Port de Sóller

Most of Mallorca's working ports grew up around fishing or freight. Port de Sóller grew up around a near-perfect circle of water — a horseshoe bay so enclosed it looks man-made, ringed by hills, opening to the Mediterranean through a narrow mouth guarded by two lighthouses. It is the only natural harbour of its kind on the island's west coast, and it has the calm, contained feeling to match.

Four kilometres downhill from Sóller town, reached by that wonderful open-sided tram through the orange groves, the port is where the valley meets the sea. It is more relaxed than glamorous, which is precisely its appeal — a curve of promenade, a swimmable beach inside the bay, sailing boats at anchor, and the mountains falling straight into the water on either side.

The bay, and the two lighthouses

The promenade that rings the bay is made for the slow evening walk — the passeig — and the water inside the harbour is calm enough for easy swimming, a rarity on this rugged coast. For the view that justifies the trip, walk or drive out to the Cap Gros lighthouse on the bay's northern arm: from there the whole horseshoe lays out beneath you, and the sunset turns the Tramuntana the colours that put this stretch of coast on every photographer's list.

This is also one of the best launch points on the island for getting onto the water. The coast immediately north — toward Sa Calobra and the dramatic Torrent de Pareis gorge — is most beautiful from the sea, and a half-day on a boat from the port is, for many guests, the single best thing they do in the region.

Where to stay

The Jumeirah Mallorca is the address here — set on the cliff above the bay, with the widest sea views of any hotel in the area, a serious spa, and a position that catches the light all afternoon. It is the polished, full-service choice, and its ninth-floor restaurant is the area's destination dinner.

For a smaller footprint, a handful of boutique properties sit along the bay itself, trading the cliff-top panorama for the ability to step from your room onto the promenade. The choice is the usual one we help guests weigh: the elevated view and the spa, or the water at your doorstep.

Where to eat

Es Fanals, on the ninth floor of the Jumeirah and listed in the Michelin Guide, is the standout — a Balearic tasting menu served above the bay as the light goes. Down at sea level, the promenade is lined with seafood places of varying seriousness; the rule here, as everywhere on the island, is to eat what came out of the water that morning and to book the good tables ahead in season. Fresh fish, grilled simply, with the bay in front of you, is the meal Port de Sóller does best.

When to come

Late spring and early autumn are ideal — warm enough to swim in the sheltered bay, calm enough for the boat trips north, and without the high-summer crowding on the promenade. Summer is lively and the water is at its warmest; the bay's enclosure keeps it swimmable even when the open coast is rough. Whenever you come, give yourself a night here rather than treating it as a day trip from Sóller — the port is at its best in the evening, once the trams have stopped running and the bay goes still.