Majorca in December

earth
earth Posts: 934
edited January 2014 in Training, fitness and health
Christmas in this country is getting dull so I'm considering a holiday abroad over the Christmas period. I thought I may as well combine it with a cycling holiday and thought of Majorca. Temperature is not hot at that time of the year but I'm sure it's warmer than the UK.

Problem is searches for holidays in Majorca in Decmber brings up no results. I know team Sky train there over winter so there must be some hotels open. Has anyone else done this? Or can anyone advise somewhere else?

Comments

  • Big_Ring_Rider
    Big_Ring_Rider Posts: 86
    I have just returned from Pollenca. Fantastic for cycling, but besides that, a lot of the north western part of the island (the mountains are on the west coast, best place to cycle) is closed for their holiday season. Unless you went for a self catered apartment, you might struggle for accommodation over Christmas.

    Sky are based in Andulicia (spelling!?), just east of Pollenca.
  • earth
    earth Posts: 934
    Thanks,

    How was the weather and do you have the name of the hotel?
  • Big_Ring_Rider
    Big_Ring_Rider Posts: 86
    Temp. peaked at 14c-16c every day, cool at night, setting off for rides at 09:00-10:00 in circa 10c. Dry everyday, but mountains were occasionally overcast. Knee warmer and gilet sort of weather.

    I stayed at ensamaida apartment:

    http://www.pollensacycling.com/seccion.php?Cat=6

    And can recommend these for bike hire, excellent service from Miguel:

    http://www.pollensacycling.com/
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    As above I wouldn't reckon on much being open regarding resaurants / tourist shops etc. Many hotels will be closed to do refurbishment and cleaning ready for the next year.

    But I bet you could get some great deals on villa rental, the main supermarkets will still be open so you can do self-catering.

    It does get cold in Mallorca over the winter, temps hovering around freezing in the mountains are not uncommon; so don't just pack a short sleeved jersey and shorts!
  • BigJimmyB
    BigJimmyB Posts: 1,302
    Sorry for the slight hijack.

    I'm an MTB'r and off to Pollensa in June.

    Can anyone recommend anyone that does guided rides? I've had a look on the net but can't find anything actually in Pollensa.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    They do group rides from the Pro Cycle Hire shop every morning. Although that isn't 'guided' as such.

    June is ambitious, make sure you have two water bottles fully topped up!
  • BigJimmyB
    BigJimmyB Posts: 1,302
    Is that the shop in the earlier link?

    Also, is it for Mountain bike or road?

    Thx
    BJB
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    They do road rides, I think they might to MTB too, not sure https://www.procyclehire.com/
  • BigJimmyB
    BigJimmyB Posts: 1,302
    Thank you, I'll take a look
  • earth
    earth Posts: 934
    What is Tenerife like for cycling?
  • gazrichards
    gazrichards Posts: 524
    Tenerife - brilliant weather but about double the cost of majorca in dec,jan,feb
    Also it's really just one great big hill and not much else.
    Gran canaria is better IMHO. I used to have access to an apartment there and went 3 winters running for Xmas/new year.
    Did tenerife one year too.

    I like the algarve actually.
    Cheaper than even majorca. Weather is half decent in dec/jan. Last Xmas/new year I was training in shorts every day.
    Stay near the monchique mountains and you have a mix of rolling hills and pretty decent climbs, certainly climbs good enough for such early season training.
    I stayed in Lagos which is right near playa de Luz (where that poor McCann girl went "missing")

    And finally, sky stay in alcudia, not andalucia. Andalucia is a region of mainland Spain.
    Aparantly pollenca practically closes in deep winter. You may also simply struggle to get flights out as I think the easyjet service from luton is seasonal march - oct
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    gazrichards wrote:
    Aparantly pollenca practically closes in deep winter.

    Doesn't surprise me as even in April a lot of places looked closed up, even though it was reasonably busy with cyclists etc. Palma might be different but then you're some distance from the best riding.
  • gazrichards
    gazrichards Posts: 524
    Alcudia is a bigger town so likely to be more stuff open in winter. But having said that I know the hotel sky use in alcudia and British cycling take it over from December to feb with just a few hotel staff and no other guests. It's completely private and you can not just walk in and hang out I don't think. Apparently the riders will go home for the weekend and leave their shoes/books in the hotel lobby as they know they will be there when they return. It's a bit like a big uni halls for them.

    I remember a couple of years back I was on the very first luton-Palma flight of the season in march and some of the big hotels in pollensa were still closed when I got there.
  • okgo
    okgo Posts: 4,368
    I stayed in Alcudia old town last year first week of feb, its quiet but stuff is open, places to eat, drink, supermarkets cafe's etc.

    Weather massively changeable, one day it was 25 deg!!!! The next day it was torrential rain and gale force winds, and then another day it was snowing in the mountains.

    I did like riding in Majorca, though got a bit bored of the same old roads in and out of Alcudia after a while, anyone that knows the power plant road will know what I mean, long, dull and you have to use it nearly every time you go for a ride lol!
    Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com
  • Big_Ring_Rider
    Big_Ring_Rider Posts: 86
    gazrichards wrote:

    And finally, sky stay in alcudia, not andalucia. Andalucia is a region of mainland Spain.
    Aparantly pollenca practically closes in deep winter. You may also simply struggle to get flights out as I think the easyjet service from luton is seasonal march - oct

    Thanks- I was in a hurry typing my reply, couldn't quite think of the name of the town!

    Pollenca is a ghost town in January... I'd stay at Alcudia next time, although "that" road is a heck of a drag, especially on tired legs at the end of a ride...
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    You mean here? http://goo.gl/maps/L3Bxi
  • gazrichards
    gazrichards Posts: 524
    I think you are using the marshes road past the power plant/cement factory or whatever it is that often you are missing a huge part of the appeal of majorca.
    Surely from alcudia you take the coastal road to pollenca which has to be one of the most beautiful roads around with great smooth Tarmac and a lane to seperate bikes from traffic. From pollensa you take the road past Cala st Vicente towards pollensa old town and use the lanes around campernet to get you to either the bottom of the good climb up lluc (col Sa batalla)or to puig major and soller.
    I would only use that marsh road when I'm after a flat ride. It does tend to get windy around there though, good practice for echelon riding.

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