6 March 2025, 19:41
Port de Sóller
Port de Sóller. Picture: Getty
By Emma Soteriou
A historic Spanish town has introduced 'residents-only' zones due to a growing number of tourists in the area.
Loading audio...
Sóller, which is in the north of Majorca, has introduced strict traffic rules in its centre due to the volume of visitors.
It comes after traffic jams of up to 7km leading into the town sparked protests last year.
The local council has now put in place a low emission zone across 12 streets, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The move means that no hire cars allowed are allowed in the centre of the town unless they have been registered by locals.
Read more:Spanish PM announces plan to ban Brits from buying homes in fresh blow to expats
Read more:France, Greece and Portugal ‘planning to follow Spain with tax raid on Brit expats’ in fresh blow to holidaymakers
The wooden tram
The wooden tram. Picture: Getty
Spaces for residents will also be set up in several public car parks, with tourists who attempt to park there facing a fine.
One visitor told the publication: "Providing that there is parking I don’t think that there will be a problem, but if there is no parking then it could be a nightmare."
SOS Sóller, which is a local protest movement, said: "In our town, Sóller, in recent years it has been practically impossible for us to park near our homes due to the large number of cars on the road.
"Residents pay an annual fee, but this is no guarantee of success as the number of cars is far higher than the number of parking spaces."
It comes as the negative impact of mass tourism has resulted in growing complaints from locals.
There have been calls for the number of rental cars across Majorca to be limited as well as proposals for an increase to a sustainable tourism tax.
What do the changes mean for tourists?
The town is easy to explore on foot, with tourists still able to park further out and walk to the centre.
There are also trams that run between Sóller and the port, meaning tourists can still visit the area without much difficulty.
The historic wooden tram, which opened in 1913, is very quick, with the journey from Sóller to the port only taking 15 minutes.
For those travelling from further away, there is also the option to travel by train. A return ticket from Palma to Sóller costs €25.