This cycling tour exceeded our expectations. The weather was perfect, mostly sunny with few windy days, the accommodations were comfortable and reasonably-priced, the food was excellent, and the cycling routes varied and scenic. All types of routes were available—mountain climbing, winding coastal roads, flat agricultural countryside—we could take our pick. The small paved farming lanes were particularly pleasant for cycling. Automobile traffic was rarely a problem. There were so many cyclists on the island that we were in more danger of being hit by a bicycle than by a car.

We very much enjoyed staying in Port Alcudia for almost two weeks and going for day rides with no weight on the bikes. Our hotel, the Ivory Playa, was a good base--we thank other cyclists for recommending it. We would not normally stay at this type of large “resort” hotel, but the quality of the accommodation and the delicious food made it unbeatable, especially at the low-season rates. This was the first time on a tour that we stayed so long in one place, but we'd like to do it again, since cycling unloaded means we can ride further with less effort on day trips.

We had visited Mallorca for a week in 2007, before bicycles, renting an apartment in Port Soller (north of Palma) and exploring that part of the island with a rental car. We enjoyed that trip, but feel that travelling by bicycle on Mallorca is much more interesting and rewarding. It's a small enough island that one could cover all of it on a bike, and cycling the winding coastal roads is a good deal more pleasant than driving them.

Even though Mallorca's main industry is tourism, the towns and countryside still have an appealing natural ambience, and we were glad to be able to experience different areas of the island during our 24 day stay. Travelling slowly by bicycle, exploring castles, caves and monasteries, gave us a feel for the long, complex history of Mallorca, as a crossroads of the Mediterranean, settled and pirated over many centuries by Romans, Muslims and Christians.

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