FROM NORTHWEST LONDON TO NORTH WEST MALLORCA

My family are from Twisden road, Swain’s Lane and Queen’s Crescent. But a few years back we swapped countries and, in Soller, found “Kentish Town on the Med”. Yes, it’s what we actually call it: there are the same eccentric, vibrant people and ideas – plus the beach, mountains and weather.

Soller is in the hidden valley of Mallorca, cut off from the rest of the island until 1997, when a tunnel was blasted through and a road link installed. Until then the only way of travelling here was over the high mountain road or on the first electric train from Palma. Having just celebrated its 100th anniversary, it really is one of the greatest rail journeys in the world: weaving its way through tunnels and olive groves, it climbs the mountain and then rolls down to the lush valley below.

Step off the train and the next delight awaits – the Soller Tram. Take a whistlestop tour of the town centre, back gardens, fields and then finally alongside the sea in the Port of Soller. Its horseshoe bay is surrounded by the Tramuntana mountain range: think sunsets over the sea, or endless beach and sailing days.

Soller is a city and has a church that befits its status – not quite a cathedral as the system doesn’t work like that here. But nonetheless Sant Bartholomew presides over our town square, a benign presence on the gatherings of locals, their children and visitors.

There’s a long history of trading with France and the rest of Europe, with oranges and silk exported and French even becoming the second language. But around 1900, a catastrophic failure of the harvest of both oranges and the mulberry trees that provided the silk resulted in a mass migration of young people to France. As life improved, they brought their money back to the Soller Valley and built fine houses and palaces such as Can Prunera, our Museum of Modern Art in the Calle Lluna. A fine example of the era, it houses a wonderful collection of art and objets.

Soller, Biniaraix and Fornalutx make up the heart of the valley, linked by mountain road to Deia and Valldemossa. This is the stuff of adventures, often led by the clusters of white classic Vespas which can be hired from Bullimoto (+34 971 63 26 96). Celebs own second homes up here, so posh London decamps to these wealthy towns and villages for the summer; we have great fun putting the paparazzi off the scent.

This piece is, of course, just a snapshot of what I call Kentish Town on the Med.  So come over and experience it for yourself: while we’ve lived in Mallorca forever, our roots and connections with NW5 are very much alive – so we can even swap notes.

Eating

Accommodation