The Balearic island of Mallorca is home to a vintage wooden train, which travels 17 miles (27.36 km) back and forth multiple times a day in order to transport visitors from the capital city, Palma, to Sóller, an authentic old town located in the valley of the Tramuntana Mountains. Sóller is known for its production of incredible citrus fruit, mainly oranges and lemons. In fact, the wooden train was built in 1912 in order to transport fruit from the small town to the capital city. It's considered one of Spain's most beautiful, quaint villages. More than that, though, the train ride is full of breathtaking views that just keep getting better. Sóller's charm and the unbelievable, historical train route make this one of the best day trips available in all of Spain.
On Sunday, April 10th, I hopped on the train at 10:30 A.M. with high expectations. I immediately felt like I walked through a time machine, marvelled by the opened windows, wooden panels, and leather seats.
As the train departed, I stuck my head out the window and watched the streets pass me by. I saw beautiful farm houses my friend Lexi deemed "her dream homes," and we spent some time daydreaming about a lifetime spent on a beautiful island, living in cobblestone houses with fruit trees and stray cats hanging out in the backyard.
I reached my arm out to grab an orange from an orange tree (a failed endeavor), and I watched in awe at incredible mountains, surrounding me on all sides. Towards the end of the journey, we disembarked the train to take in an amazing view of mountains, valleys, and nature.
After that, we hopped on the tram from the city center to the Port de Sóller. The port is a nearby beach town with adorable cafés and restaurants, bright blue water, and of course mountains that are almost too beautiful to be real.
Even though most of my friends thought it was too cold, Lexi, Natalia and I ticked off swimming in the Mediterranean Sea from our bucket list. Swimming is one of my favorite things to do, and this was my first opportunity to hop in some water since moving abroad. It was absolutely worth the wait and maybe the prettiest beach I've swum at.
After an exhausting day of seeing one of the world's prettiest places, we all fell asleep on the beach before heading back to Palma on the train once again.
Before traveling to Mallorca, I really did not know what to expect. However, I can wholeheartedly say this was one of my favorite trips I've been on this semester, and would recommend it to anyone adventuring around Spain. If you do make it to this amazing Island, don't miss your opportunity to ride the old train.
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Nicole Stein
<p>Hi! My name is Nicole Stein. I am a Spanish major at Kenyon College from Montclair, New Jersey spending the Spring of 2022 in Salamanca, Spain! My favorite things to do are travel, try new food, swim in small bodies of water, pet baby animals of all kinds, spend time outside hiking, skiing and exploring, and making connections with people from all walks of life.</p>
