A bike tour in Mallorca is every cyclist’s dream, so I was very excited when I found out that this wonderful island was going to be the destination for my (Sybille) very first DuVine bike tour. While I was thrilled about traveling there, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of riding difficulty, knowing that Mallorca is the training ground for professional cyclists from around the word. Luckily, it turned out that there was no reason to be concerned. Mallorca has it all, no matter if you are a novice biker looking for flat, gentle rolling roads, or if you are an experienced rider who wants to climb and meet the challenging terrain of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. You won’t be disappointed, no matter what your skill level is. Mallorca is a true cycling paradise with many riding options to choose from. Your DuVine guides are also always there to support you, offering a lift in the van when necessary, or mapping out additional rides if you desire to log some extra miles.
The Cathedral in Palma
I began my adventure with a pre-night in Palma. If your schedule allows it, I definitely recommend spending an extra night in the capital of the Balearic Islands. Not only to get over your jet-lag and refresh after a long transatlantic flight, but also to explore the charming Old Quarter of the town and its main attraction, the spectacular Cathedral of Palma. La Seo, as the locals call it, is without a doubt the crowning architectural jewel of the island and worth a visit as its interior reveals the entire history of Mallorcan art. Palma also offers endless shopping opportunities from fashion to shoes, gifts and jewelry. Many streets are pedestrian zones littered with art galleries and cafes, with Passeig des Born being the main shopping street.
For accommodations I suggest the Puro Hotel Palma, a cosmopolitan property set in an 18th century palace right in the heart of the Old Town. A more luxurious option would be the The St. Regis Mardavall, about a 20 minute drive from the center of town, offering stunning views of the ocean and its lush gardens. Your DuVine guides will pick you up from either one of these properties or from the airport on the first day of the tour.
Our tour began with a tapas lunch at the Café Varadero (be sure to only eat a light breakfast), which is located right on the Palma waterfront offering a stunning view of the coastline and the cathedral in the background. Following a toast with Spanish sparkling wine to the start of a great week, our guides gave us each a bike fitting. After the safety talk, we started pedaling out of town along the flat, coastal bike path. It’s an easy route to ride and designed to get you comfortable with your new bike for the week. As you travel along the promenade, you get to enjoy incredible views of the beaches and trendy neighborhoods you pass by. At the end the ride we transferred to our first hotel, the unique Hotel & Spa Son Brull. Set against a hill, this former monastery is surrounded by century old olive trees and citrus fruit orchards. The grounds and views are just spectacular. This being our first evening, we started out with a welcome cocktail followed by a 5-course dinner at the hotel restaurant 3/65. (Legend has it that Son Brull had many windows throughout the Finca, hence the name 365.) The menu included many different choices for starters, entrée (meat, fish, chicken, suckling pig, etc.), and dessert. The meal was truly amazing and a wonderful introduction to Mallorcan cuisine.
The beautiful Mediterranean coast.
Our second day started out quite wet with heavy rainfall, but after a short delay we decided that bad weather would not keep us from having fun. Only later did we find out that the most rainfall in 70 years was recorded on this day! We got on our bikes and started cycling towards the enchanting Port of Pollenca, originally a fishing village, but now a hotspot with cafes
and restaurants that invite to a paseo or stroll. The wind and rain had increased since we left our hotel, so we took a quick break to determine whether or not to continue up the winding road to Cap de Formentor, one of the highlights on this tour. In this weather, the road really appeared quite daunting, but nonetheless we decided to push on as nobody wanted to miss out on this stunning route. The ride up proved to be quite challenging, not necessarily because of the incline, but because of the forceful wind gusts that came sideways and tried to knock us off our bikes. After about an hour of fighting natural forces, we all reached the Mirador de Formentor. We were rewarded with spectacular views of rocky cliffs plunging into the sea and the scenery was worth everything we had endured during the uphill climb. Everyone in our group made it to the top and felt accomplished and triumphant. We now also understood why Majorcans call the cape the meeting point of the winds!
The following day the sun came out and showed us the true face of this idyllic Mediterranean island. The next couple of days were pure cycling bliss. We traveled along quiet, deserted, and almost traffic-free back roads, passing vineyards and small rustic villages in the heart of the countryside. Each day we covered about 40-50 kilometers of rolling terrain with perhaps one or two small climbs. Along the way we would stop at a café for a short break, to recharge and to interact with the locals. While we rested, our DuVine guides would refill our water bottles and supply us with snacks. They always carry refreshments in the van, so a piece of fruit or granola bars are always available should you be in need of it.
Mmmm, paella.
Another highlight of the trip was a visit to the local winery Binigrau. The owner, Matias, gave us a tour of his wine cellars and explained how he uses state-of-the-art technology to make his wines, while conserving certain traditional manual techniques when handling the grapes. Following the introduction, Matias served us an array of delicious appetizers, followed by homemade paella, Spain’s national dish. There are three widely known types of paella, Valencian paella, seafood paella, and mixed paella. Valencia paella consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat (rabbit, chicken, duck), land snails, beans, and seasoning. We were served delicious seafood paella, which essentially replaces meat and snails with seafood. Of course we also tasted each of his signature wines, from the fruity Nounat to the elegant Obac. Wine was available for purchase after the meal, and most of our group members did get a bottle or two to bring home. This was a truly DuVine dinner and we all agreed that it was one of the best meals we had ever eaten.
While we thought the scenery could not get more beautiful, day 5 proved us wrong and showed us yet another spectacular side of the island greeting us with magnificent vistas at almost every turn. We left the Hotel Reads in the heart of the countryside and started out with easy cycling from Santa Maria del Cami to Esporles. From there, we ascended on a steep, curvy mountain-road amid pine forests with incredible views of the emerald-green valleys and rugged cliffs. Once we made it to the top, it was downhill all the way to the idyllic town of Valdemossa. Valdemossa is an old mountain village with houses constructed out of stone. It is also home to the Royal Carthusian Monastery, where composer Chopin and George Sand spent the winter of 1838-39. From Valldemossa we continued on to Deia, perhaps the prettiest village on the island. Nestled on a hilltop, it became an artist meeting point and inspiration place after Robert Graves discovered its charm in 1946. Don’t be surprised if you run into someone famous. Many celebrities have vacation homes in this area, which is not surprising given the beauty of these hamlets.
Your Mallorca bike tour would normally end here at the luxurious Hotel La Residencia, but due to a private event we spent the last night in Sóller, deep amidst the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range. Today’s ride offered some of Mallorca’s most stunning scenery and the gorgeous fall weather made it feel like a dream. We weren’t ready for the week to end and say good bye to this incredible place, but every journey and adventure must end at some point– mine was simply DuVine.
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