails. The law states that if you know which way you’re going at a junction, you will see other walkers. If you don’t know which way is correct, you’ll be on your own. We struggled a little but then read our Inntravel walking notes again, retraced our steps and got back on track.

We reached the centre of Deià by a circuitous route of our own making, opting not to walk down to the cove, Cala Deià, but just look at it from above.

View of Cala Deia

Having said that, Deià itself was absolutely gorgeous, even when we were dripping wet, so I can only imagine how impressive it is in the sunshine. Those artists, poets and millionaires certainly knew a thing or two when they settled here.

Rain in Deià

We were due to walk the high Valldemossa circuit on our last full day, following the bridleways created by Archduke Luis Salvador. Alas the weather was even more dreadful and we decided not to attempt it. On the plus side, we were able to have a bit of a lie-in and, thanks to our hotels being based in the most delightful towns and villages, we really made the most of the cultural side of Valldemossa, learning more about Chopin and George Sand’s winter in the town plus the aforementioned Archduke who was the ultimate travel blogger of his time. I bet a little bit of rain didn’t put him off…

street in Valldemossa, Mallorca
Street in Valldemossa

Coming soon on the blog: there was more to this holiday than just walking. I’ll share some of our favourite foodie experiences and give you a flavour of the hotels in each destination.

This was a walking holiday we booked ourselves with Inntravel. We were offered a small discount in exchange for this review and some social media sharing. 

Potty Adventures

Joining up with FarawayFiles 

Previous Article The story of Mary, Queen of Hogs
Next Article Houghton Hall spots an opportunity with Damien Hirst exhibition

Related Posts

  • Painting on a board in front of lake and mountains

    Mum’s Gone to Bavaria: Hintersee and the magic forest

    03/05/2024
  • church with bridge over river and snow-capped mountains in the distance

    Mum’s Gone to Bavaria – Rambling around Ramsau

    12/04/2024
  • Bamburgh Castle

    Inntravel walking holiday: Alnwick and the Northumberland Coast

    16/08/2021

40 Comments

  1. Emma Raphael Reply
    12/06/2018 at 10:47 am

    It’s not somewhere I would have considered going to for walking (this is not walking in my book though, this is definitely hiking! :D) holiday, but it looks utterly beautiful – those trees! The more I hear about Inntravel, the more i like about it! 🙂 x

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      12/06/2018 at 4:09 pm

      I don’t really know the difference between a hike and a walk. Do you think there is a specific gradient or level of difficulty where it changes from one to another? I think you’re right though. It was such an eye-opener. You would love it – though maybe when your toddler is a bit bigger. This is our 4th holiday with them and we’ve booked again for Lapland next year! x

  2. Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies Reply
    14/06/2018 at 9:11 am

    Wow what beautiful views you are rewarded with! I love the thought of doing this. Thanks for the travel inspiration xx

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:33 pm

      I was always a bit unsure whether I’d like a walking holiday but I’m hooked now – it really makes for a fascinating holiday.

  3. Annabel Reply
    14/06/2018 at 1:49 pm

    Sounds like a lovely trip even with a bit of rain. I love that region of Mallorca and would love to try an Inn Travel trip when my boys are able to walk a bit further. It sounds like they’ve really perfected what they do.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:32 pm

      I think when you’re on a walking holiday you have to expect changeable weather. It didn’t really spoil the holiday at all – so much to do at each destination.
      Inntravel have pitched it just right for us – great walking trails and some wonderful accommodation too.

  4. Christine Reply
    14/06/2018 at 2:19 pm

    I think Corey should get a job with the tourist board – her pictures inspired our trip too. Lovely to read about your holiday and reminisce about ours. I think we even sat on the same table at the Mirador (until we moved as it was so windy). We never made it to Valldemossa, but maybe that’s a good enough excuse for us to go back. #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:30 pm

      She should! Funny how we should both be smitten.
      Valldemossa was gorgeous – a bit busier than Fornalutx and quieter than Sóller.

  5. Clare (Suitcases and Sancastles) Reply
    14/06/2018 at 3:47 pm

    Oh this looks just wonderful, Trish! I remember swooning over Corey’s pictures too and thinking that we must head to that part of the island. You’re really tempting me to try a walking holiday with all these glorious tales of Inntravel walking tours. #FarawayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:29 pm

      Something for the future, Clare. I keep saying I wish we had done some of these trips with our son when he was younger but we did lots of interesting holidays with him so he didn’t miss out. Maybe the walking trails are ‘our thing’ now we’re back as a couple again. Certainly the Inntravel experience suits us so well.

  6. Katherine Reply
    14/06/2018 at 4:34 pm

    Hahaha, damn cyclists and their two wheels! I’m glad that you got the last two KitKats at least (meanwhile I am craving European KitKats like nothing else. The US ones are awful). What a beautiful way to spend a holiday! And you all look the part with your hiking poles as well. I’ve done a cycling holiday (sorry for being one of those hungry cyclists 😉 ) but never a walking one. I’ll have to put that on my bucket list next. #FarawayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:27 pm

      I was in such a mood in the queue, especially each time a piece of cake was ordered! Very unfair, as they deserved a break just as much as we did.

  7. Cathy (Mummytravels) Reply
    14/06/2018 at 7:06 pm

    I haven’t been to the Balearics since I was a child myself, and I still associate them with family holidays – but recently I’ve been reading more and more about the other options including fantastic walking like yours. And tomorrow I’m off to Menorca, so looking forward to discovering a slightly more grown-up side there too! #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:26 pm

      We’ve had some lovely trip to Menorca too but always on a family trip. As an empty nester, I’m keen to find out more about your adults-only hotel.

  8. Wendy at TP Reply
    15/06/2018 at 12:12 pm

    What beautiful views – I would love to explore Mallorca. Thank you for the inspiration, one for the list #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      15/06/2018 at 12:25 pm

      I don’t know about you but my list is getting very long! I keep being inspired by posts too. But Mallorca is definitely worth it.

  9. hilary Reply
    16/06/2018 at 2:53 pm

    A walking holiday sounds just fabulous and I love that part of choosing your destination was based on the experiences of fellow bloggers! This place is on my list, but I’m fairly certain my family won’t agree to a walking holiday… maybe I’ll just have to go without them! #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      17/06/2018 at 11:44 am

      It makes it all worthwhile when you know people do read and find ideas form our blogs.
      We waited until our son had left home – though in hindsight he would have enjoyed this as an older teenager.

  10. Angela Vincent Reply
    16/06/2018 at 10:34 pm

    This sounds absolutely wonderful. We love walking holidays and have been considering Mallorca as a walking destination in the future. Your holiday sounds perfect for with all those lovely stops and amazing views. I have not used Inntravel before but will certainly take look at them after reading this. Thanks for the inspiration. #FarawayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      17/06/2018 at 11:43 am

      I would heartily recommend it for walking; so much to see and plenty of options for different levels of fitness.
      We discovered Inntravel early last year when we visited Portugal and took the train between three cities. Our walking holiday with them in Austria last autumn was fantastic. They are such a lovely company, nothing too much trouble and great personal service. Plenty of ideas on their website and in their brochures.

  11. Corey | Fifi + Hop Reply
    17/06/2018 at 4:15 am

    Thanks so much for the mention, Trish! I’m so glad both my blog and A Family Day’s Out inspired you. I must say I’m a bit jealous of your experience – I love to hike and walk, and to be able to see a country or area that way. I’m sure you saw many hidden gems that only a trek could bring..we did a few minor hikes, but with the August heat and young ages of my girls, not nearly as much as I would have liked. Nonetheless, Western Mallorca is a jewel! I am saving this for when (not if, but when) I visit again some day. Thanks for the inspiration! #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      17/06/2018 at 11:39 am

      Thank you again for sharing your holiday – isn’t it wonderful that bloggers can inspire each other. And, wow, this part of Mallorca is just so beautiful.
      It was the ideal temperature for walking – low 20s most of the time. I couldn’t have managed it in high summer so you did well to manage some mini-walks.

  12. Sally Reply
    18/06/2018 at 6:05 am

    This looks great and its a super informative blog. I’ll have to show my sister and her family – they’re always looking for hiking options. Thanks! #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      18/06/2018 at 11:44 am

      Thanks so much for such a lovely comment. I hope your sister and her family will find it interesting. This part of Mallorca is perfect for family walks.

  13. Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays Reply
    20/06/2018 at 10:41 pm

    Wow! Not somewhere I would have considered for walking. Your Inntravel adventures all look great

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      03/07/2018 at 11:12 am

      I hadn’t considered it either but it’s excellent and, certainly where we were, well sign-posted and maintained. And so good to have such pretty villages to stay in between our walks.

  14. Mary Ann Beltz Reply
    24/06/2018 at 2:07 pm

    Loved reading about your hike in Mallorca as we recently spent 10 days there doing portions of the mountain hikes before heading to our InnTravel arranged hike in the Pyrenees. This was our first trip with InnTravel and we were extremely pleased with the hotels and all arrangements that made our trip effortless — except for the hiking! Enjoyed reading your blog post on the Austria Lakes and Mountains hike as that is our next trip with InnTravel. Your posts are very helpful!

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      01/07/2018 at 3:33 pm

      So pleased to hear you’ve found my posts about our Inntravel trips helpful. I’m sure you will love the Austria trip: such stunning scenery and, as usual, hotel choices from Inntravel which capture the atmosphere of the region – and the food!
      I’ll have to check out the Pyrenees walk – always on the look out for our next challenge.

  15. David - Potty Adventures Reply
    17/07/2018 at 11:19 am

    Funnily enough a friend of mine has just got back from a walking holiday in Mallorca and loved it. From the photos and detail here it’s easy to see why. Thanks for joining us on #adventurecalling

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      26/07/2018 at 12:43 pm

      Did your friend go the same area? It’s a fantastic place for a walking holiday: so much to see during the walks and after in each of the towns and villages.

  16. Lauren The Helpful Hiker Reply
    17/07/2018 at 11:25 am

    I loved reading this, I would love to do some more hiking abroad and Mallorca looks stunning-certainly not how I remember it from holidays in my youth! It looks like the perfect trip, with great views and interesting places to explore. Off to have a look at some walking holidays for the future. Thanks so much for sharing with us #AdventureCalling

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      26/07/2018 at 12:45 pm

      Away from the usual beach resorts, Mallorca was so different. The holiday was perfect for us – lots to see and do when we weren’t on the hikes, which makes for a relaxing trip.

  17. Pingback: A taste of Mallorca: our favourite foodie experiences - Mum's Gone To ...
  18. Pingback: Faraway Files #82 | oregon girl around the world
  19. Pingback: 10 reasons to choose Palma, Mallorca, for a city break - Mum's Gone To ...
  20. Pingback: Old Town Chambers, luxury serviced apartments in Edinburgh - Mum's Gone To ...
  21. Pingback: 24 Stops Rehberger-Weg: 5km walking route between Switzerland and Germany - Mum's Gone To ...
  22. Pingback: Once is not enough: a second visit to Hotel Ylläshumina in Lapland. - Mum's Gone To ...
  23. Pingback: Inntravel walking holiday in Portugal: Cascais - Mum's Gone To ...
  24. Pingback: Best Places to visit in Serra de Tramuntana Mallorca with Kids

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Me

Random Visits

  • Mum’s Gone to Nice – Day 4 – Baguettes and Brazilians 15/11/2009
  • cross-country-skiing-technique
    A beginner’s guide to cross-country skiing 08/02/2018
  • Mum’s Gone to a Burns’ Supper – at home. 24/01/2010

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube

Recent Posts

  • Fingal hotel in Leith harbour
    I’ve just come down from the Isle of Skye… 18/05/2025
  • View of yellow cube houses
    Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Rotterdam 02/11/2024
  • statues of three boys on harbour wall with man standing in between them.
    Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Dutch excursions 19/10/2024
  • the phrase 75 years written in flowers
    Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Keukenhof and Kinderdijk 11/09/2024

Recent Comments

  • Mr Trevor Smith. on Holbeach Discovery Trail: QR codes unlock the town’s history
  • Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Rotterdam - Mum's Gone To ... on Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Dutch excursions
  • Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Dutch excursions - Mum's Gone To ... on Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Amsterdam.
  • Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Keukenhof and Kinderdijk - Mum's Gone To ... on The Gallery – The Weekend – Spalding Flower Parade
  • Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Keukenhof - Mum's Gone To ... on Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Amsterdam.
  • Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise: Amsterdam. - Mum's Gone To ... on Review of The Seine Experience river cruise, U by Uniworld
  • Mum's Gone to Bavaria: Hintersee and the magic forest - Mum's Gone To ... on Mum’s Gone to Bavaria – Rambling around Ramsau
  • Mum's Gone to Bavaria - Rambling around Ramsau - Mum's Gone To ... on A few of ‘my favorite things’ in Salzburg

Contact Us

To contact me, please visit my Contact page.

I'm on Twitter. Find me as @mumsgoneto
I'm on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/mumsgoneto
Instagram - mumsgoneto
Pinterest - Trish Burgess
Google plus - +TrishBurgess


Designed by 79DESIGN

UK WordPress Support

Website by 79DESIGN, Lincolnshire Web Designer