Advice please - Short Majorca trip on a budget

Cubic

Hello,

I'm planning my first ever cycling trip abroad and was hoping to get some advice. I trying to keep things as cheap as possible and I can only go for a few days. I wanted to either go to the Alps or Majorca and from my research so far it looks like Majorca will be the cheaper of the two. I'm planning on hiring a bike box and taking my own bike, rather than hiring one.

I want to go around May or early June and I've seen flights online for £60-70 return. I wanted to ask for some advice as to where to base myself? To keep things as cheap as possible I think it would be best not to hire a car. If I did this, I guess I'd have to base myself a short taxi ride from the airport? Presumably, it would be expensive/difficult to transport myself and my bike across the island?
Are there any bike friendly hotels in Palma that you could recommend and would this be a decent place to base myself being that my aim is to get to ride in the mountainous part of the island?

If you guys think Palma is not a good place to be based I could push the boat out and hire a car, in which case could you recommend any cheap but bike friendly hotels located near the mountains?

I'll probably only get a couple of riding days there, and I will need to work out some good routes. But I might save asking that until later in the planning process!

Thanks for your help.

BigLights

Hello. Mallorca is lovely - I've never actually cycled there but I go there every year for the big annual 'boys' sailing week. Epic. If you're going there for cycling, I'd say maybe avoid Palma - it's not that nice and you'll paya premium for being there. Perhaps look around LLucmajor, Calia or thereabouts? If you're feeling brave you got try and book on the edge of Arunal, which is the German Magaluf (not nearly as bad though) and shouldn't be too busy. I've stayed in a pretty decent and very cheap hotel there before when we exploded a boat 2 years ago.

durhamwasp

Have a look on teletextholidays.co.uk you mate, at the moment a weeks self catering inc flights is around £90, with All inclusive and Full Board at about £170.

bikergirl17

these guys are great -- relatively inexpensive for half board + RT transport from airport. hotel mid level and food edible (i can't say that for some other hotels at which i have stayed in mallorca).

i bring my own bike -- but fee includes bike storage & there's a bike shop/mechanics, so you don't need to lug pumps, lube, etc.

can also rent quality bikes and/or do guided rides with them.

area is nestled right in the hills, but have a few route options that are more flat if you prefer an easy day. i actually prefer this area to alcudia/pollensia as much quieter (less traffic), with access to some really good climbs (orient, soller, sa colobra, coastal ride via valledmosa).

http://www.rad-international.de/english/home.html

Cubic

Thanks for the suggestions, I will have a look into them. I've done a little more research myself and have found some good deals on hotels in Port de Soller and Porto Pollensa, which seem to be popular places for cyclists to base themselves.
I came across the Pollensa Park & Spa hotel, which seems popular and they let you keep your bike in your room, which I'd be more happy with

In Port de Soller I found the Citric and the Miramar hotels. This seems to be a great location as it's right in the middle of the mountains, so I could have one days riding around the NE mountains and another around the SW.

rob_hawk@mac.com

Hi,

It looks like you've decided to head to Majorca but if you do decide you'd like to visit the Alps we run weekends that include your food, transfers and 3 days guided rides to ensure you get the most from your time here.

If you ever need advice on getting here or riding in the Alps just let me know.

http://www.colconquerors.com

Regards

Rob

Beckers62

I posted this on another Mallorca thread a couple of weeks ago, I thought it might be of use to you

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/

PS It's cheaper to hire a bike out there if cost is an issue

Cubic

Thanks for all the help and advice, very useful. The route info is very helpful too. I think I'm going to end up in Pollenca Park, looking forward to it!

craigenty

Cubic wrote:

Thanks for all the help and advice, very useful. The route info is very helpful too. I think I'm going to end up in Pollenca Park, looking forward to it!

Can't go wrong at Pollenca Park - I'll be there a week on Saturday - can't wait!

mallorcajeff

Great advice from beckers there. I live here so am well versed in every bit of the island. I would stay in pollenca as pointed out above there is only three ways out of soller and they are up. They sre nice rides and if your not here for long then it dont matter, but if you fancy an easy day you dont have many options in soller.
Let me know if you need any help on anything.
Jeff

tometoyou

I have just come back from my first ever cycling holiday and it was in majorca, absolutely loved it.

We did it a bit different as we wanted to cycling around a lot of the island rather than base ourselves somewhere. We picked up brand new cannondale super 6 from a small town called Campos, just south of Palma for 120 euros for 7 days. Managed to cycle around the Island, ending up in Port d'alcudia for 3 nights at the end, managed to do the most Southern, Eastern and Northern parts of the island. San Salvador was a great climb in the south near Felanitx and the cap de formentor was a great ride at the end of the holiday.

Port d'alcudia seemed like a good place to stay, we managed to stay in a place called club Belleview for £18 a night for 3 of us, the rest of the holiday we just stayed in places where we finished cycling that day.

Hope you enjoy

rodgers73

Cubic wrote:

Thanks for all the help and advice, very useful. The route info is very helpful too. I think I'm going to end up in Pollenca Park, looking forward to it!

If you want to do it cheaply then try Alpharooms.com - I booked in the Don Miguel apartments just across the road from Pollensa Park and got a weeks stay for £120 self catering. Transfer by coach from the airport was about £20 through the same website. Supermarket in town was very reasonable and The Palms bar 50yds away did cheap drinks and Sky TV with an English crowd.

Apartment was clean and well looked after and had a very clean looking pool which it will soon be warm enough to use.

Enjoyed a lovely week at the end of March riding in the mountains and relaxing on the balcony in the evenings.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Revi ... lands.html

durhamwasp

Few weeks ago I got a self catering room for 4 for £105 for a week in Santa Ponsa on booking.com Beds were 2 x singles, sofa and a z-bed. Did the job tho!