Palma de Mallorca - 7th to 15th October 2023

The core week for the club trip is 7th to 15th October 2023. While the group activities will be centred around that week you can book a stay for a longer or shorter period, ideal for adjusting travel days for the best airline price,

Mallorca is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean, offering everything a cyclist or walker may wish for. There are beaches along the south coast, a central plateau with isolated hills bearing castles and monasteries to visit, and mountains plunging into the sea along the north coast. The mountains are green all year. In October there is fruit in the vineyards, the start of autumn colour and the sea is warm. We have been cycling there for many years; walking is more recent.

We have visited the island  in the autumn a number of times, taking advantage of weather that is less hot and an absence of summer crowds, but still nicely warm if you like lazing on the beach.

In October, daytime temperatures are typically around 20°C, pleasantly warm and sunny but not tediously hot. Rain is a possibility and you should bring waterproofs (that’s why the island is green) but we’ve never had a day completely written off. More than one wet day is unlucky.

Cycling is very popular and there is the infrastructure in place to support it, including dedicated cycleways through the island capital Palma, near traffic free back lanes designed for cycling across the island, There are cycle racks outside cafés and restaurants, and secure cycle storage inside at the hotel. Although there is nothing to stop you taking your own bike out to Mallorca, most of us hire out there since good quality carbon road bikes are available at a competitive price compared with flying your own out, and it is much less hassle. E-bikes are also readily available.
Bike hire options will be included when registering.

For this trip, returning cyclists are more focused towards the more recreational cycling. Still full days of cycling but top speed or meters climbed coming second to enjoying the countryside and the views, and the coffee stops.

Walking is not yet quite so organised, but there is plenty to do, we will have a member who lives part time on the island and know the walking area. The island has the famous GR221 route running the length of the northern mountains and many other well documented routes. Walking is up to the walkers to organise, making use of buses, trains and taxis, or perhaps hiring a car.

As the actual cycling and walking programme will develop with those attending so it will give the opportunity for predominately cyclists to join some walks or for walkers to join some bike rides. Bikes can be hired by the day locally.

For everyone, there is the historic centre of Palma and its cathedral, the quaint port town of Sóller accessible by narrow gauge railway, and also rustic traditional towns and villages in the middle of the island, and an assortment of places of interest.

We use the Hotel Helios in Ca’n Pastilla, just to the east of Palma and at the end of the wide sandy Palma Bay, and a short bus ride from the airport and city centre. We have an agreed discount.  Its restaurant offers a very good quality buffet for breakfast and evening dinner.It’s a resort with all the facilities you might expect, but a long way from the infamous party spots of Palma Nova and Magalluf and quite genteel, and is situated on the 13km cycling and walking coastal paths.