Mallorca - Fornalutx
Fornalutx, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
Read Part II: Mallorca - Soller →
From Soller we headed north towards Cala St. Vincenc, with a quick stop in Fornalutx along the way. Fornalutx is a small village perched on the north west side of the valley beyond Soller. It can be approached from above via the MA-10, the main road northward, or from bellow along the MA-212, a relatively narrow winding lane. The latter being the more picturesque if a bit tight depending on what you’re driving. A friend of ours lives in this village and we thought a leisurely visit for lunch would break-up what was otherwise a dedicated travel day.
Hilly on a hillside, Fornalutx, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Ektar 100
A Brief Walkabout
Let’s start with a quick tip: There are two official parking lots in town, one at either end of the main road through the village, and I’d strongly recommend using one of them and exploring on foot from there. Here again roads can get very narrow very quickly, and street parking is very tight, if you can find a spot at all. So, rather avoid the hassle (and damage), and use the reasonably priced open-air lots.
We were very fortunate to get a guided tour of this quaint village through the lens of a friend who had settled there for several months with her family. The population is increasingly trending towards expats such as herself seeking a quieter nook of this beautiful island to settle on. Despite this, there isn’t much English spoken here, in fact it’s mostly Catalan amongst the locals.
The views from town are magnificent, especially looking back across the valley at the various and ancient terraced orchards and olive groves. There are a number of hikes up and down available to explore, but with the stroller in tow we decided to stick to the cobble stones streets which were a steep enough challenge on their own. The town itself feels quiet and timeless, managing to preserve a traditional architectural style that blends neatly and naturally into it’s steep surroundings.
Towards the center of town it gets a bit more lively, but far from the tourist density you’ll experience in some of the larger towns on the coast. In the center itself there’s a square and a number of restaurants and cafes situated around it. These seemed to fill up rather quickly, so come early or late to get a seat (or try to book ahead). This square seemed to be a popular spot for the many cyclists that visit the area, no doubt hydrating and carb loading for the rather extreme climbs nearby.
Fornalutx, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Fornalutx, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Fornalutx, Mallorca, Olympus XA, Film Ferrania P30
Cemetery in Fornalutx, Mallorca, Olympus XA, Film Ferrania P30
Always seemed to be more ups than downs, Fornalutx, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
One could stay here as a quieter alternative to staying in Soller proper, and still be a reasonably close drive or cycle to visit the town and port. Our host warned that despite the relatively close distance on a map, the road ahead to our next destianteion could get quite busy and jammed with traffic and cyclists (it did), so our stay was relatively short but refreshing. Our journey continues north to Cala St. Vincenc!