Ausflugsroute.

The Port of Sóller, with the hustle and bustle generated by the visitors that fill its café terraces, is currently regarded more as a place for day trips than a seaside beach. Nonetheless, its coastline was often visited by sailors and pirates and it was famous, in the past, for its trade in citrus fruit. The Port of Sóller's well protected harbour, just a few kilometres from the town of Sóller, is the biggest natural harbour on the north coast of Mallorca. Throughout its history, it has served as a refuge for sailors. During the 18th century, the port underwent a golden age in close connection with the citrus fruit trade, not just for its exports of local produce but as a strategic point between the Balearic Islands and the mainland, acting as a stopping off point for fishing boats, merchant ships and passengers. This thriving activity came to an end when the Spanish Civil War broke out, recommencing again thanks to the tourist boom of the 1960s. Today the port attracts visitors more for its beauty and as a place for daytrips than as a seaside beach. The waterfront is lined with numerous bars, restaurants and shops that fill the narrow street that separates them from the sea with people. At the end of the bay is the traditional fisherman's quarter, Santa Catalina, where you can stroll through its steep, narrow streets and admire its old fisherman's houses. There are also some interesting, albeit modest monuments to visit in this picturesque part of the port, like the Oratory of San Ramón de Penyafort or the Museum of the Sea. The latter is housed in the former Oratory of Santa Catalina de Alejandría, which lends it name to this quarter. Three lighthouses can easily be seen in the Port of Sóller. The tallest is known as the Sóller, Punta Grossa or Muleta lighthouse. It stands to the left of the entrance to the port, 101 metres above sea level. It was built in the mid 19th century to guide vessels into port. On the other side of the entrance, behind the naval base, you can see the other two: the old and new Punta de sa Creu lighthouses.