Ask Andreu Borràs where he works, and he doesn’t point to a desk. He points up. “The Tramuntana is my home office,” he says, grinning. Indeed, at seven in the morning, the limestone ridges above Sóller look a lot like a corner office with a view. Still, this one comes with loose scree, sudden weather, and a commute that starts with a steep climb.
Born in Sóller, Raised on the Trails
Andreu was born and raised in Sóller, so the mountains were never just scenery. They were his playground. The spark came early, „thanks to a TV series about Spanish mountaineers that fascinated me as a boy.“ First, he hiked with his parents. Later, as a teenager, he headed out with a paper map and often a flashlight, because headlamps didn’t exist yet. Since then, he has walked the Serra de Tramuntana for twenty years, and he never really left.
Electrician, Geographer, Mountain Guide
His route to the summit wasn’t a straight line. First, Andreu Borràs trained as an electrician. Then he studied geography and, eventually, qualified as a mountain guide. Along the way, he picked up five languages: Spanish and Catalan at home, German in Ravensburg, English, and a little French. As a result, he can explain a limestone ridge to almost anyone. Geography, meanwhile, taught him to read the landscape like an open book.
Hiking versus Trail Running in Mallorca
Hiking and trail running spring from the same passion, yet they feel entirely different. “When you hike, you see more,” Andreu says. But he admits that the athletic challenge of running appeals to him almost more. The numbers tell the story. A summit that takes his clients four hours, he climbs in thirty minutes and races back down in twenty-seven. Fast, yes. But never careless.
Read the Stones, Trust Your Boots
„The secret is reading the stones“, explains Andreu Borràs. After twenty years, his feet know where to land. Think of walking through a city, you don’t inspect every step, because you already know where you’re going. The same goes for a scree slope, he explains. Equipment matters, too, and above all the shoes. Andreu calls them the most important piece of gear. And he trusts Mallorcan brands like Normal and Bestard, tested by himself as far away as Nepal.
Rule Number One: Respect the Mountain
His first rule for every hiker is simple: „Respect. Respect nature, respect the mountains, respect the challenge.“ Unfortunately, many visitors do the opposite. Poor preparation, wrong equipment, and an overestimation of their own abilities are the usual culprits. “Above 800 meters, moreover, Mallorca’s mountains turn genuinely alpine.“ The consequences are real. According to Andreu, Mallorca ranks third in Spain for mountain rescues, even ahead of the Pyrenees. Helicopters, therefore, fly out regularly to pull hikers from tight spots. However, this hasn’t happened on his own guided tours.
The Trend Toward Shorter Tours
Meanwhile, the trend points toward shorter outings such as sunset tours. That sounds harmless, and often it is. Still, short doesn’t automatically mean easy. The same rules apply, whether you walk for two hours or for eight, according to Andreu: „Good shoes, a realistic view of your own limits, and the humility to turn around.“
From Working Farms to Wild Ridges
Estilo Palma’s interview series “Café con …” usually unfolds over a cup of coffee. This time, it happens on the trail, and so the stories come as easily as the steps. Passing a finca, Borràs points across the slope. Once, he says, all these estates were working farms with green pastures, olive trees, and sheep. The sheep, by the way, still carry their winter wool until June, when the shearing begins. In other words, the mountain was a workplace long before Borràs claimed it as his own.
The Mountains Are Changing Faster Than The Maps
Climate change, meanwhile, has rewritten the script. „My grandparents lived from olive oil. Back then, nobody shook the trees. Instead, families gathered the fruit from the ground, sometimes even out of the snow“, Andreu remembers. Now, at those altitudes, there is no snow at all. The forest tells the same story. Pines are spreading, while holm oaks retreat to higher elevations because temperatures have grown too warm. In short, the mountains are changing faster than the maps.
Think Global, Act Local
In 2019, Andreu Borràs founded Sóller Ben Amunt, which translates roughly as “Sóller high up.” The initiative offers guided mountain activities, from hiking to trail running. Since then, it has grown and diversified, with guided trips reaching as far as the Pyrenees and Nepal. Yet the philosophy stays close to home.
Andreu Borràs’ Favorite Hikes In Mallorca
The last question in our interviews is always about a favorite place on the island. For Andreu, the answer comes in two parts. First, there is Penyal des Migdia, which rises just forty meters below Puig Major and marks the highest point hikers can legally reach on Mallorca. Second, there is Torrent de Pareis, one of the most spectacular and challenging hikes in Mallorca, which winds through an impressive gorge and ends at the sea.
Read more about the best Tramuntana hikes, right here.
