The mountains rise directly behind Puerto de Sóller, which means that serious hiking begins the moment you leave the promenade. The GR-221 long-distance dry-stone route passes through this part of the Tramuntana, but you don't need to commit to a multi-day stage to get into the best of it. The half-day walk up through the Barranc de Biniaraix — a narrow gorge reached in 20 minutes from Sóller town — is consistently rated among the finest short hikes in Spain: ancient stone stairways climbing through terraced olive groves, the gorge walls closing in overhead, the silence absolute except for running water. From the top, you can continue to Fornalutx or loop back down through the village of Biniaraix.
The coastal walk toward Deià follows the old muleteers' path along the cliff edge above the sea — rocky, vertiginous in places, and spectacular throughout. It takes around three hours one way; the return can be made by boat in summer or by road. For all trails here, carry more water than you think you need, start early in summer to avoid midday heat, and note that shade is intermittent. The reward is a landscape that justifies the UNESCO designation entirely on its own terms — you don't need to know the history to feel why it matters.