Cycling Holiday - South Mallorca or Mainland Spain?

dazz_ni45

Starting to think about next years cycling trip as a few of us plan to get away in April. Have staying to PP for the past 4 years so fancy a bit of a change.

I have also been to Girona for the past two years which I loved, but it isn't as easy as Mallorca with the half board hotels and our direct flight from the local airport is also stopping at the end of the year.

I've heard the south of Mallorca suggested a few times so wondered if Puerto Andratx would be a good place to base ourselves or if there were better options and how the roads compared to the north of the Island as we do enjoy the climbs.

Alternatively would somewhere in mainland Spain be a better option? We generally only do 3-4 days so prefer somewhere that is easy to get to and get out on the road cycling.

Thanks

joe_totale-2

I wouldn't really call Andratx southern Mallorca, more western Mallorca.

From Andratx you can do a ride to Puerto Pollensa which takes in many of the highlights. You then get taken home by a coach. Otherwise it's a decent place to stay and easy to get to from the airport.

Southern Mallorca is really flat aside from a couple of hills with monasteries on the top.

bradsbeard

I'd base in Puerto Pollensa.

amrushton

majorca is a lot of bang per buck in that you have the climbs up in the North and the flatter rolling stuff elsewhere. Calpe is regarded as a good location but do you want climbs or flatter. I had a week in Almeria some yrs back and it was either up or down, nothing else. It can get wearing after a while.

pilot_pete

For Girona, also consider the following airports;

Perpignan
Barcelona
Reus

PP

pilot_pete

Also, how about Malaga, Almeria, which have the Sierra Nevada on the doorstep.

If you want something a little different, but still challenging try the Algarve in southern Portugal. Flat along the coast and constant rolling inland with some great climbs (take a look at the Tour of the Algarve which takes place in February).

This is me descending Malhao...after climbing it, which is a real brute!


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PP

mrb123

Costa Blanca
Mojacar
Gran Canaria
Port de Soller if you fancy a different base in Mallorca

Wayne Plunger

Pilot Pete wrote:

Also, how about Malaga, Almeria, which have the Sierra Nevada on the doorstep.

If you want something a little different, but still challenging try the Algarve in southern Portugal. Flat along the coast and constant rolling inland with some great climbs (take a look at the Tour of the Algarve which takes place in February).

This is me descending Malhao...after climbing it, which is a real brute!


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PP

As a part time Algarve resident I can certainly endorse PP's view of the area. As he says, constantly rolling, some great climbs and once off the N125 trans Algarve road the roads are extremely quiet, in the main good surfaces (a few exceptions) lots of roadside cafes.

dazz_ni45

Thanks everyone.

Was actually thinking of Portugal/Algarve last night as an option. Any recommendations on where to stay/bike hire shops/bike friendly hotels etc?

Wayne Plunger

dazz_ni45 wrote:

Thanks everyone.

Was actually thinking of Portugal/Algarve last night as an option. Any recommendations on where to stay/bike hire shops/bike friendly hotels etc?

There is a good bike hire shop in Tavira (Abilio Bikes) Google him, he is a Trek / Orbea agent and most of his hire bikes appear to be Trek. Don't think he is cheap but have never hired so don't know prices.

With regard to hotels don't know about bike friendly but there are a lot of complexes around Tavira, particularly in Cabanas, like aparthotels where you would have enough room to store your bikes.

What time of year are you thinking of? Would avoid August as all the Northern Portuguese come down and the place is rammed.

If it is an area you later decide on let me know and I will pm you my Strava link for some routes. (My speeds are slow cos I am an old b--tard!!)

backo

Have stopped in Guia (outside Albuferia) a couple of times and hired a bike from Bikesul with no issues. Monchique mountain range just in distance. think its was an 80mile out and back from memory.

Others have mentioned Sierra Nevada back in Spain, had 4 nights there earlier this year..if you like mountain climbs you wont go wrong...it also boosts the highest paved road in Europe and the coast is also within reach. Preferred it to Mallorca if im honest

janwal

Six of us go to C’an Pastilla in Mallorca every October. You have a large choice of rides from there. Plenty of climbing if you want it. There is a 13k cycle path along the coast that takes you to Palma. From there you can go along to a Andratx and from there up into the hills. You can nip through Palma and out to Col De Soller. Over the Col to Soller and either come back over or go left to Deia then to Valdermossa. Or you can turn right and climb the Piug Major. Or you can climb to Valdermossa from the Main road to Soller and come back numerous ways,even back via Andratx. Valdermossa is definitely one village you must visit either way. You can go out and do the Orient climb.
Going out the other way from C’an along the prom via Arenal you can have gentler rides up to Llucmajor and further and drop down to the coast to lunch. All in all lots of other ride choices to choose just have a look at google maps.
We stay half board at the Helios Hotel. Excellent rooms and choice of food. Lots of secure bike storage. The excellent Berganti bikes is 2 minutes away on the front. You can pre book the bikes before you go on their website.
We did try staying in PP but you don’t have the variety of ride choice you do from C’an.

pblakeney

janwal wrote:

We did try staying in PP but you don’t have the variety of ride choice you do from C’an.

???? Mallorca is small, very small. I've done Santanyi from PP. Basically you can do anything from anywhere but the one place that I'd avoid is Palma. That said, I've had my fill and it is time for pastures new.

ryan_w-2

www.ridesouthernspain.com

Give me a shout if you’re genuinely interested and I’ll sort you out a deal since Andy is one of my best mates.

The riding out there is out this world, and that’s coming from an 85kg lump who hates hills...

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Are there enough good rides in Tenerife besides climbing Teide from around Los Christianos, to keep you busy for a week?

navrig2

NitrousOxide wrote:

Are there enough good rides in Tenerife besides climbing Teide from around Los Christianos, to keep you busy for a week?

Yes you can do a week in Tenerife. You need a car tho, not like Puerto Pollensa.

Teide is a good ride and there are some cracking climbs to west towards Beuna Vista. The north also has some good climbs and is much prettier.

amrushton wrote:

majorca is a lot of bang per buck in that you have the climbs up in the North and the flatter rolling stuff elsewhere. Calpe is regarded as a good location but do you want climbs or flatter. I had a week in Almeria some yrs back and it was either up or down, nothing else. It can get wearing after a while.

We were in Calpe last year and the riding is good, If we went again we wouldn't stay in Calpe as it can be busy and drudge getting out of the town and find the routes. We hired 2 Berlingos and drove out of town on every morning except one.

I suggest stay at Xalo where you can hire bikes from

https://www.velosolcycling.com/

We hired Canyons from them and the service and bikes were excellent. I note they are using Eddie Mercx bikes now but as they are are a training centre I am sure they will be just as good. They also have an enclosed courtyard with bar, shop and cafe in Xalo which is a nice place to chill.

This year my friends went to the Sierra Nevada and said it was great. I missed it due to a change in job and location.

My wife and holidayed in Catalonia and visited the area to the west of Girona. That's on the visit list with the bike.

bigjim

I'd rather have Alcudia as a base than PP as you have more choice of rides out and a different return route. Though in the winter if you want a bit of night life Can'Pastilla and Arenal are livelier as you have easier access to always busy Palma. Good gym on the front at Arenal if it's raining.

vitesse169

Hi - I have relocated to mainland Spain, about 45 mins from Alicante airport, in the campo near a town called Pinoso. We are 630 metres above sea level and there is plenty of flat (ish) as well as great climbing around here. We are setting up a self catering property next door that sleeps 6 people with secure bike parking. Also next to us is a cafe/bar/restaurant. There is a chaingang that I ride with twice a week that caters for all abilities. I know I'm biased, but it really is great round here. Give it some thought if you want somewhere different to ride.

cruff

I'd go for round Calpe (though stay somewhere outside the actual town if you can - like Altea, or Callosa, or Xabia). Fantastic cycling and more likely to get dry weather than in Mallorca

navrig2

cruff said:

I'd go for round Calpe (though stay somewhere outside the actual town if you can - like Altea, or Callosa, or Xabia). Fantastic cycling and more likely to get dry weather than in Mallorca

I agree except our experience has been we got rain on all our trips to Mallorca (two trips) and Calpe (one trip) when we went early Sept.

In all cases the rain was torrential and we were soaked within a few minutes. The Calpe area intensity was worse than Mallorca. Soaked to the pad and socks in about 30 seconds - our shower at home delivered less water!

On a descent with rim brakes (Ultegra 6800) I could not stop. Brakes full on and speed dropped to a few miles an hour but it would not stop until the gradient slackened off.

It wasn't cold tho'.