The Botanical Gardens of Soller

This was once the country residence of the Moorish Viziers, who, with their skill in irrigation techniques, created these very beautiful gardens, in which date palms, bamboos, lemons and oranges flourish. The house, in late baroque style, contains valuable furniture and paintings.  These days it is also a working farm with goats, donkeys and horses and a place to step aside from the heat and beach life, and cool off in rural Majorca. The gardens are open from 1st April to 31st October 9.30-6.30 and 9.30 to 5.30 November and January to March. The gardens are always closed on Sundays and for the month of December. The coaches fill the gardens for a while in the mornings but for the rest of the day it is a peaceful oasis and an insight into life as once lived here. More information can be found at www.jardinesdealfabia.com.

Once through the tunnel, a stop is soon made on the main road at the entrance to the Botanical Gardens of Soller www.jardibotanicdesoller.org. Mallorca’s own Kew Gardens was founded in 1985 and opened to the public in 1992. It is a centre for the conservation, study and understanding of Mediterranean flora, and specifically that of the Balearic Islands. The school children of Soller pay many visits to this centre during their biology lessons and are proud to have such a centre of excellence on their doorstep.  Visitors come from far and wide to see the gardens, attend the lectures and appreciate the pioneering work in conservation that comes from this organisation.

Opening times

Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(Closed Mondays Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Epiphany and Easter Sunday).

The other gardens of Soller that visitors love to see are the ones they can see through the front doors of the houses they pass by whilst walking in town. Soller is full of narrow streets and shuttered houses keeping the sun out.  A glimpse of a courtyard or garden beyond the big front door is tantalizing. The village houses are unremarkable from the outside but often lead into wonderful courtyards and formal gardens which end with a beautiful swimming pool. The bougainvillea flourishes here and the streets are full of its purple and pink hues. The honeysuckle and jasmine fill the air, especially in the early evening which make evening walks around town such a pleasure.

A garden walk that is not on the tourist map is that of Soller’s cemetery. Laid out on five levels high above the town, this is a stunning garden - in fact Sóller’s local authority has declared its cemetery a historical monument, where visitors are welcome. You would almost imagine yourself in a park, with its numerous flowers and trees, particularly roses, mimosas, palms and cypresses. Many tombs are ornately decorated, particularly those belonging to the rich “Solleric” families. A beautiful spot, surrounded by mountains and packed with the cosmopolitan history of the area. The cemetery is open every day from sunrise to sunset and is worth the fairly steep climb. Driving is also possible through the narrow streets from the town centre to the cemetery car park.