Mallorca Cycling & Family Holiday Base

ratsbeyfus

Hi
I'm planning to go to mallorca this summer with wife (mine), 2x young kids and my lovely road bike. Any recommendations for a good place to base ourselves. Obviously I want to cycle and get into mountains, and missus would like to be close to beach and pretty countryside, but not disco bars etc. Any recommendations, tips, etc are greatly appreciated.

JackPozzi

Puerto Pollensa is probably the obvious choice, easy to get into the mountains from and there are options for flatter routes if you want an easier day, the beach seems pretty good there as well. Pollensa park is one of the bigger hotels there and is very bike friendly which is always a bonus

bronco016

Hi

Plenty of hotels in Puerto Pollensa to choose from. Have a look at www.cyclingabroad.co.uk for more information

Bronco016

ratsbeyfus

Thanks - I'll look into it. Hoping to take my own bike rather than hire one.

bernithebiker

We tend to base ourselves somewhere near Palma, but that's because I love the city, bars, restaurants, nightlife, etc.

You have a good selection of beaches a short drive away, and can get into the mountains pretty quickly too. West for climbs, East for flats.

banditvic

Hi stayed in Club Pollentia which is a hotel with lots of sports going on. High end road bikes can be hired there. It's on it's own, great food and quiet. Google it on trip advisor.

IanSmitton

Puerto Soller on the north coast is very nice. It has beaches, nice hotels and restaurants, and no real clubs to speak of.

It's also surrounded on three sides by mountains, so you would have several great routes to choose from.

ratsbeyfus

Thanks again - more places to research.

Bonno

I can recommend the Azul hotel in Puerto Pollensa .
We've stayed at the Pollensa park hotel but found it not as suitable for children and the walls were paper thin!
The Azul is in town (but quiet) so 5 minute walk to shops etc. is close to beach and something always going on for kids.
Excellent staff, nice clean rooms, plentiful food and about 20 minute ride to the mountains!!!
English run bike shop/hire is also just a 10 minute walk!
Roll on April ....

ManOfKent

+1 for the Azul - stayed there last year and it was excellent.

tometoyou

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on this thread but I thought it better than starting a new one on mallorca?

Myself and two friends are flying out there on the 23rd-31st March and renting bikes from Palma, what routes would people advise there, would we be able to cycle from Palma along the coast up Alcudia and back in the week, we would prefer a circular route rather a base somewhere?

thanks and sorry for jumping on.

durhamwasp

Teletext hols are doing a week self catering in Alcudia for £91pp from Leeds Bradford in March, hmmm

Beckers62

I just got back from a week in Mallorca last night.

A few observations and pointers

I based myself in Port de Soller, which is quite lovely. There are several nice bars and restaurants, and it's very picturesque. There is nice little beach if you've got kids and a Mrs who want to indulge in that sort of thing while you are out riding. I took my own bike, but Tramuntana Tours have bikes available for hire (Trek).

http://www.tramuntanatours.com/

I stayed in the Miramar, right on the sea front by the tram terminus

http://www.miramarsoller.com/html/galeriaengl.html

I booked through some last minute room clearance website and got a bargain for B&B. The hotel is basic, but absolutely fine. The lady proprietor is an absolute gem. Hospitable and amiable, and not fazed by bikes being carted up to the room either (they have a bike storage room, but mine stayed where I could see it). I ate there the first night as I was a late arrival. Four courses for 9 euros.... basic, but it did the job. For the rest of the week I ate at Bar Roma, just up the road. Ideal for pasta & pizza (good riding fuel)

http://barroma.com/index.php/en/

Being in Port de Soller is OK, if you like climbing big hills, there are few other options available to get out of town. Being old and feeble I hired a car halfway through the week so I could ride other parts of the island and also get some easier days riding.... (this didn't happen... the easier part)

Day 1 - Puig Major - Basically a climb of 1078m and back down again. Don't do this ride on a Saturday (or possibly Sunday) as that's when all the local motorcyclist Valentino Rossi/Jorge Lorenzo wannabees will be out caning it like they are riding the La Corune Moto GP

Day 2 - Valledemossa and back - A total of 4800ft of climbing (sorry to mix metric and imperial). Great ride, but take your own packed lunch. Valledemossa is "fou fou" and expensive. 8 euros for a lunchtime panini.

Day 3 - rest in Palma..... and a drive about sightseeing

Day 4 - Puerto Pollenca up to Cap de Formentor - This was probably my favourite ride of the week. Cracking scenery and a really remote feel to it. Again, take your own food. There is a cafe at the lighthouse, but 1 can of Fanta was 3.30 euros.. ouch.

Day 5 - St Maria del Camy to Bunyola to Orient to Alaro to Inca to St Maria - I was determined to do a proper loop, and my legs were hurting, so I wanted a ride without too much climbing. Still had to cover off the section from Bunyola to Orient, up to the Col d'Honour. The last section is dull, don't bother

To summarise, Soller is ok if you don't mind starting your day with a big climb. If you are a bit more feint of heart I would base in Puerto Pollenca. You can still get to the mountains, and the Cap de Formentor ride is on your doorstep.

Oh... and if anyone wants to see my photos they are here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10868968@N ... 801194813/

durhamwasp

Thanks for that Beckers62, nice pics!

Baybash

Pollensa inland form Puerto Pollensa was nice. Bit closer to the mountains and a nice little town.

durhamwasp

Just booked a week in Santa Ponsa for tomorrow, £180 self catering, not bad...

Have noticed Rad International bike hire, pretty good prices, anybody else know any other hire places in town?

Also, hire cars, anybody recommend any cheap ones? Gonna have to drive to bottom of Sa Colobra and do it from Soller, due to have 2 small ones and both me and the Mrs wanting to cycle it (we'll have to take turns!)

durhamwasp

Just got back from a week in Mallorca - stayed in Santa Ponsa (hotel £105/wk for 4), not a bad base for cycling, but not the best...

Our circumstances meant we only did one climb - Sa Calobra - and a beauty it was! Ive done the Alpe, Ventoux, Izoard, Galibier and for the 10km's of this climb its up there, but of course the lack of length lets it down. Cost us €10 to park at the bottom for about 3hrs...

We drove many other climbs, and the best one to me looked to be Col de Soller, with a beautiful tapas restaurant at the top! The climb to the top of Sa Calobra climb from Caimari was probably the best one for length and difficulty I think.

I was massively impressed by the island, basically a cycling paradise, Im not lying when I say I saw more cyclists than normal tourists. Cyclists were on every hill we climbed, every village we went through and every café we stopped at, just perfect. The motorway from Palma to Manator has a class cycling road running its whole length too, almost completely flat for about 40km.

Its almost as if somebody had 1500km's of spare smooth as you like perfect for cycling tarmac and decided to stick it on the Island of Mallorca. Can see us going back a the end of the year.

bobbydazzla

Durhamwasp - am making a similar trip in May, I also have 2 toddlers in tow so will be restricted with my time. I'll be cycling for a couple of hours most days but we're on the East coast so I'll have to drive the bike to any of the famous climbs, Sa Calobra is the one I've earmarked as a must do. Your info is really useful, can't wait to get out there.

Who did you sort you car hire with ? And did you just stick the bike in the car, or hire / take a bike rack ?

durhamwasp

We booked it with 'Record Go' they were easily the cheapest and the only car hire company at the airport with a queue! I booked an estate car but actually got a C-Max, nice car and did the job. The price you pay online doesn't included additional insurance tho (this cost me €45) and if you rent for 4 days+ you have to pay a tank of fuel up front and bring it back empty. I still believe it was the best value company out there.

Yes - we also had 2 toddlers, hence our lack of cycling. Sa Calobra is great, and I would say go for Cap de Formentor too!

itboffin

Just back from a week where we managed every climb but the Sa Calobra just didnt have time this time, as its already been said Mallorca is a cyclist paradise, some of the tourist drivers could do with being a bit more patient but you can't have it all.

For those who truly like to punish themselves the ride up to Puig Mayor from Pollenca is a fairly epic 24 miles avg 6-8% on mostly perfect roads.

Enjoy

durhamwasp

did u get to the top of Puig Major, or just to the military base? I drove up there on the roads you mention (lovely as you say) but couldn't go towards the summit from the military base as it was 'no access'. We descended down the other side instead.

itboffin

durhamwasp wrote:

did u get to the top of Puig Major, or just to the military base? I drove up there on the roads you mention (lovely as you say) but couldn't go towards the summit from the military base as it was 'no access'. We descended down the other side instead.

Yep over the top twice, the tunnel is as far as you can go even on a road bike.

4kicks

Actually there are two sportives a year that let you go right to the top of the military base. Worth it for the view alone, but I dont do it when its raining as 400 Germans all descending on a pack in the wet down 12% gradients is a scary sight to see.
http://vueltamallorca.com/mallorca-clas ... -and-maps/
http://www.trencagarrons.com/